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Well, yesterday was fun! I spent the afternoon on the hunt for props for The Krumple. Without giving away spoilers, they needed a green soup or smoothie for their show Yokai, which opened the festival last night at the Royal District Theatre. It turns out, neither smoothies nor thick soups are popular in Tbilisi, so I ended up getting a jar of guacamole and a packet of noodle soup! Thankfully it worked for them, though one of the actors said she was baffled by the smell of guacamole in one of the scenes.

At 5pm I joined the GIFT Team at Vineria, who were working hard to get the place ready for all the guests. The space looked spectacular; it’s an underground treasure trove of wines, and the perfect setting for the grand opening of the festival. At 6pm, we welcomed the esteemed guests, which included the Norwegian ambassador and his team from Baku, as well as the Japanese, French and Brazilian ambassadors, and the Georgian minister of culture. After a welcoming speech from Keti Dolidze, Artistic Director of the festival, we were treated to a performance from Royal Giraffe, an Estonian circus troupe, with stunning costumes and mysterious choreography.

After a reception of delicious wine and food, we headed to the Royal District Theatre, for the next treat of the evening, Yokai. It was an exceptionally beautiful piece, and showcased the artists physical talent and imaginations wonderfully. They captured the audience with intricate object manipulation, and interweaving storylines. 

Following the show, we went back to Vineria, the festival club, for a post show celebration. The food was outstanding and so was the wine. I think their amber wine is the best I’ve ever tasted! A good time was had by all, and I can’t wait to watch Yokai again tonight – I think it will be even better the second time round. I’ve got to go now, as I’m meeting the cast to take them on the cable car up to see the Mother of Georgia!

Saturday 20

Well folks, The Krumple have left the building. In fact, they’ve left the country!  Early this morning, they flew out of Tbilisi airport, after finishing their run at the Royal District Theatre last night, and packing away all of their intricate set and props. I’m sad to see them go, they were a great bunch, but hopefully I will see them again somewhere in the future. They’re launching straight into development of their new show in Norway on Monday. No rest for the wicked 

The long pack down of the show

So after all the excitement of Yokai, it’s time for GIFT to turn towards our next production, the wonderfully eccentric Movement Theater played host to Astigmatists, a silent-movie style piece of physical theater last night. Keep your eye on the facebook page to see what's next- and don't miss out!

Holly xxx