‘I Understood Nothing’: Russian Actress Talks About The Belarusian Language

• 16.03.2025, 10:04

A Russian actress was hired at the Janka Kupala National Theatre after Belarusian actors protested and were dismissed.

Russian actress Anna Meshcheryakova, who has been working at the Janka Kupala National Theatre since 2022, recalled arriving in Minsk without knowing the Belarusian language. She shared her experience with the state news agency Minsk-News.

"My first play was Paulinka. I was sitting there and realizing — I understand nothing… And ahead was work on Romeo and Juliet… I kept reassuring myself: time will pass, and I’ll look back on this with a smile. I told myself I would overcome this challenge and succeed. And when I finally crossed that barrier, I thought — this is my personal victory. I didn’t just memorize the words; I conveyed emotions. It’s an incredible feeling! A huge step forward," Meshcheryakova said.

Meshcheryakova was born in Moscow in 2000 and graduated from the Institute of Contemporary Art in her hometown. She moved to Minsk despite never having visited the city before and not knowing the Belarusian language.

As a reminder, in the summer of 2020, most of the Janka Kupala Theatre troupe resigned in protest against election fraud and police violence. The theater’s administration was only able to resume operations in March 2021. Over the past three years, the new leadership has struggled to recruit enough actors, leading them to invite performers from Russia.