Photo: tzg.com.au
The premiere of Russian Transport play, telling about Russians who left for America took place in Sydney's Eternity Playhouse. Prior to this, the play was a huge success in the United States, gathering full halls in centers of Soviet emigration — New York and Chicago. Actors who take part in the Australian version of Russian Transport have learned a few Russian words and phrases, Unification/Edinenie Russian Newspaper Australia reports.
The staging of Russian Transport play in the United States has become a theatrical debut for its author Erica Schaeffer. She grew up in a family of emigrants from the Baltic states, and her first play is largely autobiographical. American director Joseph Uchitel, who came to New York from the USSR in 1980 and is well aware of the region of “little Russia” in Brooklyn, where the play takes place, took on its production. Working with Australian actors (not a single Russian-speaking actor was involved in the production), the director explained the meaning of certain words and expressions to them, and also helped with the correct Russian pronunciation.
According to Joseph Uchitel, the play tells how people are trying to find their home in a new country and achieve the “American dream” while maintaining or losing their national identity. The director is convinced that with all the "Russianness" of the story outlined in the play, it is international and can be understood in any country. The genre of the play is a comedy drama with elements of a psychological thriller.
The premiere performances of Russian Transport play will take place in Sydney until March 31. According to Joseph Uchitel, a play based on works of Fyodor Dostoevsky will be one of his next productions.
Russkiy Mir
