Lenkom Theatre

The building which now houses the the Lenkom was built in 1907 and was the Merchant’s Club. Formerly the “Theatre for Working Youth”(TRAM) the theatre opened in 1927. In 1951 the artistic director of the theatre Ivan Bersenev died in the prime of his life. The theatre remained without a leader for many years. Finally in 1963 Anaotoly Efros became the chief director. Efros directed many famous works and paved the way for many, now famous, actors. Not everybody was pleased with the direction Efros was taking the theatre. Some saw Efros as a great danger to the ideological foundations of socialist realism. Efros was removed from the theatre after only three years of work. After Efros’ departure the theatre quickly lost their audience and fell into a dark time for about six years. Mark Zakharov, a film director and playwright, has been the artistic director of the theatre since 1973. Over its 80-year career, Lenkom has been a forerunner of new, fresh and exprimental theatre in the Soviet Union, and now Russia.