The Georgian Theatre of Baku

The Georgian Theatre of Baku was founded during the workers' revolutionary movement in Baku.

The first performance (D. Eristavi's “Homeland”) was staged in 1893 by Georgian workers. Later, the group was led by Alyosha Japaridze. In subsequent years, both local (living in Baku) and invited professional Georgian actors and directors worked in this theatre, including Sh. Dadiani, V. Gunia, V. Shalikashvili and others.

In 1909, the Baku branch of Society for the Spreading of Literacy among Georgians was founded. By this time, a semi-professional troupe had already been active in Baku, which later became a professional state theatre in 1933. In the same year, director S. Vachnadze came to the theatre. He brought with him actors from Tbilisi: E. Tsimakuridze, A. Afkhaidze, A. Gachechiladze, M. Gurdjiladze, A. Makaridze, and others. The first female Georgian director to begin her career in the Baku Georgian theatre was N. Gamrekel-Torel, and the first actresses to perform were M. Gelovani, A. Jorjoliani, A. Chumburidze, and others.

The Baku Georgian theatre's repertoire mainly featured works by Georgian, Russian and other playwrights and authors. Notably, Sh. Dadiani's “Yesterday's People”, P. Kakabadze's “At the Crossroads”, K. Kaladze's “Guests of the Dark Night”, and others were staged in Baku. The theatre played an important role in awakening national consciousness among the Georgian population in Baku.

The theatre closed in 1937.