# Vertep

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{{Short description|Ukrainian portable puppet theatre and drama}}
{{About|Ukrainian puppetry|Serbian tradition|Vertep (Serbian)}}
thumb|Drawing of a Ukrainian vertep box from Sokyryntsi, 18th century
thumb|Mezhyhirya vertep, 1923
In [Ukrainian culture](/source/Ukrainian_culture), '''vertep''' ({{lang|uk|вертеп}}, from {{langx|cu|вєртє́пъ {{IPA|sh|ʋerˈtep|}}||[cave](/source/Church_of_the_Nativity)}}) is a portable [puppet](/source/puppet) theatre  and [drama](/source/drama), which presents the [nativity scene](/source/nativity_scene), other [mystery plays](/source/mystery_plays), as well as secular plots with [satirical](/source/satire) and comical elements. The original meaning of the word is "secret place", "cave", "den", referring to the cave where [Christ](/source/Christ) was born, i.e., the [Bethlehem](/source/Bethlehem) Cave. Vertep first appeared in the second half of the 16th century under the influence of [Western Europe](/source/Western_Europe)an traditions, which spread to Ukrainian lands, then part of the [Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth](/source/Polish%E2%80%93Lithuanian_Commonwealth). It developed from the traditions of [school drama](/source/school_drama) and is related to the Polish ''[szopka](/source/szopka)'', [Belarusian](/source/Belarusians) ''[batlejka](/source/batlejka)'' and Western European [marionette](/source/marionette) theatre.<ref name=muz>{{Cite book|title=Українська музична енциклопедія|date=2006|volume=1|publisher=[National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine](/source/National_Academy_of_Sciences_of_Ukraine)|page=329}}</ref> Vertep reached the peak of its popularity in the [Ukrainian Cossack Hetmanate](/source/Cossack_Hetmanate), which would eventually become a [protectorate](/source/Pereyaslav_Council) of the [Russian Empire](/source/Russian_Empire). 

== History ==
The Ukrainian vertep, or puppet theatre, developed in the latter half of the 16th century – beginning of the 17th century and was an adoption of popular [Western European](/source/Western_European) [mystery play](/source/mystery_play)s. The first documented mention of vertep comes from 1573, and the genre reached its peak of prominence during the second half of the 18th century.<ref name=muz/> It is believed to have been introduced by students of the [Kyiv-Mohyla Academy](/source/National_University_of_Kyiv-Mohyla_Academy).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?linkPath=pages%5CV%5CE%5CVertepIT.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150814012731/http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?linkPath=pages|url-status=dead|title=Vertep|archivedate=August 14, 2015|website=www.encyclopediaofukraine.com}}</ref> The vertep puppet theatre was made familiar to Ukrainian rural communities by wandering [deacon](/source/deacon)s and students of the above-mentioned Academy, whose role could be compared to medieval [goliards](/source/goliards).<ref>{{Cite book|title=Давньоукраїнські студенти і професори|author=Василь Микитась|date=1994|page=240}}</ref> The theatre had numerous regional variants, the most notable being created in [Sokyryntsi](/source/Sribne_settlement_hromada), [Baturyn](/source/Baturyn) and [Mezhyhirya](/source/Mezhyhirya_Residence).<ref name=ency>{{Cite book|title=Енциклопедія українознавства. Словникова частина (ЕУ-II)|date=1993|volume=1|page=232}}</ref> 

With time, production of verteps was adopted by urban and rural inhabitants and became a part of Ukrainian popular culture. Among others, a song from traditional vertep performance was included into the play ''[Natalka Poltavka](/source/Natalka_Poltavka)'' by [Ivan Kotliarevsky](/source/Ivan_Kotliarevsky).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Український театр|author=[Дмитро Антонович](/source/Dmytro_Antonovych)|url=http://litopys.org.ua/cultur/cult23.htm|access-date=2025-08-14}}</ref> The traditions of "live" vertep first performed in 1918 by actors of [Les Kurbas](/source/Les_Kurbas)' [Young Theatre](/source/Kyiv_National_Academic_Molodyy_Theatre) were revived during the 1990s.<ref name=muz1/>

