New Russian Drama took shape at the turn of the new millennium--a time
of turbulent social change in Russia and the former Soviet republics.
Emerging from small playwriting festivals, provincial theaters, and
converted basements, it evolved into a major artistic movement that
startled audiences with hypernaturalistic portrayals of sex and
violence, daring use of non-normative language, and thrilling
experiments with genre and form. The movement's commitment to
investigating contemporary reality helped revitalize Russian theater. It
also provoked confrontations with traditionalists in society and places
of power, making theater once again Russia's most politicized art form.
This anthology offers an introduction to New Russian Drama through plays
that illustrate the versatility and global relevance of this exciting
movement. Many of them address pressing social issues, such as ethnic
tensions and political disillusionment; others engage with Russia's rich
cultural legacy by reimagining traditional genres and canons. Among them
are a family drama about Anton Chekhov, a modern production play in
which factory workers compose haiku, and a satirical verse play about
the treatment of migrant workers, as well a documentary play about a
terrorist school siege and a postdramatic "text" that is only two
sentences long. Both politically and aesthetically uncompromising, they
chart new paths for performance in the twenty-first century. Acquainting
English-language readers with these vital works, New Russian Drama
challenges us to reflect on the status and mission of the theater.
