Stage History of Five Great American Plays Performed in Soviet Russia

The stage history of five great American plays performed in Soviet Russia is a fascinating story of cultural exchange and artistic adaptation. These plays, which include "The Glass Menagerie," "Death of a Salesman," "A Streetcar Named Desire," "Long Day's Journey into Night," and "The Iceman Cometh," were all written by American playwrights in the mid-20th century and went on to become some of the most important and influential plays of the American theater. Their productions in Soviet Russia, however, were often met with censorship and political interference, as the Soviet government sought to control the content of the arts and to promote its own socialist ideology.

Tennessee Williams on the Soviet Stage: Stage history of five great American plays performed in Soviet Russia

by Irene Shaland

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1795 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	189 pages
Lending	:	Enabled
Paperback	:	456 pages
Item Weight	:	1.19 pounds
Dimensions	:	5.83 x 1.06 x 8.27 inches

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"The Glass Menagerie"

"The Glass Menagerie" was written by Tennessee Williams in 1944 and premiered in Chicago in 1945. The play tells the story of Amanda Wingfield, a faded Southern belle who lives with her two children, Tom and Laura. Amanda is obsessed with the past and dreams of a better life for her children, but Tom is restless and Laura is shy and withdrawn. The play is a moving and poetic exploration of the themes of memory, loss, and the search for identity.

"The Glass Menagerie" was first performed in Soviet Russia in 1956, at the Moscow Art Theater. The production was directed by Oleg Yefremov and starred Innokenty Smoktunovsky as Tom and Alla Demidova as Laura. The production was a critical and commercial success, and it helped to introduce Soviet audiences to the work of Tennessee Williams.

However, the production was also met with some censorship. The Soviet authorities objected to the play's depiction of American society as materialistic and superficial. They also objected to the play's emphasis on individual freedom and self-expression. As a result, the production was cut by about 20 minutes, and some of the play's most controversial lines were removed.

Despite these cuts, "The Glass Menagerie" was a popular success in Soviet Russia. The play's themes of memory, loss, and the search for identity resonated with Soviet audiences, who were also struggling to come to terms with the past and to find their place in the world.

"Death of a Salesman"

"Death of a Salesman" was written by Arthur Miller in 1949 and premiered in New York City in 1951. The play tells the story of Willy Loman, a traveling salesman who is struggling to make ends meet. Willy is a proud and ambitious man, but he is also deeply flawed. He is unable to face the truth about his own failures, and he blames everyone else for his problems. The play is a searing indictment of the American dream and the corrosive effects of capitalism.

"Death of a Salesman" was first performed in Soviet Russia in 1963, at the Lenin Komsomol Theater in Moscow. The production was directed by Mark Zakharov and starred Evgeny Leonov as Willy Loman. The production was a critical and commercial success, and it helped to introduce Soviet audiences to the work of Arthur Miller.

However, the production was also met with some censorship. The Soviet authorities objected to the play's depiction of American society as materialistic and exploitative. They also objected to the play's pessimistic view of the American dream. As a result, the production was cut by about 15 minutes, and some of the play's most controversial lines were removed.

Despite these cuts, "Death of a Salesman" was a popular success in Soviet Russia. The play's themes of failure, disillusionment, and the search for meaning resonated with Soviet audiences, who were also struggling to find their place in the world.

"A Streetcar Named Desire"

"A Streetcar Named Desire" was written by Tennessee Williams in 1947 and premiered in New York City in 1948. The play tells the story of Blanche DuBois, a faded Southern belle who moves in with her sister, Stella, and her brother-in-law, Stanley Kowalski, in New Orleans. Blanche is a fragile and vulnerable woman who is haunted by her past. Stanley is a brutish and domineering man who represents the forces of the modern world. The play is a powerful and poetic exploration of the themes of love, loss, and the clash between the old and the new.

"A Streetcar Named Desire" was first performed in Soviet Russia in 1959, at the Moscow Art Theater. The production was directed by Georgy Tovstonogov and starred Maya Plisetskaya as Blanche DuBois. The production was a critical and commercial success, and it helped to introduce Soviet audiences to the work of Tennessee Williams.

However, the production was also met with some censorship. The Soviet authorities objected to the play's depiction of American society as violent and depraved. They also objected to the play's emphasis on individual freedom and self-expression. As a result, the production was cut by about 20 minutes, and some of the play's most controversial lines were removed.

Despite these cuts, "A Streetcar Named Desire" was a popular success in Soviet Russia. The play's themes of love, loss, and the clash between the old and the new resonated with Soviet audiences, who were also struggling to come to terms with the past and to find their place in the world.

"Long Day's Journey into Night"

"Long Day's Journey into Night" was written by Eugene O'Neill in 1941 and premiered in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1956. The play tells the story of the Tyrone family, a dysfunctional family living in a small town in New England. The family is haunted by the past, and each member is struggling to come to terms with their own demons. The play is a powerful and poetic exploration of the themes of family, addiction, and the American dream.

"Long Day's Journey into Night" was first performed in Soviet Russia

Tennessee Williams on the Soviet Stage: Stage history of five great American plays performed in Soviet Russia

by Irene Shaland

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1795 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	189 pages
Lending	:	Enabled
Paperback	:	456 pages
Item Weight	:	1.19 pounds
Dimensions	:	5.83 x 1.06 x 8.27 inches

FREE