Bio

Described by the international press as:

• “New primal revolutionary electronic punk opera…”
• “Powerful and exhilarating… poetic, razor-sharp and disarmingly witty…”
• “Far from being a conventional gig, it is instead a hard-hitting, punk spirited and encapsulating piece of art theatre…”
• “Stunning audio-visual experience…”
• “The best punk rock show…”

Riot Days showcases Pussy Riot’s innovative combination of live music, theatre, and video.

The first Riot Days international tour commenced in the USA in March 2017. By May 2023, Pussy Riot was honored with the Woody Guthrie Prize and celebrated this achievement with a riveting performance of Riot Days in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Now, a major North America tour beckons.

About Pussy Riot:

A Russian feminist protest and performance art group, they are best known for their provocative activist punk performances. On their name’s significance, they stated, “We called ourselves Pussy Riot because the first word denotes a sexist attitude towards women. Our ‘riot’ is our reply to that attitude.”

Founded in 2011, the group gained global prominence after a performance at Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour led to the imprisonment of three of its members –  Maria (Masha) Alyokhina, Nadezhda (Nadya) Tolokonnikova, and Yekaterina (Katya) Samutsevich.

Some perceived their actions as too radical. Today, these perceptions are being re-evaluated, especially as the alliance between the Russian Orthodox Church and Putin’s Kremlin strengthens. It’s becoming evident as Orthodox priests sanctify soldiers, tanks, and weaponry meant for the invasion of Ukraine.

In February 2014, Masha, Nadya, and other members showcased as Pussy Riot during the Winter Olympics in Sochi. Their performance was interrupted by Cossacks, serving as security, who assaulted them with whips and pepper spray.

After prison, Masha and Nadya emerged as the most identifiable faces of Pussy Riot. Many affiliate the group with them. However, despite their shared history, various joint protest actions, and belonging to the same Pussy Riot political activist collective, their individual on-stage performances are distinct.


Riot Days Project:

Maria Alyokhina, along with music producer Alexander Cheparukhin, initiated Riot Days based on Alyokhina’s book. The show chronicles Alyokhina’s experiences with Pussy Riot, from their iconic protests to their court trials and prison sentences. The content evolves, reflecting current  events like political prosecutions and the Russian aggression against Ukraine. 

With over 400 performances globally, “Riot Days” has garnered prestigious awards like the Herald Angel Award, Total Theatre Award of Edinburgh Festivals, the annual anti-fascist award in Germany, the Woody Guthrie Prize in the USA, and more. Just recently four ladies of Riot Days have got the honorary degrees of the Doctor of Letters of the University of Kent, and celebrated this with an impromptu performance in the historical Canterbury Cathedral. 

Maria Alyokhina’s 1.5-year detention and house arrest in 2021-2022, for a single social media post supporting Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny, exemplifies the climate. Despite these hurdles, she managed to escape Russia in May 2022, disguised as a food courier. Without her Russian passport, she still successfully crossed borders. This escape allowed “Riot Days” to spread its message globally, particularly in support of Ukraine. Significant part of the projects’ income goes to support Ukrainian Okhmatdyt children’s hospital and foundation. 

Current “Riot Days” Team:

Maria (Masha) Alyokhina:
• Role: Text author, voice.

Diana Burkot:
• Role: Voice, electronic programming, keyboards, drums.
• Bio: Moscow-born drummer, singer, and electronic musician. Founding member of Pussy Riot since 2011. Participated in the Punk Prayer in the Cathedral in 2012, but escaped arrest.

Olga Borisova:
• Role: Voice.
• Bio: Joined Pussy Riot in 2016. Former policewoman from St.Petersburg. Contributed to the Riot Days book as a creative editor and involved in various protest actions with Masha.

Alina Petrova:
• Role: Electric violin, drums, keyboards, voice.
• Bio: Recognized musician in Russia and Europe. Graduated from Moscow Tchaikovsky conservatory (viola). Participated in various experimental music projects (post-minimalism, electronic music, sound art, improvisational music etc) as a composer and instrumentalist 

 

Vasily Bogatov:
• Role: Video.
• Bio: Filmmaker and human rights activist. Created iconic Pussy Riot videos from 2011 to 2015 and responsible for all Riot Days video content.

Alexander Cheparukhin:
• Role: Show producer, subtitles.
• Bio: Festival and record producer. Initiated and coordinated the international musician support campaign for Pussy Riot in 2012. Conceptualized and co-produced the Riot Days show with Maria Alyokhina. 

 

Press quotes: 

 

New primal revolutionary electronic punk opera (The Sydney Morning Herald) 

 

powerful and exhilarating…

Alyokhina’s collaboration with music producer Alexander Cheparukhin and director Yury Muravitsky was full of fierce, rousing joy, free of scripted cues. …

poetic, razor-sharp and disarmingly witty… 

I left blazing with hope…

Riot Days convinced me that gigs still have the power to move the masses (The Guardian) 

 

swaggering, throbbing gig by Pussy Riot… A ragged mix of performance art, poetry and bone-crunching trash-can tunes (The Times) 

 

Far from being a conventional gig, it is instead a hard-hitting, punk spirited and encapsulating piece of art theatre …

 

…stunning audio-visual experience

 

the best punk rock show of 2017

 

Inventive, passionate, darkly funny in parts, twitching with energy and intelligent defiance and anger and yet full of compassion this is a moral tale for our times delivered with an intense brilliance.

 

What I experienced was not what I expected and was also unlike any live show I have ever seen. And it was incredible.

 

Part gig, part art show and part political demo this was certainly a riot for the eyes, the ears and the brain.

 

Passion, revolution, and bold-ass rebellion – all these things the audience inhaled deeply, lighting a fire in their bellies and driving them out of their seats for a standing ovation.

 

…the most devastating political act, and the highlight of the festival..Transcendence, for those who truly dare, is an ongoing act of faith and courage 

 

performance was – in every sense of the word – powerful… English subtitles and supporting images helped emphasise key moments of the story and added to the shows already strong dynamics..The performers clearly gave it their all, as if the weight of the story wasn’t enough to persuade you. Every action and movement was passionate and heartfelt…The whole show was a confronting and emotive force that barraged you for an hour. You felt what they felt at every turn.