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Real and Phantom Pains

An Anthology of

New Russian Drama

Compiled and Edited by

John Freedman

Washington, DC

Copyright © 2014 by John Freedman

New Academia Publishing 2014

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system.

Published in eBook format by New Academia Publishing

Converted by http://www.eBookIt.com

Cover photo: Alyona Starostina in “Angry Girl”

Courtesy of the Bryantsev Young Spectator Theater

Cover design: NAP

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014937936

ISBN 978-0-9904471-7-7 ebook

ISBN 978-0-9915047-6-3 paperback (alk. paper)

New Academia Publishing

PO Box 27420, Washington, DC 20038-7420

info@newacademia.com - www.newacademia.com

This publication was effected under the auspices of the Mikhail Prokhorov Foundation TRANSCRIPT Programme to Support Translations of Russian Literature.

Also by New Academia Publishing

LOST MASTERPIECES OF EURO-AMERICAN DRAMA: Ten Plays, Bert Cardullo, ed.

MOSCOW BELIEVES IN TEARS: Russians and Their Movies, by Louis Menashe

IMAGING RUSSIA 2000: Film and Facts, by Anna Lawton

BEFORE THE FALL: Soviet Cinema in the Gorbachev Years, by Anna Lawton

See book pages at www.newacademia.com and read an excerpt.

New drama flourished (almost) exclusively in small spaces, often in dingy basements and in backrooms of playhouses, libraries and community centers – primarily Moscow, Yekaterinburg and Togliatti. But by the beginning of the century’s second decade, new drama was threatening to become a mainstream phenomenon.

“Few people know more about the Moscow scene than John Freedman (including few Russians). As Moscow Times theater critic throughout the post-Soviet period John could well have seen more theatrical productions in Russia than anyone else.”

—Blair A. Ruble, Director, Program on Global Sustainability & Resilience, Woodrow Wilson Center.

“The relevance of this anthology is not limited to art. New Drama has an implicit politics that should be of interest to political scientists, social historians, and cultural anthropologists of the postSoviet period. As Freedman points out here and elsewhere, the plays provide a ‘unique generational perspective’ on Russia after the collapse of communism.”

—Caryl Emerson, Professor of Slavic Languages and Literatures, Princeton University.

“While other existing volumes focus on 18th, 19th, and early 20th century Russian drama, Freedman’s edition presents the unique and important contributions of contemporary Russian writers portraying the realities and experiences of a post-Soviet generation.”

—Thomas J. Garza, University Distinguished Teaching Associate Professor, University of Texas at Austin.

“Real and Phantom Pains would be of great utility for American theater directors and faculty, and students of Russian literature and culture. The anthology is designed with both sets of readers/users in mind.”

—Beth Holmgren, Professor and Chair, Slavic and Eurasian Studies, Duke University.

“The English translations available are often in British English, with enough strange idioms for American ears that make them less desirable to theater producers. This collection of excellent New Russian drama is welcomed amongst the American theatrical community.”

—Preston Whiteway, Executive Director, The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center.

JOHN FREEDMAN has translated more than 60 Russian plays, which have been performed on four continents. He has published and/or edited ten books about Russian theater. He has been the drama critic of The Moscow Times since 1992, and has written about Russian theater for the New York Times, the Boston Globe, TheatreForum, American Theatre and many other publications. As co-editor of the Russian Theater Archive he oversaw the publication of 21 books about Russian drama. His TheaterPlus blog has been an important source of information on Russian culture, society and politics since 2009.

For Philip Arnoult,

whose life and work are proof that theater and drama

know no boundaries.