VANYA IS ALIVE

A powerful new play about today’s Russia written by Natalia Lizorkina. Premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe 2023 by artists in exile. 🔉 Written in March 2022, the play VANYA IS ALIVE is considered the most important Russian play since the start of the full-scale invasion. The sensational premieres in London and Berlin are now heading to Amsterdam! The team behind the independent playwriting festival "Lyubimovka" has created a monodrama that has already won audience acclaim and media attention in prominent outlets across the UK and Germany, such as The Financial Times, The Scotsman, The Edinburgh Reporter, and The Theatre Times 📰 VANYA IS ALIVE tells the story of the mother of a conscripted Russian soldier whose worldview shatters when she receives the tragic news of her son’s death. Gradually, through encounters with her neighbor, a military officer, an opposition figure, her son’s friend, and a begging mother, Alya begins to uncover the lies and propaganda of the state. Her seemingly harmless act of protest is harshly repressed, and she ends up in prison, crushed by the system. This poignant story, resonating deeply with Russia’s current political reality, raises pressing questions about the cost of truth and freedom in a repressive society. The play challenges the audience to reflect on personal responsibility in the tragic events unfolding in the country and depicts a society grappling with the realities of war and oppression. Director and Translator:Ivanka Polzhenko Assistant Director:Elena Gordienko Actor: Nikolay Mulakov Producer: Maxim Smekhov With contributions from: Ksenia Peretrukhina and Olga Sukhovei 🕐 Duration:60 minutes 🗣️ Original language: English with Russian subtitles 💬 Recommended age:16+