Ania Kuvaeva describes Drama Buddy’s mission as “making theatre more accessible by curating the best-reviewed performances in Warsaw and Berlin”. The growing number of plays, articles, magazines, concerts, and shows can be overwhelming. Critics and reviews help guide audiences, and Drama Buddy aims to do just that. Kuvaeva, the platform’s founder, sees it as a trusted guide, offering curated reviews from professional critics to help users find the perfect play.
Raised in a theatre family, Kuvaeva struggled to find performances she might like after moving to Poland, and realised others might face the same challenge. In 2023, she launched Drama Buddy in Warsaw, providing expert-approved recommendations to make theatre more accessible. We spoke with Ania about the project’s mission and its role in today’s art world.
As a startup making theatre more accessible, Drama Buddy curates top-reviewed performances in Warsaw and Berlin and offers expert reviews to help users find the perfect play. How do you define accessibility in this context?
For me, theatre accessibility means making it a natural option for people’s leisure time. It’s about breaking the perception that theatre is expensive, confusing, or outdated.
Currently, your platform covers both Warsaw and Berlin. Why did you choose these two cities as starting points?
Actually, the answer is quite simple – I want to be a user of Drama Buddy myself, and I visit these cities often. Moreover, Berlin has a highly diverse theatre scene and can be difficult to navigate without any preparation. That’s why I saw a real need for such a platform there. As for Warsaw, I live in Poland and love Polish theatre. Many people advised me to start with just one city, and it’s quite possible that launching in a single location would have been easier. However, I’m very interested in analysing how audiences in Berlin and Warsaw react differently to our platform.
Why do you think platforms like Drama Buddy are essential in today’s art world? Do you believe the abundance of plays and theatres creates a stronger need for critics and reviews?
I believe that for many theatre-goers reading long professional reviews can be troublesome and unengaging. That’s why I would describe our format as a “professional recommendation”. And yes, expert advice is more important than ever, as the amount of available information continues to grow while, at the same time, people increasingly value their time and prefer not to spend it researching everything themselves.
Platforms and apps like Drama Buddy help people save time when searching for a good performance. We’ve already done the work for you – attending shows, selecting the best ones, and categorising them to make finding the right performance easier. I truly believe that making the search easier with filtering options will encourage more people to go to the theatre.
When selecting reviews and play recommendations, do you focus mainly on well-known theatres? Or do you also explore underground productions? What criteria guide your selection?
Of course, we visit both the underground theatres and the well-known ones. I really want to show that great performances can be found anywhere and that everyone can discover something that speaks to their preferences.
When selecting performances, we rely on the professional opinions of our experts. I have spent my entire life in the theatre, earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Theater Studies, and have extensive experience as an audience member in various countries. That’s why I carefully choose only those experts whose opinions I truly trust. Yes, this selection can be considered subjective, but those who have studied theatre history and theory, as well as experienced a wide range of performances, are certainly well-equipped to recommend outstanding productions.
Hungry for more?Do you have plans to expand the platform to other cities? If so, what factors will influence the next locations?
Yes, of course! After testing our hypothesis and ground in Warsaw and Berlin, we plan to expand to other cities (not revealing where just yet). The most crucial factor is the presence of a diverse theatre scene in the city.
How do you see the relationship between digital platforms like Drama Buddy and traditional theatre criticism? Do you think digital engagement is changing how people experience theatre?
For me, this is a complex question because I was trained to write very traditional reviews – analysing performance in detail, sometimes producing pieces as long as 20 pages. I believe this kind of in-depth analysis is vital for a solid education.
However, in today’s world, we’ve adapted to shorter, more digestible formats. We’re used to having information readily available, and the increasing presence of theatre reviews on digital platforms has made them more accessible to a wider audience. I don’t think all reviews should follow this trend, but different formats can serve different purposes. Right now, my goal is to make it easier for audiences to find performances they’ll enjoy.
Many cultural institutions struggle to attract younger audiences. Does your platform aim to bridge this gap?
I’ve noticed that theatres are increasingly creating performances specifically for and about teenagers. In my opinion, this is a vital trend – adolescence is the stage where habits are formed, and theatre can become a meaningful part of a person’s life. We are also working in this direction. That is why we added an age filter, allowing users to easily find performances tailored for teenagers. In the future, I would love for us to develop engaging educational formats aimed at younger audiences.
Does Drama Buddy solely cater to art lovers seeking reviews, or does it also provide opportunities for directors, actors, and theatre professionals to engage and be influenced?
Our main audience is, of course, people who want to go to the theatre. When it comes to professional networking, however, we may not be beneficial at this stage. Yet, by attracting audiences to performances, we contribute to the growth and development of the professional theatre scene.
Want to join the community yourself? Download Drama Buddy on the App Store and Google Play!
Supported by Drama Buddy.
