In 1927, as the Red Fist tightens its grip in Soviet Russia, OBERIU, the last group of avant-garde artists is planning its bold, absurdist farewell. But with the world becoming even stranger than their own surreal visions, and their audience literally disappearing around them, is it still worth the risk? A darkly comedic and quirky twist of fact and their own fictions about Daniil Kharms, Aleksandr Vvedensky, Nikolay Zabolotsky , Konstantin Vaginov and Igor Bakhterev.
First professionally produced by Factory Theatre, Toronto ON, 2007
Also produced at the Women Playwrights International Conference (University of Mumbai, India, 2009) and the hotINK Festival (Loewe Theatre, NY USA, 2007)
Keywords: Soviet, Russian Absurdism, Surrealism, OBERIU, Revolution, Russia, Stalin, Avant-Garde, 1920s
Genre: Tragicomedy, Docudrama
Acts: 2
Run time: 115 minutes
Cast size: 20 actors
Male roles: 6
Female roles: 2
Other roles: 7
Musicians required: 3
Casting note: The play is further enriched by a large cast and chorus, however by using a small chorus of three performers who double up with other roles, it is possible to cast the show with 10 actors. A sample of this
casting is by using the following breakdown:1. INTRODUKTOR
2. KHARMS
3. VVEDENSKY
4. BAKHTEREV
5. ZABOLOTSKY / COP 1
6. VAGINOV / COP 2
7. MARINA / BALLERINA
8. CHORUS / KILLER / DOKTOR
9. CHORUS / STAGEHAND / VIKTIM
10. CHORUS / ANDREY SEMYONOVICH