NATIONAL THEATRE OF KIEV RUSSIAN LANGUAGE SEASON Tickets and Dates

Kiev's National Academic Theatre of Russian Drama Lesya Ukrainka brings a festival of events celebrating Ukrainian culture to the St. James Theatre this September. The productions will be performed in Russian and will be live-dubbed in English to be enjoyed in either language. The productions in the season include: Ward Of the Manor My Mocking Happiness Life's Little Nothings Don Juan WARD OF THE MANOR Performed in memory of Russian theatre director Georgy Tovstonogov, who was a teacher of Mikhail Reznikovich. Olga Korina left her family?s country estate as a young girl, returning seven years later with her new husband State official Pavel Yeletsky. Among those there to greet Lady Olga Yeletskaya, is Vasilii Kuzovkin, an old man born to nobility but now penniless. The good-natured Kuzovkin has long served the family and is de facto ward of the estate; he is also the family?s longest running joke. During a celebration for the newlyweds, dark secrets are revealed and the lives of Lady Olga, Yeletsky, and the devoted Kuzovkin are changed forever. True nobility does not reside in mere titles. MY MOCKING HAPPINESS My Mocking Happiness is drawn from Anton Chekhov?s personal correspondence with his wife, Olga Knipper-Chekhova, and close friend, Lika Mizinova. Alive with intimate and personal detail, the letters reveal the writer?s complex inner life and his musings on theatre, art, 20th century psychology, society and power. He also discusses his timeless dramas Uncle Vanya, Three Sisters and The Cherry Orchard. Structurally similar to Jerome Kilty?s 1960 play Dear Liar, My Mocking Happiness has been staged at the National Academic Theatre of Russian Drama Lesya Ukrainka for more than fifty years. LIFE'S LITTLE NOTHINGS The human condition is examined in this original handling of Chekhov?s short stories A Daughter of Albion, A Tripping Tongue, Difficult People, A Happy Man and The Wallet. Each of the five episodes is separated by brief interludes of authentic, classic Russian romance tunes. Life?s Little Nothings offers a vivid, provocative and often hilarious take on those personal thoughts and feelings one might hope would forever remain undiscovered. DON JUAN Noted early 20th century Ukrainian poet Lesya Ukrainka offers an original, authentically Ukrainian take on this timeless story of conflict between freedom and authority. In a departure from the original story by Tirso de Molina, the Ukrainian Don Juan introduces us to Dolores, Lesya Ukrainka?s semi-autobiographical depiction of a young woman selflessly devoted to the Don.

Running Time: The running time for each show is yet to be confirmed Booking Period: 08 to 19 September 2015