Davit Evereklyan, one of the key figures in the Armenian diaspora theatre, began his journey in the theatre in 1943 in Lebanon. He founded several theatre companies, including “Lebanese-Armenian,” “Petros Adamyan,” “Germanic,” and “Beirut-Armenian Backstage Artists.” As a director and actor, he brought to life characters from both Armenian and foreign playwrights in numerous productions. Evereklyan’s prolific theatrical career in Lebanon was interrupted by political instability, prompting his move to Montreal with his family. There, he revitalised his theatrical environment by collaborating with the “Armenian” and “Constantinople-Armenian Union” theatre companies.

KeywordsDavit Evereklyan Montreal Diaspora Theatrical company actor historian of theatre performance.

The article examines the art of characterization in the vaudevilles of Gabriel Sundukyan and beyond. Gabriel Sundukyan is one of the greatest representatives of Armenian dramaturgy. His vaudevilles constitute an important and irreplaceable part of Armenian theatrical literature. Sundukyan’s vaudevilles are distinguished not only by their comedic structure but also by their deep social subtext and the multilayered development of characters. The author creates typical yet individualized figures that reflect the social relations, moral values, and contradictions of the time. The analysis shows that Sundukyan skillfully combines humor with a critical perspective, revealing social inequality, false morality, and materialism. It is also noteworthy that his characters often bear the influence of cultural intersections, such as the character Yavangul, who represents a fusion of Armenian and Georgian cultures. Through his characters, Sundukyan frequently raises issues related to the moral and social decline of society. His characters often find themselves at the center of internal and external conflicts, facing the clash between old and new values, material interests, and ethical principles. Thus, Sundukyan’s vaudevilles possess not only artistic value but also serve as an important source of socio-philosophical reflection.

KeywordsVaudeville dramaturgy European culture Gabriel Sundukyan characterization Values theatre

Throughout various historical periods, authors have often opted to use pseudonyms or remain anonymous when creating their works. This prompts the question of why an author would generally choose to present themselves under a pseudonym or a nickname. The reasons behind the adoption of a pseudonym are multifaceted and vary according to the individual writer’s circumstances: simplification of a lenghty name, the need to differentiate oneself from a writer with a similar or identical name, the concealment of ethnic identity, the desire for becoming famous with a more evocative name, concerns regarding privacy, the author’s public status, the constraints of censorship, etc. The renowned satirist Hakob Paronyan also signed the majority of his works and articles under pseudonyms or published them unsigned. This article specifically examines pronoun-pseudonyms and several other pseudonyms of newly found works in the satirical newspapers “Meghu” (“Bee”) and “Tatron” (“Theatre”) that remained unattributed to Paronyan for years. The study analyzes the motivations behind Paronyan’s use of these newly identified pseudonyms, provides quantitative statistics on their application, and highlights inconsistencies and potential reasons for their usage.

KeywordsHakob Paronyan pseudonym nickname satirical newspaper “Meghu” (“Bee”) satirical newspaper “Tatron” (“Theatre”) pronoun-pseudonym unsigned