The story of a rescuer from the Cherkasy region to be staged at the Ivano-Frankivsk Drama Theatre

On 22 November, Victoria Trofimenko’s production of Yakiv will be staged for the first time at the Ivano-Frankivsk Drama Theatre. The play tells the story of Yakiv Drobot, the head of a collective farm in the Cherkasy region, who managed to save the lives of all the people of his village during the Holodomor.

When we speak about the Holodomor history, one of the most tragic chapters in our history, it is crucial to remember that even in that terrible atmosphere of fear and despair, there were people who saved others. They saved others, risking their freedom and lives, the well-being of their families, sharing their last food, knowing that the very next day they themselves might have nothing to eat. The local stories of rescue are essential for understanding how strong a nation we are. Because the Holodomor is not only about crime and victims but also heroism and sacrifice, support and mutual aid. Even now, during the war, we see many examples of Ukrainians coming together and helping each other. It is not a coincidence; it is a tradition of remarkable humanity with deep roots. We must talk about this, including through the language of art.

Starring Andrii Melnyk, Roman Lutskyi, Yana Ivasiuk, Yurii Vykhovanets, Halyna Barankevych, Ivan Blindar, Iryna Onyshchuk, Pavlo Kilnytskyi, Viktor Abramiuk. Over 40 actors and actresses are involved in the production.

Starring Andrii Melnyk, Roman Lutskyi, Yana Ivasiuk, Yurii Vykhovanets, Halyna Barankevych, Ivan Blindar, Iryna Onyshchuk, Pavlo Kilnytskyi, Viktor Abramiuk. Over 40 actors and actresses are involved in the production.

Starring Andrii Melnyk, Roman Lutskyi, Yana Ivasiuk, Yurii Vykhovanets, Halyna Barankevych, Ivan Blindar, Iryna Onyshchuk, Pavlo Kilnytskyi, Viktor Abramiuk. Over 40 actors and actresses are involved in the production.

Director Viktoriia Trofimenko bases the plot on documentary testimonies, tracing how an employee of the totalitarian machine gradually begins to question the rightness of his own actions.

As part of the project’s promotion, testimonies from the Holodomor Museum archives are read aloud by theatre actors. You can watch the video on the museum’s social media pages and those of the Ivano-Frankivsk Drama Theatre.