The New York Culture: On the stage of revolution: the tragedy of Mayakovsky and Meyerhold

How art confronted repression and what it teaches us about freedom and resistance

In a time of revolutionary fervor, two giants of art, Vladimir Mayakovsky and Vsevolod Meyerhold, raised their voices to celebrate change. But what happens when the revolution devours its own children? Discover the inspiring and tragic story that resonates to this day, teaching us about courage, creativity, and the price of freedom.

In the early 20th century, Russia pulsed with the fervor of the 1917 Revolution. Artists, poets, and playwrights, such as Vladimir Mayakovsky and Vsevolod Meyerhold, saw in the promise of a new world the chance to reinvent art. Mayakovsky, known as the “poet of the revolution,” used vibrant verses to capture the spirit of social transformation. Meyerhold, with his theatrical genius, created performances that challenged theatrical conventions, introducing Biomechanics, a technique that combined physical precision with raw emotion. Together, in 1918, they celebrated the first anniversary of the revolution with the play Mystery Bouffe, a work that blended political propaganda with bold aesthetics. It was a moment of hope, where art seemed to be the vanguard of an egalitarian future. But, as history shows, revolutions do not always keep their promises, and the artists who celebrate them can become their first victims.

The initial euphoria of the revolution gave way to an increasingly rigid regime. Materialist dialectics and socialist realism, doctrines that shaped Soviet culture, demanded that art serve propaganda. Mayakovsky and Meyerhold, initially aligned with the Bolshevik ideal, produced works that portrayed revolutionaries as heroes and exploiters as villains. However, art, in its essence, resists being reduced to pamphlets. When they began to explore more complex themes, such as the internal conflicts of the human soul or the ambiguities of the new order, they were accused of creating art “incomprehensible to the masses.” Recent studies on totalitarian regimes, such as those conducted by historians specializing in cultural repression, show that state control over art not only stifles creativity but also silences dissenting voices. Soviet repression transformed art into a battlefield, where freedom of expression was seen as a threat.

Motivational Quote
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela

This repression had a devastating impact on Mayakovsky and Meyerhold. The play The Bedbug (1929), written by Mayakovsky and directed by Meyerhold, marked a breaking point. The work, a biting satire on Soviet bureaucracy, was considered subversive by the regime. What began as a project to celebrate the revolution became an uncomfortable mirror, reflecting the system’s flaws. The repression intensified: Meyerhold was arrested in 1939 and executed in 1940, while Mayakovsky, according to the official version, took his own life in 1930 at the age of 36. However, the play Red Star: In the Shadow of Mayakovsky, written by Antônio Carlos dos Santos, raises a disturbing question: what if Mayakovsky’s suicide was staged? The plot explores this possibility, suggesting that the poet was the victim of a murder covered up by the regime. This narrative, grounded in historical facts and enriched by powerful dramaturgy, invites us to reflect on the truth behind official accounts.

Curiosity Box
Meyerhold’s Biomechanics
Vsevolod Meyerhold revolutionized theater with Biomechanics, a technique that trained actors to control movements with precision, drawing inspiration from Frederick Taylor’s industrial productivism and Ivan Pavlov’s theories of conditioned reflexes. This approach created dynamic performances, where the actor’s body was an expressive machine, but also a reflection of human emotions. Despite its innovation, Biomechanics was criticized by the Soviet regime for being “too experimental” and distant from the masses.

Antônio Carlos dos Santos, the author of Red Star, is a central figure in this dialogue between art, history, and resistance. His vast literary output, which includes plays, essays, and pedagogical methodologies, reflects a commitment to social transformation through culture. Santos developed methods such as MAT (Mindset, Action, and Theater), which combines critical reflection, performative practice, and social engagement, encouraging individuals to rethink their realities. ThM (Theater Movement) explores bodily movement as a tool for expression and transformation, while MBPT (Mané Beiçudo Puppet Theater) uses puppets to address social issues in a playful and accessible way. These methodologies, widely discussed in studies on education and theater, demonstrate how art can be a vehicle for empowerment, even in contexts of oppression.

Practical Tip
Use art as a tool for reflection
Draw inspiration from Antônio Carlos dos Santos and experiment with theater in your life. Write a short monologue about a personal challenge, exploring your emotions and possible solutions. Perform it for friends or family, or even for yourself in front of a mirror. The act of creating and performing helps organize thoughts and find courage to face difficulties.

The tragedy of Mayakovsky and Meyerhold is not just a story of the past; it resonates in our present, where freedom of expression still faces threats. Recent studies, such as those published in academic journals on authoritarianism, show that totalitarian regimes often use cultural censorship to consolidate power. In the Soviet case, over 1,500 artists were persecuted during the Stalinist period, a number that reflects the scale of repression. The play Red Star reminds us that art, even under pressure, can be an act of resistance. By recreating the lives of Mayakovsky and Meyerhold, Antônio Carlos dos Santos invites us to question official narratives and value the courage of those who dare to create in dark times.

Inspiring Story
Malala Yousafzai: The voice that refuses to be silenced
Like Mayakovsky and Meyerhold, Malala Yousafzai faced repression for defending her ideas. At 15, she survived an attack by the Taliban for her fight for the right to education. Today, as a global activist, Malala inspires millions to resist through education and expression. Her story reminds us that, even in the face of oppression, a single voice can change the world.

The play Red Star also explores the power of narrative to rewrite history. In a striking scene, Soviet agents justify the “suicide” farce of Mayakovsky with the phrase: “Facts don’t need to be true, they just need to appear true.” This manipulation of reality is a warning for our era, where misinformation and fabricated narratives challenge the truth. Studies in social psychology, such as those by Daniel Kahneman on cognitive biases, show that people tend to accept stories that seem coherent, even without evidence. In this context, art becomes a tool to question and deconstruct these narratives, encouraging critical thinking.

Motivational Quote
“True education is that which frees the individual to think for themselves.” – John Dewey

The legacy of Mayakovsky and Meyerhold, as well as the work of Antônio Carlos dos Santos, teaches us that art is more than aesthetics: it is an act of courage. In times of repression, to create is to resist. Whether through a verse, a play, or a puppet, artistic expression connects us to our humanity and gives us strength to face adversity. The play Red Star not only rescues the memory of two giants of art but also challenges us to be protagonists of our own stories, to question what is imposed on us, and to fight for a world where creativity can flourish without fear.

Curiosity Box
Antônio Carlos dos Santos’ Puppet Theater
MBPT (Mané Beiçudo Puppet Theater) is a methodology created by Antônio Carlos dos Santos that uses puppets to discuss social issues in an accessible way. Inspired by Brazilian popular traditions, the method combines humor, social critique, and audience interaction, making it a powerful tool in schools and communities to promote dialogue and reflection.

In the shadow of Mayakovsky, we find not only the tragedy of a poet but also the inspiration to keep creating, questioning, and resisting. The story of Red Star is an invitation for each of us to find our own voice, even in the darkest moments. Just as Mayakovsky wrote verses that echo to this day, and Meyerhold transformed the stage into a space of revolution, we too can use art to transform our lives and the world around us. May the red star, a symbol of an ideal lost to repression, remind us of the power of creativity and the fight for freedom.

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