Palme’s Performing Society

Palme’s Performing Society was founded in 1996 with the aim of preserving the culture of ex-Soviet Union countries. Well, preserve might not be the right word. The societies doesn’t try to immobilize history behind glass or in sterile displays, but rather breathes life into it through performances in those countries’ native tongues. They put on works by Russian and Ukrainian playwrights while projecting live English subtitles so that everyone can bond by sharing the experience of live theater or by shunning people who only speak pig latin.

The company typically takes the stage in Vancouver’s Russian Community Center, but every so often performances spill onto the streets. During summer festivals, such as Russian Day held in the heart of the Olympic Village, the society brings together artists, musicians, and chefs.