Russian protest artists Pussy Riot are heading to Exeter

Following their sell-out tour in 2017, Pussy Riot return to the UK – and this time they’re heading for Exeter!

Heading to Exeter Phoenix this August, Pussy Riot need little introduction. The Russian protest art collective have one of the most important voices of the last 10 years who's lyrical themes include feminism, LGBT rights, and opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom the group consider to be a dictator. The group found fame for staging unauthorised provocative guerilla punk performances in unusual places, which were recorded and made into music videos.

The group gained global notoriety in 2012 when three of the groups members (Maria Alyokhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Yekaterina Samutsevich) were imprisoned for ‘hooliganism motivated by religious hatred’ following their preformance inside Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in a protest directed at the Orthodox Church leaders' support of Putin during his election campaign. Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikov were released in December 2013. Samutsevich was freed on probation in 2012. In March 2014, Alyokhina and Tolokonnikova founded Zona Prava, an organization that defends prisoners' rights. Alyokhina is a recipient of the Lennon Ono Grant for Peace and has also been awarded the Hannah Arendt Prize for Political Thought.

In September 2017 Maria Alyokhina released her memoir Riot Days, the accompany piece to the book is the touring play Riot Days (“Revolution") that merges punk, electronica, theatre, documentary footage and protest. The play comes to Exeter Phoenix this August.

The play will see Maria Alyokhina, Kyril Masheka (her main stage partner on ‘Burning Doors’), Nastya (one of the leaders of Pussy Riot of 2011-2012), Max (from the music duo AWOTT (Asian Women On The Telephone)), and Olga (another Pussy Riot member), perform throughout the UK. The project is produced by Alexander Cheparukhin and directed by one of Russia’s leading theatre directors Yury Muravitsky.

Riot Days is on at Exeter Phoenix on Fri 24 Aug at 7pm. The performance is suitable for ages 14+. Tickets are £16 and are on sale now. Tickets are available here: http://www.exeterphoenix.org.uk/events/pussy-riot/ or by calling the venue’s box office on 01392 667080.