Bishkek weekend guide: A mystical drama, animated films and stand-up comedy

Bishkek has a packed cultural program for the weekend, with theater, exhibitions, music, comedy and events for children.

On September 6, the Chinghiz Aitmatov State National Russian Drama Theatre will stage “Duck Hunting,” described as a mystical drama about Viktor Zilov, a man trapped in his own emptiness. The theater’s presentation evokes masked faces, rain falling inside a room and a past that continues to watch.

The Gapar Aitiev Kyrgyz National Museum of Fine Arts is showing its permanent collections of painting, graphics, sculpture and decorative arts from September 5 to 6. The museum is also hosting an exhibition dedicated to Urkun, featuring works from its holdings and installations based on oral histories collected during research.

Kyrgyzstan is again hosting the World Nomad Games. The program includes kok-boru, yurt-assembly contests, aitysh, scientific conferences and workshops. On September 5, the TOLKUN festival will bring together artists, sculptors, local brands, Kyrgyz performers and DJs working with ethnic and electronic sounds.

The weekend also offers stand-up programs, an open training session at Adinai Park, an evening of tango and milonga, and activities for children. Young visitors can take part in crawling races, watch “Coco” and “Zootopia 2,” or attend the pillow-tale performance “My Happy Farm,” about a farmer, his blue tractor and two crows who disrupt the smooth running of his farm.