After the [Russian Revolution](/source/Russian_Revolution_(1917)) of 1917, the [atheistic](/source/atheistic) [Soviet state](/source/Soviet_state) severely persecuted [religion](/source/religion) and the associated elements of culture, and by 1930s the tradition of [Christmas](/source/Christmas) verteps was virtually eliminated, except in the lands of [Western Ukraine](/source/Western_Ukraine).<ref>{{Cite book|title=[Encyclopedia of Ukraine](/source/Encyclopedia_of_Ukraine)|volume=3|date=1995|page=844|publisher=[National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine](/source/National_Academy_of_Sciences_of_Ukraine)|lang=uk|isbn=5770205547}}</ref> Between 1923 and 1929 a [secularized](/source/secularization) vertep was created at the Mezhyhiria technical school near Kyiv, performing antireligious and political plays. Mezhyhiria vertep replaced the traditional figures with puppets of a [Red Army](/source/Red_Army) soldier, [Tsar Nicholas II](/source/Tsar_Nicholas_II), [Kaiser Wilhelm II](/source/Kaiser_Wilhelm_II), [Emperor Franz Joseph](/source/Emperor_Franz_Joseph), representatives of the [Entente](/source/Allies_of_World_War_I), the [Pope](/source/Pope), a [Catholic](/source/Catholic) priest etc. During the 1930s the vertep was active in [Kharkiv](/source/Kharkiv), where it was operated by the Association of Revolutionary Arts of Ukraine.<ref name=muz1/> Elements of vertep tradition were adopted by a number of [puppet theatre](/source/puppet_theatre)s in [Soviet Ukraine](/source/Soviet_Ukraine), and composers such as [Mykhailo Verykivsky](/source/Mykhailo_Verykivsky) and [Vitaliy Kyreiko](/source/Vitaliy_Kyreiko) used fragments of vertep drama in their [opera](/source/opera)s.<ref name=muz2>{{Cite book|title=Українська музична енциклопедія|date=2006|volume=1|publisher=[National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine](/source/National_Academy_of_Sciences_of_Ukraine)|pages=330-331}}</ref>

Starting from the late 1980s, the vertep tradition saw a gradual revival, with first urban vertep performances taking place in [Lviv](/source/Lviv). In 1989 a vertep festival was organized for the first time at the [International Centre of Culture and Arts](/source/October_Palace) in [Kyiv](/source/Kyiv), and in 1995 a Christmas vertep contest and an accompanying scientific conference took place in [Lutsk](/source/Lutsk). In 2003 and 2006 vertep festivals were hosted by the [National Opera of Ukraine](/source/National_Opera_of_Ukraine), with the second performance involving young performers from the [American diaspora](/source/Ukrainian_Americans).<ref name=muz2/>

==Composition==
A typical vertep was a two-storeyed wooden box. The floors had slots through which the puppeteers controlled wooden puppets with the use of wires.<ref name=muz/> The performance was divided into two separate sections: sacred and secular, with the former taking the form of a tragedy, and the latter – a comedy. The upper floor of the two-storeyed box was used for the nativity scene, while the lower was for interludes and other [mystery play](/source/mystery_play)s (most often featuring the [Herod](/source/Herod_the_Great) and [Rachel](/source/Rachel) plots) and secular plays, often of [comedy](/source/comedy) character.<ref name=ency/>

