Pussy Riot will present the show „Riot Days“ in Sofia on October 10. The event starts at 8:00 PM at a club on ul. „Angel Kanchev“ 1.
The show combines live music, theater, performance and documentary footage. It is based on the books „Riot Days“ and „Political Girl“ by Maria Alyokhina, which tell the story of the years of protest, arrests and persecution in Russia.
The story behind the show
„Riot Days“ follows Alyokhina's journey from the action at Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior in 2012 to her departure from Russia in 2022. At that time, the members of Pussy Riot performed a protest "punk prayer" directed against Vladimir Putin's rule and against the use of the Russian Orthodox Church for political legitimization.
The action lasted a few minutes, but led to serious consequences. Alyokhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Ekaterina Samutsevich were arrested. Alyokhina and Tolokonnikova each spent two years in a penal colony, while Samutsevich received a suspended sentence.
The case transformed Pussy Riot from a Moscow feminist punk collective into an international symbol of resistance. “Riot Days“ was created by Alexander Cheparukhin and Maria Alyokhina and has been performed on stage since 2016. The performance has been shown in over 40 countries, with its content changing along with political events in Russia and Ukraine.
From protest to political art
The current version includes the names of political prisoners, as well as a story about war, violence and political repression. Among the participants in the team are Alina Petrova, Tasso Pletner and Eric Breitenbach.
In 2014, Alyokhina participated in the creation of Mediazona - a media dedicated to violence in penal colonies, police stations and courts. According to the information presented, in 2025 she was sentenced in absentia to 13 years in prison. Alina Petrova received an eight-year sentence in absentia, and Tasso Pletner received an 11-year sentence.
The proceeds from the Sofia performance will go to support political prisoners in Russia and a children's hospital in Ukraine. The performance thus connects the history of Pussy Riot since 2012 with the ongoing repression and war that are part of its stage narrative today.
Sources: news.bg, bnrnews.bg, actualno.com