St. Petersburg will host the thirteenth “Old Woman” Route on June 15th, transforming the city center into a labyrinth inspired by the world of Daniil Kharms and his OBERIU associates. The event commemorates the 120th anniversary of Kharms’ birth and will take place amidst the city’s vibrant bar scene.

The central theme of this year’s Route revolves around communication, encompassing telephones, telegraphs, bridges, conversations, temporal and spatial connections, cultural and philosophical exchanges, and networking.

The former telephone exchange (ATS) on Nekrasova Street, now an art cluster, will serve as a hub, linking the telegraphic history to today’s mobile environment.

Marcel Smerdov and Nikita Vasiliev are the main directors for this year’s event.

Twenty additional directors, including Dmitry Khokhlov, Philip Borodin, Serzhuk Andreev, and Sonya Dymshits, will contribute to the creation of 25 theatrical episodes across the city. These episodes aim to weave together fragments of reality through engaging puzzles.

The route seeks to evoke a period when telegraph operators communicated poetry and philosophy emerged in everyday life.

Participants are invited to temporarily dismantle existing networks and establish new connections, encouraged to step outside of themselves for a brief period.

The event is open to those 16 years of age and older.