Details

In 1904, Russia's armed forces had suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Japanese and in 1905 revolution had erupted, following a botched and bloody attempt to prevent the presentation of a mass petition. There is now an elected government, but peasants and workers remain oppressed, there are thousands of political prisoners and all the real power remains with a weak and incompetent Tsar. Vassa Zheleznova is a powerful business woman who will stop at nothing to build her empire and protect the family which is collapsing around her. Gorky, gives us ninety minutes of corruption, child abuse, incest, alcoholism, rape, death, song, dance...and the dream of a socialist revolution still seven years away.

Cast/Performers

Amelia Donkor (Rachel / Liza), Nicole Hartley (Nata), Christopher Hughes (Meinikov), Andy McLeod (Prokhov), Sian Polhill-Thomas (Vassa), Kate Sawyer (Anna), Luke Shaw (Sergei / Alexei), Joss Wyre (Luda)

Creatives/Company

Author: Maxim Gorky
Adapted by: Emily Juniper
Company: The Faction
Director: Rachel Valentine Smith
Lighting: Chris Withers
Sound: Max Pappenheim