Step into a world where art, engineering, and imagination collide in a mesmerizing symphony of motion and sound. The Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre, tucked away in the heart of Glasgow, Scotland, is not just a venue for performances; it’s an immersive experience that has the power to invigorate the soul.
If you’re in search of a truly unique and mesmerising experience, look no further than the Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre. Here you can delight in a whirlwind of intricate mechanics that merge effortlessly with the arts, producing a spectacle of life-like sculptures that draws out every possible tear-jerking emotion. Let’s prepare to embark on a journey of imagination, entertainment, and inspiration. Let us explore the Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre, shall we?
Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre, Glasgow
About the Sharmanka Theatre
The Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre has been delighting curious travellers for the past three decades. The theatre was founded in 1989 by theatre director Tatyana Jakovskaya and sculptor-mechanic Eduard Bersudsky. Eduard is a prominent and highly influential artist in the United Kingdom. Being the leading artist and co-creator of the Millennium Clock Tower at the National Museum of Scotland, and also being the recipient of the Creative Scotland award in 2005, Eduard shares a world of wonder to all those curious enough to enter.
This unique theatre showcases its ‘Kinemat’ actors in a range of different settings and within different narratives. ‘Kinemats’ are kinetic art sculptures, and the Sharmanka Theatre almost resembles a Victorian toy shop with a hint of Harry Potter.
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Collections on Show
There are various collections within the Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre. The first of these is the Wooden Kinemats Collection, made between 1974 and 1998 in St. Petersburg, Russia, before Sharmanka’s opening. The Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre also showcases a collection that is currently on loan from the Glasgow Museum. It is known as the Proletarian Greetings Collection. Eduard created this unique spectrum of the Proletarian Greetings Collection between the years 1990 and 1991 in Russia. This particular collection serves as a tribute to Jean Tinhuely, a Swiss kinetic sculptor.
The Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre also has a series of metal ‘kinemats’, created between 1998 to 2012. So too do they have a Travelling Circus collection, created from 1974 to 1989. It was the first set of ‘kinemats’ made specifically for travelling and was designed to showcase short narratives with rainbows of intriguing themes. Other collections include the Gothic Collection, as well as the Merry-Go-World Collection. They are all worth seeing in real life, take my word for it!
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The Shows at the Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre
There are 2 kinemat theatre shows that you can watch at the Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre. With each show being undeniably perfect and inexplicably wonderful, you can anticipate a world of visual awe. However, these shows differ in their age appropriateness, show length, narratives, and themes. Some shows don’t run all the time and are subject to availability. But, let me take you through 2 of the shows currently in theatre.
The first show is called Promenade, with a running time of 45 minutes. This show is popular with all age groups and showcases a wide section of kinetic sculptures that Eduard Bersudsky fabricated in Scotland. This includes the Titanic kinemat, Willy the Belfry, Rag n’ Bone Man, Orient Express, and The Loom. Wheels of Life is the second show that Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre runs.
This show explores some darker themes, so children under the age of 12 shouldn’t watch. It features some of the earlier works that Eduard completed, and it is, according to many, the gem of the entire Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre. Note that the shows are very interactive, requiring you to move from one display to the next. There is only a 15-minute section spent watching the show whilst seated.
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Mental Wellness of Theatre
It’s probably no surprise that watching theatre broadens your mind. However, we tend to forget how much it expands our perspective and how necessary it is in a time of curated social media posts and highly marketed social agendas. It’s extremely beneficial for mental health to gain some perspective with theatre. Another benefit of theatre is that it gives you easier access to suppressed emotions. Once you realise that something hidden has been revealed within your emotional sphere, it’s simpler for you to address it without implicating those around you.
Speaking of those around you, theatre is a great way to meet new people with the same interests as you. Because we as human beings are social creatures, this social outing is immensely beneficial to one’s mental well-being. Theatre also teaches empathy, sparks open communication, and in some cases even increases confidence.
Lastly, the theatre has been shown to reduce stress due to the momentary escape it provides. Ultimately, theatre is a great place to go if you need some motivation, some socialisation, and some inspiration. If you find yourself in Glasgow, be sure to get your mental health fix at the Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre.
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Spectacular, Spectacular!
The world of theatre awaits, and it’s a world unlike any other. However, the world that Eduard Bersudsky and Tatyana Jakovskaya created is even more intriguing than the normal theatre productions – more inspiring. It’s enough to put the bounce back into your step. And it is a bounce that will be with you long after visiting the Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre.
Being that it’s one of Glasgow’s unique hidden gems, it’s a definite must for you, your friends, and your family to explore. Let us go hither to a place where mechanics have feelings, kinetics draws emotion and engineering inspires. Let’s visit the Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre!
