Michail Durnenkov
The play TWHYS consists of 12 short stories written in the form of sketches or monologues. Each novella has its own storyline, yet all together they create a united dramatic timeline. The characters of the play are just like us, regardless of origin; they are ordinary people, parents and children, husbands and wives. They are plagued by the same issues that we are: fear of losing our loved ones and family bonds, the overwhelming technological progress, the helpless elderly in the countryside. They are worried about the consumer society that picks the best of the best and has forgotten the meaning of true feelings. Add aggression flaming in the streets and the countless ways of escaping reality.
The playwright Mikhail Durnenkov is considered one of the best contemporary theatre playwrights. He had been a resident at the theatre Royal Court in London and he is a popular at various international festivals. The play TWHYS was written as a special order for Glasgow Theater in Scotland. It was later translated to American English, Romanian, Italian, Czech, Lithuanian and Finnish. His plays based on the archives documents and diaries dedicated to Stanislavsky, Gorky, Mikhail Chekhov was staged at Moscow Art Theatre and Russian theatre in Riga. He was awarded by National theatre prize Golden Mask in 2019 for his play UTOPIA staged at Theatre of Nations last season. Durnenkov is one of the art-directors of Liubimovka festival of new drama and also runs a lot of workshops for dramaturges around the world.
The War Hasn’t Yet Started was staged in Plymouth (UK), London (UK), Bucharest (Ro), Moscow (Ru) and Helsinki (FIN).
Duration – 2 hours. Without Intermission.
Rūta’s Hall
Interview Lera Surkova (Director)
