A Story of the Forest: Mavka

Overview

Mavka, a water nymph, loves Lukash, a country youth. Their brief happiness ends when Lukash is forced to marry the shrewish Kilina. The spirit of the forest turns Lukash into a wolf as punishment for his infidelity. The strength of Mavka's love breaks the spell, but Kilina curses the nymph, transforming her into a weeping willow. This beautiful and tragic story is based on a play written in 1912 by Lesya Ukrainka, a Ukrainian poet, writer and political, civil and female activist, and includes mythological characters taken from Ukrainian folklore.

Cast

Lyudmila Efimenko

Mavka

Viktor Kremlev

Lukash

Maya Bulgakova

Lukash’s Mother

Ivan Mykolaichuk

Uncle Leo / Wood Goblin

Boris Khmelnitsky

Red (forest) Demon

Viktor Demertash

Koots

Liudmyla Lobza

Kylyna

Nina Shatskaya

Water Sprite

Svetlana Sergeyeva

Meadow Fairy

N/A

Ivan Khodulin

Kylyna’s child

Pylyp Illienko

Kylyna’s child

Vladimir Fyodorov

Hunger Imps