History of Georgian Theater

Those who dared to resist lost their freedom; those who surrendered lost their ability to create.

The theatre has always played an important role in shaping the collective consciousness of Georgians. Since ancient times, many forms of spectacle have existed. Among them is Berikaoba, which has survived to this day and traditionally focused on stories of social injustice: military crimes, the sins of the church, feudal oppression, and more. It was an improvised theatre of masks. Over time, its originally religious nature evolved, beginning to reflect social problems and public attitudes toward landlords and the church.

Another public celebration, Keenoba (derived from “Khan”), expressed the heroic struggle and victory of the Georgian people against invading khans in the 17th and 18th centuries. In Tbilisi, this spectacle was held mainly in the area of Narikala. The city would take on a festive appearance, and the population would divide into two groups: one played the defenders (Georgians), the other the invading army of khans. Unsurprisingly, the defenders always won. The defeated khan was placed upside down on a donkey and thrown into the river.

The performance ended with a grand feast, as all things do in Georgia. Interestingly, in the 19th century, the spectacle appears to have shifted its purpose and became anti-tsarist. Figures of the emerging National Liberation Movement saw it as a channel for spreading patriotic ideas. This marked the first time theatrical performance was consciously used as a weapon in the struggle for independence.

It was not until the 1790s that the first professional Georgian theatre was established by Giorgi Avalishvili and Gabriel Maiori at the court of Erekle II. This semi-European theatre played a crucial role in the development of cultural life. Original Georgian dramaturgy was created, and prominent Russian and European works were translated. Tragically, in 1795, Gabriel Maiori and the entire troupe died heroically during Agha Mohammad Khan’s invasion at the Battle of Krtsanisi.

The first Georgian Theatre of the Nobility was founded in 1878.

Only six years later, in 1801, the Russian Empire annexed Georgia diplomatically, nearly uprooting the national theatre in its infancy. After the deaths of its founders, the theatre was not restored for almost half a century, and performances survived only in private salons. Meanwhile, progressive anti-tsarist ideas were taking shape, and resentment toward Russian colonial rule was growing. It is no coincidence that two of the most prominent theatrical figures of the time, Dimitri Kipiani and Giorgi Eristavi, were among the conspirators of the failed uprising of 1832.

They were exiled but returned in 1850 and revived professional theatre by staging the play Divorce. Through critical realism and sharp satire, they examined contemporary society and deepened anti-imperial sentiment. The Russian Empire, intolerant of such defiance, shut the theatre down again in 1856.

Yet the struggle continued. The Tergdaleulebi movement gained momentum, forming a new cultural and aesthetic foundation rooted in democratic ideals. Ilia Chavchavadze clearly recognized the theatre’s power as a tool of national awakening:

“At least we will have one public place where we speak our language, mourn in our language, and live through our language with all our wisdom and heart. Theatre is of enormous importance to a fallen nation like ours, because it is the only drop of nationalism we have left. It is the only place where our language is heard and acted upon.”

To achieve this, strong dramaturgy was essential. The newspaper Droeba called on writers to create high-quality national drama and announced a competition for the best play. These works were also published in Iveria. Writing and staging plays became an embodiment of nationalist and anti-colonial resistance, a means of preserving culture and fighting for freedom.

Under the leadership of Ilia Chavchavadze and Akaki Tsereteli, the Drama Committee, later the Drama Society, was founded with the explicit goal of preserving Georgian national theatre.

By the 1890s, historical and patriotic works flourished. For the first time, calls for self-sacrifice for the homeland rang out from the stage. Passionate monologues awakened society, delivering a necessary shock to rouse the public from complacency.

The Russian authorities reacted swiftly. The use of the Georgian flag on stage was banned, deemed dangerous. In Moscow, Mikheil Katkov even suggested that Georgians sell their national flags to the circus. The insult only intensified resistance, fueling a broader struggle for national dignity.

At the same time, Lado Meskhishvili transformed the Kutaisi Theatre into a platform for nationalist ideas. Despite censorship, he staged plays critical of aristocracy and imperial rule. In 1905, he declared publicly:

“This is a mirror of your life. In it, you see your moral decline, ignorance, and depravity. I do this because it is my duty, and I will fulfill it.”

Audiences responded with protests after performances, shouting slogans against war, police violence, and oppression. Several productions were banned. In 1906, Russian punitive forces entered Georgia. From the barricades, Meskhishvili called out that even death would give rise to new heroes.

The theatre’s democratic struggle continued despite censorship. The burning of the Georgian Theatre building in 1914, likely not accidental, and the outbreak of World War I stalled development, but a turning point was near.

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Sweet but Brief Freedom

Without a permanent stage, Tbilisi theatre gradually lost its innovative and national character. In 1917, Georgia seized the opportunity to declare independence. Hopes were high, but reality proved harsher.

The theatre desperately needed a new language, new meanings, and new artistic methods to reflect the revolutionary spirit of freedom. Yet resources were scarce. The 1917–18 season opened, but only 50 performances were staged in eight months, mostly from outdated repertoires that failed to resonate.

The opening of the State University in 1918 became a major cultural milestone, shaping national consciousness and nurturing a new generation. Still, the Drama Society struggled for state support. Economic hardship prevented the establishment of a national theatre, and the 1919–20 season was canceled.

By 1920–21, progress resumed briefly. A professional troupe was formed, new works appeared, and young artists emerged. But on February 15, 1921, Soviet Russian aggression halted everything once again.

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Theatre under Soviet Rule

Following the second Russian occupation, theatre entered another era of survival. In the early years, authorities focused on consolidating power rather than suppressing culture. This window allowed two reformers, Kote Marjanishvili and Sandro Akhmeteli, to revolutionize Georgian theatre.

Appointed in 1922, Marjanishvili and Akhmeteli reshaped theatrical language, reviving national traditions and expressive forms. Akhmeteli envisioned a conceptual theatre rooted in national temperament and dynamic expression.

Their success was short-lived. Lavrenti Beria accused the Rustaveli Theatre of anti-Soviet sentiment. Akhmeteli was arrested and executed in 1937. Many others were deported or killed. The country mourned in silence.

The 1930s and 1940s were the darkest period. Theatres were forced into socialist realism, censorship intensified, and free thought was persecuted. Even after Stalin’s death, repression continued in subtler forms.

Still, Georgian theatre searched cautiously for renewal. Resistance no longer meant execution, but surrender meant creative death.

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Renewal and Continuity

A new era emerged with Mikheil Tumanishvili, who rejected false heroism and introduced de-heroization on stage. His students, Temur Chkheidze and Robert Sturua, carried this legacy forward, each shaping a distinct yet interconnected theatrical language.

By the 1970s and 80s, under heavy censorship, theatre became a coded conversation. Audiences learned to read between the lines.

Independence in 1991 restored freedom but dismantled infrastructure. Despite hardship, theatres survived. Small independent stages emerged, nurturing new talent and audiences.

Today, Georgian theatre continues to function, though chronically underfunded. The idea that culture must wait for economic stability remains dangerously persistent. Culture and economy are inseparable. Neglecting one undermines the other.

As Amiran Shalikashvili once said:

“Georgian theatre has been put in a coffin, and no one even mourns it.”

Cover photo from Marjanishvili Theatre