The best theater productions in Moscow

My personal recommendations: which theater performances are definitely worth seeing

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In this article, I want to talk about Moscow theaters and the productions I highly recommend seeing. The list will primarily feature experimental and unusual performances.

1. Moscow Theater of the Young Generation

Address: Mamonovsky Pereulok 10, building 1

The Moscow Youth Theater is one of the oldest theaters in the city, founded in 1920.

What I recommend to watch:

- "Honeymoon in a Doll's House". Directed by Pyotr Shereshevsky. The production is based on Ibsen's famous play "A Doll's House," but the action is set in modern times. The main theme is what happens to a marriage when love slowly fades, but duty and habit keep the couple together. However, of course, this is not the only motive; the production is much deeper than it seems at first glance.

- "Romeo and Juliet. Variations and Commentary". Directed by Pyotr Shereshevsky. Don't be put off by the clichéd plot: this is a very unusual and unexpected take on Shakespeare's tragedy. The action is set in 1990s Russia—"a world of small business and big bribes, fatigue and lack of love". The director ponders whether love can change this hopeless world. Expect lots of laughter, loud, energetic music, and serious reflections on yourself and the world around you.

- "Heart of a Dog". Directed by Anton Fedorov. The audience is presented with a crumbling world, a world on the brink of destruction, both externally (the setting is a house with crumbling walls) and internally (the devastation in the characters' minds). The play combines satire and tragedy: it is both genuinely funny and deeply poignant in its view of human nature.

- "Snail on the Slope". Directed by Pyotr Shereshevsky. A rare stage adaptation of the Strugatsky brothers' work. The play explores the feeling of being trapped in opaque bureaucratic structures and meaningless routine. The characters' world is unintelligible, full of chaos.

- "The Fifth Seal". Directed by Elizaveta Bondar. A chamber performance in an outbuilding. Based on a book by Ferenc Shant, the plot resonates with today. A story about the most difficult moral choices, a human dilemma. "The Fifth Oven" will not leave you indifferent and will make you deeply ponder how you would act in the characters' place.

2. Shalom Theater

Shalom is a Moscow Jewish theater, the only professional Jewish theater in Russia. Shalom's productions are dedicated to Jewish culture and traditions, but in fact it is a theater for everyone and all nationalities, a theater that unites.

What I recommend to watch:

• "Lysistrata." Directed by Oleg Lipovetsky. Aristophanes' anti-war comedy about women who declare a "sexual strike" to force their men to make peace. Do not be intimidated by the classical plot; it is actually quite interesting and captivating. You will definitely have a great time: the performance is vibrant, bold, and funny, a boisterous musical "cabaret" with plenty of live music. The performance includes pop hits such as "Call Me, Call Me" and "I Want to Be with You". But behind the jokes and colorful sets lies a very serious theme and a clear pacifist message.
• "Nathan the Wise". Directed by Pyotr Shereshevsky. A play about tolerance and religious coexistence. Based on an Enlightenment play (Lessing), on the Shalom stage, it becomes a very relevant conversation. In our fragmented world, it is crucial to understand how we can all find common ground again.
• "Monya Tsatskes, Standard-Bearer". Directed by Oleg Lipovetsky. A play about an ordinary person: the main character is a young Lithuanian Jew who ends up in the Soviet army. The director poses the question: "Is it possible to preserve humanity in unbearable conditions?" The topic is complex, but it is presented in a light, funny way (and laughter destroys fear), so that by the end, you are left with a warm feeling and hope for a happy life.

3. The "Inside" Space

"Inside" is a non-governmental theater space. It's a key platform for independent projects and young directors, and also one of my favorite theaters. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys experimentation and unusual interpretations of classics.

What I recommend to watch:

• "Three Sisters". Directed by Andrey Manik. A production of Chekhov's well-known play. For the sisters, the only safe place where they can escape from real life and the pressures of making decisions is the basement of their home. This play is, of course, about ourselves, about those who long to return to their former happy lives. "The drama of one house, or perhaps all houses?" However, don't be afraid to be saddened by such a sad topic; plenty of humor and music awaits.
• "The Overcoat". Directed by Anton Fyodorov. An adaptation of Gogol's work, only the setting (St. Petersburg), the protagonist (Akaki Akakievich), and some plot lines remain from the original text. The production balances between grotesque humor and blood-curdling horror.

A wonderful production, but the director's language is quite peculiar, and his works may seem too strange for newcomers. However, don't worry about not understanding anything; what matters is what you feel while watching.

• "Hiroshima". Directed by Alexander Plotnikov. The production is based on a historical event: the nuclear explosion in Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. It reflects on human cruelty and our ability to survive a catastrophe. A quiet, meditative, almost ritualistic production about trauma and memory, conveying a desire for balance in a devastated world. The conclusion of the production is disappointing: wars and disasters are now completely normalized, and the tragedy that occurred in Japan has taught no one anything.
• "Where Have You Been So Long, Dude?" Directed by Anton Fedorov. One of the most talked-about premieres of 2023. It's hard to describe what happens in this play, but this is how it's described on the theater's website: "One fine spring day, Petya and Nina, well-known villagers, wandered around the corner of a bathhouse and couldn't get home. A third person was there with them: a neighbor, a relative, or someone else. And they met the Dude—a native of this very strange place, who turned out to be both the closest and the most distant person to them. So they wonder: is this the right place? Where is their old life? What awaits them ahead, and is there even a 'ahead'?"
• "It's Not Me". Directed by Anton Fedorov. The production lacks linearity, logic, or even coherent, understandable lines, but that is what is so beautiful about it. The main thing is not to try to get to the bottom of the truth and understand everything that happens on a stage. A very nostalgic story, you will hear references to the characters of your favorite Soviet films: Zhenya Lukashin from "The Irony of Fate", Buzykin from "Autumn Marathon", Yankovsky's character from "Flights in Dreams and Reality".

4. Vakhtangov Theatre

One of Russia's leading theaters, it tours extensively both domestically and internationally. In 2021, the Vakhtangov Theatre celebrated its 100th anniversary.

What I recommend to watch:

• "The Flight". Directed by Yuri Butusov. A performance based on Bulgakov's play about the White émigrés. A wildly spectacular, aesthetically pleasing production in Yuri Butusov's signature style. Expect absurdity, drama, and even romance. This is about how a person encounters the outside world, something beyond control.
• "Eugene Onegin". Directed by Rimas Tuminas. Even though the text is familiar to almost everyone, the performance is not boring at all; you discover new details every time. The director wrote about his creation: "I tried to break down stereotypes, strived for polyphony, musicality, and emotion, while avoiding bombast and false lyricism. It was important for me to discover new meaning in the characters and plot". The set design and scenery are beautiful, the music is wonderful, and, most importantly, the actors are incredibly talented.
• "King Lear". Directed by Yuri Butusov. A masterful interpretation of Shakespeare's classic tragedy. Phenomenal visuals (it's literally breathtaking), stunning music, a humanistic message, and, of course, an endless variety of meanings and interpretations—Butusov's performances require multiple attendances to fully experience and interpret them. The director's talent is so immense that each time you see everything from a different perspective, discovering additional meanings, and, most importantly, understanding something about yourself, the people around you, and the entire world. This 16th-century work hasn't aged at all and remains just as relevant in the 21st century.

Unfortunately, I couldn't cover all my favorite plays in this article; there are, of course, many more: Satirikon, RAMT, the Chekhov Moscow Art Theater, etc.

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Maria Li