Pussy Riot: Riot Days

"This show continues to be a clear form of resistance; the protest doesn’t end when the curtain closes." The List Magazine

Their last performance at the Kammerspiele took place at a pivotal moment in contemporary history: Maria Alyokhina, who had only recently made a spectacular escape from Russia, gathered her collective of artists and unleashed a torrent of anger against the senseless war against Ukraine—a war that, at the time, still seemed so new. That evening brought together the full force of counterculture—in a space that responded to it, in a space that was buzzing with energy.

Four years later, Pussy Riot returns with “Riot Days.” The war is still raging. And many other places of suffering have been added. When we look at Maria Alyokhina, we immediately see that there is a place that lies beyond the despair: And Pussy Riot evoke that place with their blend of punk and performance. Through the power of art, protest, and collective spirit, a moving and challenging evening unfolds—one that tells their story through Alyokhina’s books *Riot Days* (2017) and *Political Girl* (2025).

This story begins in 2011 in Moscow, in the midst of overt patriarchy: with radical, feminist-infused actions in public spaces. Their “Punk Prayer” at Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior garnered worldwide attention. It was a defiant prayer that led to years of imprisonment for some members and sparked an international debate about artistic freedom and freedom of expression.
Politically, the collective has maintained a clear voice: Pussy Riot stands firmly on the side of Ukraine. They are committed to opposing war and authoritarian violence through both humanitarian and artistic means.