Selected Plays
Translations from Russian into English
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Dear Reader, Whatever you are: a director, an actor or a lover of theatrical art, you are lucky to hold in your hands the first book of a collection of translations into English of plays by a Russian dramatist, Alexander Stroganov, whose plays have been staged both in Russia and abroad. One of his plays, ‘Ornithology’, was produced at the National Conference of Dramatists in the Eugene O’Neil theatrical centre in the USA in 1998. Reviews of Stroganov’s plays and performances have appeared in different theatrical publications in Moscow and St. Peterburg; and also in ‘Russkaya Mysl’, Paris and London’s Journal “Plays International’. Aleksandr is a psychiatrist by profession and has great experience of life. He is a versatile person and a jazz enthusiast, and his love of music is felt in most of his plays. Aleksandr is a poet himself and this explains his interest in the poetry of South East Asia exemplified particularly well in two of his plays: ‘The Way Flowers Are’ and ‘The Jester’s Chess’. Some readers in Russia compare his manner of writing with that of Tom Stoppard. Whether that is true or not is for the reader to judge. It was a challenge to translate Stroganov’s plays into English and I do hope our job will also be appreciated by those who are interested in comparative linguistics. Nadezhda Rogozhina, Translator An extract from the play “The Way Flowers Are” by Aleksandr Stroganov Scene 6: The First Appearance of Flowers. Whenever I look at you, Crow, I feel hurt and sad. Where did you get such a potion To remain black-headed? My head has long been white, For I can’t find the necessary medicine. Anon. The same people are on the stage. It is night outside and the new moon is shining. FEM: (to the Tramp) Can it really be that you are older than me? Indeed, it occurred to you to call me a sixteen-year-old, didn’t it? (pause) Seventeen-year-old? Tramp: It is not that difficult to understand. (pause) FEM: What does one need for that? (pause) I do ask not to be scoffing. I am quite serious. SEM: Is it possible to ponder about it seriously and to avoid scoffing? FEM: I take back that remark. It hurts me. Tramp: It is not all that complicated. FEM: What is needed for it? Tramp: You have to believe in it. As simple as that. (pause) And forget everything that was in the past. (pause) FEM: Everything? Absolutely everything? Tramp: Everything, absolutely everything. (pause) FEM: Must I believe what you are saying? Tramp: Yes, believe what I am telling you. (pause) FEM: It looks like you are not joking this time. Tramp: No, I am not. FEM: But how can I do that? Tramp: There is an exercise for it. FEM: Did you use it yourself? Tramp: If someone decided to get rid of their legs without in fact losing them, they couldn’t do it without exercises. You believed that I was without legs, didn’t you? FEM: To tell you the truth, I still can’t get used to the thought that you are not legless. Are you deceiving me again this time? Tramp: You see, you believed in it. It was not without exercises. FEM: I guess it’s a very complex exercise which only such a strong man as yourself is capable of doing. Isn’t that so? Tramp: Don’t flatter me, please. You are stronger than me, by the look of you! FEM: Me? Stronger? Tramp: Sure. FEM: Did I hear you properly? Did you say, “You are stronger than me by the look of you?” Tramp: Exactly. (pause) FEM: (to the Second Elderly Man) What is he saying? SEM: He is saying you are stronger than him. (pause) (The First Elderly Man is absorbed in his thoughts.) FEM: How come it seems that he really doesn’t have any legs? Tramp: Everything is OK with my legs. FEM: You have confused me totally. What does OK mean? Does OK mean that you have got them or that you haven’t got them? Tramp: What do you think about it yourself? (pause) FEM: What should I think when you came here without legs and then they appeared from nowhere. (pause) It is as if you were simply sitting and then rose up. (pause) It is as if it was that simple, first you have legs and then you don’t – just as plain as it is winter outside. Tramp: Do you think that the winter outside is that simple? (pause) FEM: Don’t interrupt me. Don’t you know how difficult it is for me to understand you? You came without legs, you had a satisfied face, now you declare that you’ve got them, and your face is still satisfied. What should I think? What should anyone think when you have a satisfied face and declare that you know the secret of youth? That is not complex at all. You declare it confidently, as confidently as the fact that you have legs, as if it is no more complicated than that. Tramp: It is not that complicated. FEM: What is not that complicated?! Tramp: You may touch them with your hands. (pause) (The First Elderly Man is thinking.) FEM: One can touch everything – almost everything. But to understand?! (pause) FEM: They, the legs, were they and are they in sufficient number or were they not, or are they not now … or were they, but not now … or were they not, but then they appeared … or is it something else? Answer directly, no dodging! Tramp: Yes. FEM: That answer is straightforward and direct, isn’t it? Tramp: Absolutely.
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About the Book
The five plays illustrate the wide range of this noted dramatist's oeuvre. 'The Tea Ceremony' is a dream sequence featuring two characters and their involvement in this traditional Chinese art form; whereas 'Ornithology' is set in the home of an ornithologist and explores the metaphysical and metaphorical significance of the various examples of the taxidermist's art to the three actors. 'The Way Flowers Are' is a two-act comedy for four actors in the style of the classical poetry and prose of Korea. 'Master Drosselmeyer's Nutcracker' is a fantasy in two acts based on the well-known classic fairy tale by Hoffmann. Whilst the basic theme will be familiar to many, this adaptation with its eight principals and their alternating characters will charm both performers and audience alike. Finally, 'The Scent of Chestnut' is a comedy built on a love triangle between three aged performers and their pathetic attempts to revive their former popularity and solve the eternal problem of the meaning of life.
About the Author
Stroganov Alexandr Evgenievitch. Born on 19.11.1961 in Barnaul (Russia). Dramatist, member of the Writer’s Union, member of literary workers of Russia. Psychiatrist, Doctor of Medicine, professor of the psychiatry department of the Altay State Medical University. A. Stroganov is the author of the original method of Epic therapy based on the theatrical concept by Bertold Brecht. It is used in treatment of neurotic diseases. The author of more than 40 plays. The plays by A.Stroganov “A Door”, “ The four on the top of Babel tower”, “Make up a Pub” were staged at the youth theatres “Plot” and “Workshop21 in the eighties. In 2003 his play “Ornithology” in the translation of E. Cech was published in a literary journal “Dialog”, Poland. In 1998 the play “Ornithology” was produced at the national conference of the dramatists in the theatrical centre of Eu. Neil in the USA (director K. Nersesyan). In 1998 the play “Intimate observation” based on “Ornithology” was staged in Moscow Art Theatre named after Chekhov (director A. Dzekun). Ornithology was also staged in St. Peterburg in 1999 in Alexandrinsky Theatre(director P. Smirnov). In 2000 the play “Foxes in the ruins “ was performed in Altay Regional Drama theatre named after V. Shukshin(director K.Nersesyan). The plays “Ornithology”, “Foxes in the ruins”, “ Jester’s Chess”, “Tea Ceremony”. “Divertisment”, “Two Kandinskys”, ” Act” were staged in 2002-2005 at Moscow and Omsk (Russia), Riga Russian Drama Theatre (Latvia), at Malem Nosticovom Theatre (Prague, Chech Republic, Keistuoliu Teatras (Lithuania). In 2004 at the Altay Regional Drama Theatre there was arranged “Creative Workshop of A. Stroganov where the author performs as a director of his plays. Within the frames of the workshop in 2004 there was staged the performance based on the play “Yakutia”, in 2005 “Long Life of the Rain”. Music is composed by A. Korchagin. Reveiws on A.Stroganov’s plays and performances are published in different theatre editions of Moscow and St. Peterburg and also in Russkaya Mysl(Paris) and London’s Journal “Plays International”.