Hand Shadows State Theatre Abkhazeti Budrugana Gagra

The Budrugana Shadow Theater, founded in Tbilisi in 1982, is an important and original cultural institution in Georgia. The author of the idea and founder of the theater is the Georgian director Gela Kandelaki. Originally conceived as a puppet theater, due to a lack of funding to purchase puppets, actors under the direction of Carlo Sulakauri began using hand shadows for their performances.

Over almost nine years of painstaking work, the Budrugana shadow theater has grown into a professional and respected institution, debuting on the international stage in Paris in 1991. After this, the theater quickly gained worldwide recognition, performing at various international festivals and events.

Since 2002, the name of the theater was changed to "Budrugana-Gagra" after it was filled with refugees from Abkhazia who were students at the Institute of Theater and Cinema. These actors also founded the public educational organization "Kvali XXI".

Since 2010, "Budrugana" became a state theater and began performing on the small stage of the Rustaveli National Theater. The theater actively participates in art festivals both in Georgia and abroad.

Despite the success and recognition, “Budrugana” still does not have its own building and the actors train in the premises of the Rustaveli National Theater.

The theater employs talented actors and directors, including art director Gela Kandelaki and theater director Zura Kvachakhia. The Budrugana Theater is a shining example of creativity and innovation in the art of shadow theater, presenting unique performances based on the use of hand shadows.