Text and photos by Anna Morgan, Ukrainian Events in London
It’s a huge challenge to write a novel or a play about the ongoing turbulent events, be it the revolution or the war. Unless it’s a documentary without any commentary to the video (like Loznitsa’s Maidan), any play or book would struggle to give the perspective which is only achievable with time.
There were several attempts to put the Ukrainian revolution of 2014 and ongoing war on stage. The Point of No Return by BeFrank Theatre Company, Maidan Diaries, and Bad Roads by Natalya Vorozhbyt, just to name a few – all received their fair share of critiques. Some loved them, others didn’t.
The All That Remains play by Molodyi Teatr London was something very different. Although the poster of the play clearly says ‘a true story of war, loss and memory‘, I wonder how many people in the audience realised that the story of personal loss is the true story of one of the cast members, performing it on stage.
‘it’s such a ridiculously raw and real story… And it takes guts to write and perform in it‘
As overheard from somebody in the crowd discussing the show right after, I thought I couldn’t say it better: ‘it’s such a ridiculously raw and real story… And it takes guts to write and perform in it‘. This is so true. I couldn’t help but stare at the actress and playwright who I know lost her brother to this war. “What guts,” I thought.
To me, the play felt like a personal testimony. Like the most intimate conversation. Raw and painful. Very real but unimaginable.
As usual in Molodyi Teatr productions, there’s not much happening on the stage in terms of decorations, change of scenes, transitions or costumes. There’s just a brilliantly written script, some heartfelt singing and very honest conversation about feelings.
“It’s not that hard to die. It’s harder to survive,” says the main narrator.
And so what remains after you lose a close person to the war? What remains is a gap, a huge gap… but also hope. Hope that even the longest winter will end one day. His last day was the first day of spring.
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There’s only one more show in London, on Sunday 5 August 2018, at Camden People’s Theatre. Book tickets here.
After that you’ll have to travel to the Edinburgh Fringe festival, where the show will be seen by theatregoers from all over the world.
Read more about the Molodyi Teatr London on their website.