Nine actors have left the Vaso Abashidze State “New Theater” in Tbilisi following the removal of a banner dedicated to imprisoned actor and their colleague, Andro Chichinadze.
Reportedly, several of the actors have not yet issued formal public statements regarding their departure. However, many confirmed through social media posts that they have decided to leave the theater.
The actors reported to have resigned are:
Kakha Kintsurashvili
Eka Demetradze
Nanka Kalatozishvili
Giviko Baratashvili
Davit Beshitashvili
Taso Chanturaia
Manu Tavadze
Luka Japaridze
Irakli Japaridze
The controversy began after the theater administration removed a banner featuring Chichinadze from the building’s façade. The banner, which described him as a “prisoner of conscience,” had been displayed prominently in the center of the theater’s façade for over a year.
On February 19, the banner was taken down to accommodate filming preparations for a musical project by the government-affiliated television channel Rustavi 2. Following its removal, Chichinadze’s colleagues rehung the banner in a different location on the façade. As a result, the banner remained visible alongside two Rustavi 2 promotional banners.
However, on the morning of February 20, the banner was removed again — this time permanently. The theater actors claim that they were unable to locate it afterwards.
Andro Chichinadze was arrested on December 5, 2024, during pro-European protests in Tbilisi. He was later sentenced to two years in prison by Judge Nino Galustashvili on charges of “disturbing public order.” His supporters and several civil society representatives have described the case as politically motivated, referring to him as a prisoner of conscience.
The developments at the New Theater come against the backdrop of ongoing tensions between parts of Georgia’s cultural community and state authorities. In April last year, the Ministry of Culture dismissed the theater’s artistic director, Davit Doiashvili, who had been openly protesting Chichinadze’s arrest. Since his removal, critics say the theater’s artistic activities have been largely paralyzed.
The resignation of nine actors marks a significant escalation in the dispute and highlights the broader debate within Georgia’s cultural sphere over artistic freedom, political expression, and state influence in public institutions.
Image: Netgazeti
