The Théâtre de la Recherche performs “Je n’ai jamais vu le Kremlin. (I Have Never Seen the Kremlin.)” at the Théâtre de Valère, one of Le Spot’s venues, in Sion, on Thursday 19 November 2026 at 7 pm. The play is a free adaptation of “Moscow-Petushki”, the novel by Venedikt Erofeev.
The story
Venedikt Erofeev was born in 1938 near Murmansk and died in 1990. He wrote “Moscow-Petushki” in 1969 and 1970. The text first circulated in samizdat, as clandestine copies.
The novel was published in 1973 in Israel, then in 1977 in Paris. In French, it came out in 1975 with Albin Michel, under the title “Moscou-sur-Vodka (Moscow on Vodka)”. It has been translated into some twenty languages.
After the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, director Yan Walther wanted to start from Soviet dissident literature to talk about today’s Russia. The play premiered on 20 October 2026 at the Théâtre du Passage, in Neuchâtel. It then played at the Théâtre Benno Besson, in Yverdon-les-Bains, on 5 November.
The Théâtre de Valère has been the theatre of the former Jesuit college since 1785. It has had this name since 1970. In 2021, the City of Sion merged it with the Petithéâtre under the name “Le Spot – Sion Pôle des théâtres”.
Who organises it
Le Spot, in Sion, hosts the play. The Théâtre de la Recherche produces it. The company was founded in Lausanne in 2010 by Yan Walther. It has been based in Neuchâtel since 2021.
The co-producers are the Théâtre du Passage, Le Pommier, in Neuchâtel, and the Casino Théâtre de Rolle.
What to find
Venichka, an alcoholic writer, takes the train to join his beloved near Moscow. The adaptation moves the journey to today’s Russia. It satirises the totalitarian regimes of yesterday and today.
Five performers play some thirty characters.
- Director, Yan Walther
- Adaptation, Yan Walther, with Joël Maillard
- Cast, Marion Chabloz, Christian Cordonier, Christian Geffroy Schlittler, Judith Goudal, Joël Maillard
- Set and lighting, Philippe Maeder; video, JD Schneider; sound, Timothée Giddey; costumes, Josiane Martinho
Practical information
- Date, Thursday 19 November 2026
- Time, 7 pm
- Duration, 2 hours
- Venue, Théâtre de Valère, Le Spot, Sion
- Price, CHF 39, 25 or 15
- Age, recommended from 16
- Tickets, spot-sion.mapado.com ; 027 322 30 30
We have gathered here all the information published by the organiser to date. Do you have more? Write to us, and the article will be completed.
Links
- Official site, Le Spot, Je n’ai jamais vu le Kremlin
- All events across French-speaking Switzerland, Genève Infos Agenda
Sources
- Le Spot, Je n’ai jamais vu le Kremlin, accessed on 14 November 2026
- Le Spot, history, accessed on 14 November 2026
- Théâtre du Passage, Je n’ai jamais vu le Kremlin, accessed on 14 November 2026
- Théâtre Benno Besson, Je n’ai jamais vu le Kremlin, accessed on 14 November 2026
- Les Archives du spectacle, accessed on 14 November 2026
- The Moscow Times, Venedikt Erofeev, accessed on 14 November 2026
- Wikipedia, Moscow-Petushki, accessed on 14 November 2026
- Major Prépa, Moscou-sur-Vodka, accessed on 14 November 2026
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