The story
When in 1980 the theatre was founded by Vladimir Malishitsky, «Molodezhka» (as it is called among the fans) immediately became the place for meeting of progressive intellectuals and its performances turned to be reasons for debates on current issues.
The repertoire of the theatre – the staging of the best modern authors -attracted the audience. The tone of performances made spectators feel excited: it was confidential on the one hand and publicistic on the other.
Then, in 1983 Efim Padve, a talented Leningrad director and favorite student of Georgy Tovstonogov, became a chief director of the Youth Theatre. The theatre kept its name, troupe and some performances, the theatre inner was changed: psychology, a life of human soul was interesting to Padve.
In November 1989 Padve arranged for Semyon Spivak to become head of the Youth Theatre.
From Wikipedia’s article on Youth Theatre on the Fontanka, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3