The suicide / Nikolai Erdman

by Nikolai Erdman

Other authorsPeter Tegel (Translator)
Paper Book, 1979

Status

Available

Publication

London : Pluto Press, 1979.

Description

I used to work in PR, if you're going to kill yourself let's make it an event . . . You can own this, Sam. For the first time in your life you. Could be. In charge. Things are getting tough for Sam. No job, benefits stopped and stuck in a tiny flat with his girlfriend Maya and her mum. The pressure is building. It feels like there might be only one way out.But every ending is a beginning and there are plenty of people keen to capitalise on Sam's momentous decision. From corrupt local politicians to kids trying to raise the number of views of their online videos, everyone wants a piece of Sam's demise. It scarcely matters what Sam actually wants. Faced with the promise of immortality, what's his life worth?Suhayla El-Bushra takes the satiric masterpiece by Nikolai Erdman and smashes it into contemporary urban Britain. It's provocative, fast-paced and very funny.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member 391
I must admit, the play did not sit well with me. It made me uncomfortable, much in the same way "Meet the Fockers" or other comedies that operate under the 'embarrassment' genre. After a while, it simply felt like too much - it's a very long play, with a myriad of characters and it simply becomes
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too much. There's very little room for sympathy, or any sort of human recognition. I found it difficult to identify with or connect with, which made it a chore to plod through.
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LibraryThing member BeeQuiet
I fear that my experience of this play has been sullied by having to act in it under a poor directorial team. That said, it is a play with a fascinating history, and one that I think Erdman was extremely brave to write it in the first place given the Stalinist era that he was creating it in. It is
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an black comedy, with moments of pure ludicrocity which, when executed well should have the audience laughing regularly. I had the joy of playing Serafima, who had some hilarious scenes.

I would highly recommend reading this play to anyone with an interest on Stalinist Russia, particularly the cultural response to it.
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Original language

Russian

Physical description

x, 52 p.; 22 cm

ISBN

0861042034 / 9780861042036

Other editions

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