THE BENCH

Where: PATTIHIO THEATRE LIMASSOL

When: 16/10/2025

Tickets: from €30

Duration: 90 min

Ages: 12+

Language: Russian

Producer/Organizer

About the event:

A man in search and a woman in hope of love — this is a story about all of us, about the longing to find sincerity in a world of solitude.

We are proud to present The Bench starring Alexey Panin and Vera Kutsenko.

Written in 1983 by Soviet playwright Alexander Gelman, The Bench was once banned from production, as its plot begins with a rather unflattering situation: a man fails to recognize the woman he had met just a year before. From there unfolds a story of lies and honesty, of masks and revelation. Can two complete strangers truly become close, finding the love and understanding they both seek?

The play was first staged by Oleg Yefremov at the Moscow Art Theatre, featuring Tatiana Doronina and Oleg Tabakov.

Today, The Bench is considered a gem of Soviet drama. Translated into many languages, it continues to grace theatre stages around the world. Its plot is clear and timeless: a chance encounter of two people on a park bench — where he changes names and faces, and she is always ready to believe and to wait.

Alexey Panin is a renowned stage and screen actor, a graduate of the Russian Academy of Theatre Arts (GITIS). Over the years, he has performed with Oleg Tabakov’s Theatre and the Moscow Pushkin Drama Theatre, as well as in numerous independent productions. He has appeared in over a hundred films and television series, including Dead Man’s Bluff, The Star, DMB, Soldiers, Don’t Even Think About It, Truckers, and many others. Twice, he has been nominated for Russia’s national film award, the Nika.