Virtual Vertep Vision is a series of articles and videos dedicated to each character of the traditional Ukrainian Vertep. Created as part of the project “BoykoTravel: Vertep PreServes Ukraine”, implemented with the support of the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation.
Sura stashed her dollar hoard
In a Swiss bank vault.
Moshko isn’t scared of thugs —
He’ll buy a tank, by default!
(from a Vertep dialogue)
Sura is a paired comic-satirical character of the interlude section of the Ukrainian Vertep – the wife of the Tavern Keeper (Moshko). Her entrance on stage is a burst of color, talk, and energy. If Moshko represents cunning and trade, Sura is his reflection and counterpart: talkative, emotional, sometimes quarrelsome, but always lively, witty, and shrewd.
In the Vertep, Sura is the voice of everyday life – she thinks in terms of profit, household, bargains, and “good deals.” Her jokes about money, gifts, wine, or caroling add a down-to-earth contrast to the spiritual part of the drama. She often supports her husband’s tricks, humorously argues with other characters, or even playfully flirts with the Cossack – or with the Devil.
Her attire emphasizes her role as the “prosperous housewife”: bright fabrics, a long patterned skirt, colorful apron, large tasseled scarf, and an abundance of jewelry – beads, earrings, bracelets. This is a stylized folk image of a 19th-century Jewish townswoman: comically ornate, yet neat and immediately recognizable. In her hands she may hold a purse, a cup, a jug, or a bottle – symbols of trade, hospitality, and profit.
Traditionally, the role of Sura is played by a young man in a mask or makeup, speaking in an exaggeratedly “feminine” voice. It is one of the most beloved and entertaining roles in the Vertep – bringing liveliness, humor, and everyday flavor to the performance.
Just like Moshko, in modern Verteps Sura is sometimes replaced with a kuma (godmother) or other contemporary humorous characters – but her spirit of wit and domestic comedy lives on.