The sacred act was based on the [Nativity scene](/source/Nativity_scene) with interludes, while the secular was based on day-to-day life and introduced comical figures from popular folk culture, such as the Old Man (Did) and Old Woman (Baba), [Uniate](/source/Uniate) Priest (Pip), [Dyak](/source/Dyachok), heroes of [Malanka](/source/Malanka) plays, stereotypical representatives of different ethnicities ([Zaporozhian Cossack](/source/Zaporozhian_Cossacks), [Russian](/source/Russians) soldier and his girl, [Poles](/source/Polish_people), [Hungarian](/source/Hungarians) [hussar](/source/hussar)s, [Gypsies](/source/Gypsies), [Jews](/source/Jews) ([Zhyd](/source/Zhyd)) etc.)<ref>{{Cite book|title=Українська музична енциклопедія|date=2006|volume=1|publisher=[National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine](/source/National_Academy_of_Sciences_of_Ukraine)|pages=329-330}}</ref> Some verteps told of the [destruction of the Zaporozhian Sich](/source/Liquidation_of_the_Zaporozhian_Sich).<ref name=ency/> Unlike real-life and allegorical personalities, religious figures such as [Jesus Christ](/source/Jesus_Christ) and [Virgin Mary](/source/Virgin_Mary) were never included in vertep performances.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Нарис історії культури України|author=[Попович М. В.](/source/Myroslav_Popovych)|date=1998|page=280}}</ref>
[[File:Тернопіль - Парад вертепів - «Писанка» (село Мовчанівка Підволочиського району) - 17017550.jpg|thumb|"Live" vertep performers from [Movchanivka, Ternopil Oblast](/source/Movchanivka%2C_Ternopil_Oblast)]]
Both the religious and the secular part of vertep involved music performances. The nativity scene would include the singing of [kant](/source/kant_(music))s, usually based on folk [koliadka](/source/koliadka)s, as a form of commentary. The secular partnormally involved [instrumental](/source/instrumental_music) dance music, representing each hero with a characteristic tune: [Kozachok](/source/Kozachok), [Krakowiak](/source/Krakowiak), [Kamarinskaya](/source/Kamarinskaya), [Jewish dance](/source/Jewish_dance)s etc. Some musical elements of vertep would imitate animal noises. The orchestra used for the performance of vertep song usually consisted of three instruments: [violin](/source/violin), [bubon](/source/bubon) and [sopilka](/source/sopilka). [Cossack song](/source/Cossack_song)s would also sometimes be included in vertep repertoire.<ref name=muz1>{{Cite book|title=Українська музична енциклопедія|date=2006|volume=1|publisher=[National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine](/source/National_Academy_of_Sciences_of_Ukraine)|page=330}}</ref>

Along with the traditional puppet vertep, a "live" variety of the performance is popular.<ref name=muz1/> In some regions, for example [Galicia](/source/Galicia_(Eastern_Europe)), people in villages would dress as vertep characters and go from house to house, acting out nativity plays during Christmas holidays.<ref>{{cite web|title=Сільські вертепи|url=https://localhistory.org.ua/stari-foto/silski-vertepi/|lang=uk|access-date=2025-04-22}}</ref> This form of vertep provides more variety in acting and also gives an important role to the musical part.<ref name=muz1/>

==Notable verteps==
*Sokyryntsi vertep or Galagan vertep (1771, modern-day [Chernihiv Oblast](/source/Chernihiv_Oblast)) - music for the vertep has been preserved in records;<ref name=muz1/>
*[Volyn](/source/Volhynia) vertep (1788-1791);<ref name=muz1/>
*[Kupiansk](/source/Kupiansk) vertep (1823);<ref name=muz1/>
*[Slavutyn](/source/Slavuta) vertep (1897) - music has been preserved;<ref name=muz1/>
*[Baturyn](/source/Baturyn) vertep (late 19th century) - music has been preserved;<ref name=muz1/>
*[Khorol](/source/Khorol%2C_Poltava_Oblast) vertep (late 19th century).<ref name=muz1/>
A collection of vertep boxes and puppets is preserved at the [Museum of Theatre, Music and Cinema Arts of Ukraine](/source/Museum_of_Theatre%2C_Music_and_Cinema_Arts_of_Ukraine).<ref>{{Cite book|title=Українська музична енциклопедія|date=2006|volume=1|publisher=[National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine](/source/National_Academy_of_Sciences_of_Ukraine)|page=331}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [Batlejka](/source/Batlejka) (Batleyka) – analogue in [Belarusian culture](/source/Belarusian_culture)
* [Kamishibai](/source/Kamishibai)
* [Krakow szopka](/source/Krakow_szopka)
* [Petrushka](/source/Petrushka)

== References ==
{{Commons category|Vertep}}
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
* ''Литературная энциклопедия'' 1929–1939, Article "Вертепная драма".
* ''Entsyklopediya ukrainoznavstva'' Vol 1. p.&nbsp;232,  Paris, 1955.

{{Christmas}}
{{Nativity of Jesus}}
{{Ukraine topics}}

Category:Puppet theaters
Category:Puppetry in Ukraine
Category:Theatre of Ukraine
Category:Slavic Christmas traditions
Category:Christmas in Ukraine

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Vertep](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertep) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertep?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.