The Odesa Academic Musical Drama Theatre named after Vasylko has premiered a new play titled "Hello, Monster!" directed by Kyiv's Slava Zhila. This romantic-mystical comedy is based on the play "The Blue Monster" by Italian playwright Carlo Gozzi, which has been translated into Ukrainian for the first time.

The performance explores themes of power, human vice, and the illusions we inhabit, where fears may fade away, leaving only memories behind.

The premiere took place in two acts, with the play, part of the world classics, being translated for the first time by Viktor Shylo specifically for the theatre.

"This play is a classic, yet we did not have a Ukrainian translation of «The Blue Monster». We realized this idea for the first time, thanks to Julia Pyvovarova, the theatre's director, who inspired me for this production. I believe we achieved an interesting result," — shared Slava Zhila.

The plot unfolds in Nanking — a southern kingdom of China, where true love is torn apart and intrigue and rumors reign. The monarch fails to notice that his wife is involved with many city residents while the people suffer from monsters. Two lovers, a foreign princess and the heir to the throne, who has mysteriously disappeared, must overcome magical trials to save the kingdom and remain true to each other.

The director noted that the performance touches on issues of power, its vice, the end of the world, and the anticipation of a new era. According to him, the dramaturgy is built on the idea that almost every religion has its savior to whom people try to shift responsibility. At the same time, the work features elements of farce, comedy, and satire, as well as reflections on how people often confuse true love with other feelings.