First Published in 1995. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

First Published in 1995. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Olga Mukhina is one of the most talented, young playwrights in Russia. Born in Moscow in 1970, she has already garnered enviable praise from critics and audiences throughout Russia and Europe since her first play, Tanya-Tanya, was performed in 1996.
Tanya-Tanya is an atmospheric, poetic tale that observes three couples at a suburban Moscow home who dance, drink champagne, kiss, fall in and out of love, and struggle with dignity and humor to keep some semblance of control over their lives. The parallels with Chekhovian drama are undeniable and clearly intended by the...

This is a collection of John Freedman's reviews and articles, most originally written for the Moscow Times, in which he focuses his expert critical eye on the directors, writers and actors who held centre stage during the 1996-97 theatre season in Moscow.
The book looks at the debut of promising new artists and directors at the Moscow Art Theatre celebrating its 100th anniversary this year and offers a wealth of insight into the latest developments in Russian theatre.
Freedman illuminates all of the season's noteworthy trends and events in clear, informed and unapologetically...

The plays selected for this anthology reflect the issues and styles typical of the new wave of dramatic writing in Russia. New drama flourished (almost) exclusively in small spaces, often in dingy basements that employed and accommodated small numbers of people. The big theaters largely turned a blind eye to what was happening on small stages and in backrooms in playhouses, libraries and community centers in a few chosen hot spots around Russia - primarily Moscow, Yekaterinburg and Togliatti. In many cases, they took actively hostile stances toward it. This would change, however. And by the...