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"To Die For" by M Elias, after Nikolai Erdman
Details
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Friday 1 December 2023
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7.30 pm
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Ayckbourn Theatre
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Free
“To Die For” is a darkly comic social satire set in Soviet Russia, based on the 1928 play ‘The Suicide‘ by Nikolai Erdman. It revolves around Semyon, an unemployed man who decides to end his life. However, his announcement attracts a group of self-serving individuals who exploit his situation for their own gain. Semyon’s wife, mother-in-law, friends, and neighbors manipulate him, perceiving him as a martyr or revolutionary symbol. Through satire and absurdity, the play critiques the hypocrisy and opportunism of Soviet society. It delves into themes of desperation, the devaluation of human life, and the moral bankruptcy of a society that profits from tragedy, offering a scathing portrayal of the era.
- the value and worth of all human life;
- the moral corruption of individuals or social factions who attempt to profit from the plight of those less fortunate than themselves.