Pussy Riot - RIOT DAYS 2025

In the organizer's words:

Pussy Riot based on the book of Maria ALYOKHINA:

The political situation in Russia became more and more restrictive in 2022 and it is therefore important to give a voice to the protest of the collective PUSY RIOT, especially abroad. National critical media are banned, FB and IG have been closed in Russia, protest with only the book "War and Peace" in hand leads to a four-week prison sentence. Stalinist methods have found their way into Russia and for many critical voices the only option is to flee or go to prison.

A radical new vision for 2025 Maria Alyokhina and Alexander Cheparukhin are working on a bold new version of "Riot Days", which is about Maria's personal journey after her release from Russian prison in 2022:

- Pussy Riot's protests, including their clash with Cossacks during the 2014 Sochi Olympics

- Attacks by pro-Kremlin groups

- The heroic story of Alexey Navalny, his arrest, detention and murder in prison

- Maria's multiple arrests

- Putin's invasion of Ukraine

A world-renowned feminist collective opens a bold new chapter "Powerful and intoxicating..." Masha Alyokhina's collaboration with music producer Alexander Cheparukhin and director Yury Muravitsky was full of infectious joy, free of scripted cues. "Poetic, razor-sharp and disarmingly funny..." I went home full of hope. Riot Days convinced me that concerts still have the power to move the masses. - The Guardian Since 2017, Pussy Riot, the acclaimed Russian feminist protest collective, has been performing "Riot Days" - a groundbreaking blend of live music, theater and multimedia. The show is based on the acclaimed book "Riot Days" by Maria "Masha" Alyokhina, which describes the collective's iconic protests, court cases and prison sentences. "Riot Days" is constantly evolving and incorporates real-time reflections on political persecution and current events such as Russia's aggression against Ukraine. The show has been performed over 400 times worldwide - in almost all European countries as well as in North and South America, Australia and New Zealand. vSince the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, more than 150 performances of the latest version have taken place. The "Riot Days" show and Pussy Riot's exhibitions have raised over 200,000 euros to support the Ukrainian children's hospital "Okhmatdyt" in Kiev and have also supported political prisoners in Russia. "Riot Days" has been honored with numerous awards, including:

- Herald Angel Award at the Edinburgh Festivals, Scotland (2018)

- Total Theatre Award at the Edinburgh Festivals, Scotland (2018)

- Woody Guthrie Prize, USA (2023)

- Prize of the City of Dachau for Civil Courage, Germany (2024)

In addition, the members of Riot Days were awarded honorary doctorates from the University of Kent and celebrated their achievements with an impromptu performance at Canterbury Cathedral. The last performance took place on November 10, 2024 in Berlin, near the former STASI headquarters, to mark the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. HISTORY PUSSY RiOT PUSSY RIOT is a Russian protest art collective based in Moscow. Founded in March 2011, it had a variable membership of about 11 women. The group staged unauthorized provocative guerrilla punk rock performances in unusual public places, which were made into music videos and published on the Internet. The collective's lyrical themes included feminism, LGBT rights and opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom the group viewed as a dictator. These issues also included Putin's ties to the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church. They gained global notoriety 10 years ago when five members of the group staged a performance in Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior in 2012. The group's actions were deemed sacrilegious by Orthodox clergy and eventually stopped by church security officials. The women said their protest was directed at Orthodox church leaders' support for Putin during his election campaign. On March 2012, three of the group members Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich were arrested and charged with hooliganism. On August 17, 2012, the three members were convicted of "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred" and each was sentenced to two years in prison. On October 10, following an appeal, Samutsevich was released on probation and her sentence was suspended. The sentences of the other two women were upheld. The trial and sentence attracted a great deal of attention and criticism, particularly in the West. The case was embraced by human rights groups, including Amnesty International, which labeled the women prisoners of conscience and a number of prominent entertainers. After serving 21 months, Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina were released on December 23, 2013, after the State Duma (Russian parliament) approved an amnesty. After their release, Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina and several other members performed as Pussy Riot during the Winter Olympics in Sochi, where they were attacked with whips and pepper spray by Cossacks deployed as guards. They have become a symbol of resistance against Putin! An important concern for the members of Pussy Riot is to support Ukraine. In their program, the band calls for support for a children's hospital in Kiev. They themselves donate the majority of their merchandise proceeds to this hospital.

Key Participants

- Maria Alyokhina: Author, producer, voice

- Taso Pletner: Voice, flute

- Alina Petrova: Electric violin, piano, electronics, drums, voice

- Kiryl Masheka: Director, voice

- Alexander Cheparukhin: Author of concept, producer

- Vasily Bogatov: Videographer

Price information:

incl. VAT. & VVK fees