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Burnt By The Sun: A Modern Classic of Russian Drama

Ted Simmons

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Published in Burnt By The Sun (NHB Modern Plays)

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Mikhail Khodorkovsky's play Burnt By The Sun is a powerful and moving account of the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster. The play follows the lives of a group of families who are struggling to cope with the tragedy, and it offers a scathing indictment of the Soviet government's handling of the disaster.

Burnt by the Sun (NHB Modern Plays)

by Peter Flannery

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	506 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	96 pages

The play is set in the summer of 1986, in the small town of Pripyat, Ukraine. The town is home to a nuclear power plant, and when the plant explodes, the town is evacuated. However, many of the residents return to their homes, unaware of the dangers of radiation.

The play follows the lives of three families who are affected by the disaster. The first family is the family of Andrei and Lyudmila. Andrei is a doctor, and Lyudmila is a teacher. They have two children, Anya and Vanya. The second family is the family of Sergei and Natasha. Sergei is a miner, and Natasha is a nurse. They have one child, Misha. The third family is the family of Ivan and Maria. Ivan is a farmer, and Maria is a housewife. They have two children, Pyotr and Olga.

The play follows the families as they struggle to cope with the aftermath of the disaster. They are all suffering from radiation sickness, and they are forced to live in a contaminated environment. The government is slow to respond to the disaster, and the families are left to fend for themselves.

The play is a powerful indictment of the Soviet government's handling of the Chernobyl disaster. The government was slow to respond to the disaster, and it failed to provide adequate assistance to the victims. The play also shows the human cost of the disaster, as the families are left to suffer from the effects of radiation.

Burnt By The Sun is a modern classic of Russian drama. It is a powerful and moving account of the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster, and it offers a scathing indictment of the Soviet government's handling of the disaster.

Characters

Andrei: A doctor who is suffering from radiation sickness.
Lyudmila: Andrei's wife, who is also suffering from radiation sickness.
Anya: Andrei and Lyudmila's daughter.
Vanya: Andrei and Lyudmila's son.
Sergei: A miner who is suffering from radiation sickness.
Natasha: Sergei's wife, who is also suffering from radiation sickness.
Misha: Sergei and Natasha's son.
Ivan: A farmer who is suffering from radiation sickness.
Maria: Ivan's wife, who is also suffering from radiation sickness.
Pyotr: Ivan and Maria's son.
Olga: Ivan and Maria's daughter.

Themes

The human cost of the Chernobyl disaster
The Soviet government's handling of the disaster
The resilience of the human spirit

Setting

The play is set in the summer of 1986, in the small town of Pripyat, Ukraine.

Production history

The play was first produced in Moscow in 1990. It has since been produced in many countries around the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada.

Critical reception

The play has been praised for its powerful storytelling, its unflinching realism, and its compassionate portrayal of the victims of the Chernobyl disaster. It has won numerous awards, including the Olivier Award for Best New Play in 1991.

Legacy

Burnt By The Sun is considered to be one of the most important plays of the late 20th century. It is a powerful and moving account of the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster, and it offers a scathing indictment of the Soviet government's handling of the disaster. The play has had a lasting impact on Russian drama, and it continues to be performed around the world today.

Burnt by the Sun (NHB Modern Plays)

by Peter Flannery

5 out of 5