Krasnogorov’s name is acclaimed by
theatergoers in Russia and all over the world. His plays, which include The Dog, Premiere After Party, Small Tragedies, Let’s Have Sex!, The Delights Of Adultery, Somebody Must Leave, The Fall of Don Juan, Now or Never, Ladies by Ad, Love Medicine, Pelicans of The
Wilderness, Several
Hours From the Lives of a Man and a Woman, That Weak Gentle Sex, The Bride’s
Room, The Cruel Lesson, and Visit of a Young Lady, have been positively received by critics and audiences
alike. The 70 plays he has written to date have been performed in more than
1600 theaters.
Krasnogorov’s plays have been directed
by many prominent theater directors and are part of the permanent repertoire of
many theaters, and several have been peformed hundreds of times, to rave
reviews. The critical assessment that “Krasnogorov’s plays cross borders
easily” is no empty praise: they have been translated into a number of other
languages, and performed in Australia, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Cyprus,
Estonia, Germany, Great Britain, India, Mongolia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania,
Slovakia, Turkey, Ukraine, the USA, and elsewhere. Plays from the Krasnogorov
catalogue have received numerous awards for best drama at various international
theater festivals.
Krasnogorov’s theatrical mastery spans a
wide range of unique talents and skills. It is the combination of biting
satire, a keen sense of humor, the art of the grotesque and the absurd, tender
lyricism, and a deep appreciation of human nature that makes Krasnogorov’s
theater pieces so sought after, so delightful, so delectable. The conflicts in
his plays are beautifully balanced out by their easy yet brilliant dialogue,
lively dynamics, and gripping narratives. The author’s witty plots and
paradoxical situations are quick to draw readers and audiences into the world
created by his imagination.
In addition to drama, Valentin
Krasnogorov has written novellas, short stories, and essays. His biography is
included in the Marquis Who’s
Who in the World (USA), the International
Who’s Who of Intellectuals (Cambridge, England), and other
publications.
Basic
of Dramaturgy. Theory, technique and practice of drama», Krasnogorov’s book on the essence of drama, has earned
praise from notable figures in the theater. He is also the founder and first
president of the Dramatists Guild of St. Petersburg.
1. THE PLAYS TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH
RUNNING THE SHOW. A
unusual show goes into a mystifying, bizarrely amusing night rehearsal that
ends with a twist. 2 men and 2
women. Interior.
PREMIERE AFTER PARTY
Black comedy. The curtains have just
closed on the long-awaited premiere of Shakespeare’s Othello and the actors
remain on stage to celebrate opening night. Unfortunately, the party is marred
by a mysterious death and, and every of the participants of this cocktail party
is the prime suspect. Gloomy, yet humorous, with ‘whodunnit’ intrigue plot
twists and an unexpected finale; Cocktail After Premiere is riveting until the
very end. The world premiere was staged in 2010 by Russia’s most famous theatre
director — Roman Viktyuk — to critical acclaim and has been hailed as an
enormous success. 4 men and 3
women. Interior.
THE LOVE TO DISTRACTION. A comedy. A man suffering from memory loss comes to a doctor
asking for help. The doctor tries to find out the symptoms and causes of the
disease, but doesn’t succeed: the patient’s answers are so contradictory that
it is impossible to get anything sensible from him. The doctor calls the
patient’s wife. She answers all questions clearly and confidently, but it
follows from her statements that the doctor also suffers from memory loss. The
situation becomes even more confused when another woman comes suddenly and also
claims that she is the wife of the sick man. The situation becomes completely
absurd. The doctor comes almost to distraction. This dynamic and funny comedy
develops rapidly and lively, ending with an unexpected final. The comedy has
been staged in more than 100 theatres. 3
men, 2 women. Interior.
LADIES BY AD The characters of this paradoxical comedy are
women of different age and nature, who are not familiar with each other. An ad
in a newspaper prompted them to gather in the same place. Their conversations,
disputes, conflicts disclose the influence of our crucial era on the fate,
views and moral values of the heroines of the play. It is successfully staged
in theaters and translated into foreign languages. 1 man and
6 women. Interior.
LET’S HAVE SEX! In this
strange comedy, the characters seem to talk and think only about sex. But it is
more complex, tragic and funnier than its provocative title might suggest.
There are no sex scenes in this play at all. In a broad sense, it is not about
sex at all. Rather, it makes us re-evaluate the inviolability of our
stereotypical ideas about any aspects of public and private life and the
relativity of generally accepted norms of our behavior. It opposes vulgarity
and hypocrisy. The play was successfully staged in Moscow (famous Roman Viktyuk
Theater, where it has been on stage for over 20 years), translated into 16
languages and staged in Australia, Albania, England, Bulgaria, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Germany, India, Kenya, Latvia, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, USA, Turkey,
Ukraine, Finland, Estonia, Croatia, Montenegro, South Africa, etc. 2 men and 3 women. Interior .
THE CRUEL LESSON — The drama is about the social and
psychological roots of cruelty, about the fine line between moral and immoral
actions. The inspiration for the play was a real psychological experiment that
attracted broad international attention. Two students guided by their professor
torture a woman for scientific purposes. Participation in the experiment
seriously affects the relationships among the characters. The hot-button plot
keeps the audience on the edge off their seats. The play is especially popular
among young people. These days, when violence is becoming a part of everyday life,
the play proves to be especially timely. This play has been translated into 10
foreign languages and has been staged in many theatres and youth studios. 2 male roles and 2 female roles.
SMALL TRAGEDIES. — a triptych of short plays of a keen
philosophical content. They are written
in a very modern style with a great imaginative force. The idea of the plays is how difficult it is
for men to hear and understand each other. An unusual theatrical form arouses
great audience interest. The play was
first presented by the famous Big Drama Theatre in St. Petersburg and enjoyed
major critical and popular success. The story. 1. Pelicans Of The Wilderness. Four quite independent lines of action are
simultaneously developed in this short play: a girl meeting her lover, a lonely man who
requests a doctor’s visit to have a
human being to talk with, a blind man who is abandoned by his companion, and an
old woman waiting in vain for help. All the lines form a whole, which is full
of passion and meaning. 2. What Are
You Thinking Of? A man and his wife
are talking during their dinner, but their words don’t matter. While talking
the man dreams of freedom, love, fame, happiness, and his dreams materialize on
the scene. 3. The Wall. A man and his wife discover one morning that
an invisible wall has risen between them. In spite of all their attempts they
cannot get over it. This short play — a dialog between the two, who can’t even
hear each other. 4 men and 3
women. Interior.
THE DELIGHTS OF ADULTERY. – A trio of skillfully interconnected short
plays which offer three contrasting scenes from the life of a lovers’ couple. The plays may be presented either singly (as
is done in the world famous Big Drama Theatre in St. Petersburg), or as a
three-act play. Easy dialogue,
paradoxical plot, comical, sometimes farcical situations, and dramatic skill keep
audience spellbound until the last word of the play. DELIGHTS OF ADULTERY are staged at the very
popular Maly Drama Theatre, St. Petersburg. More than 400 performances have been given to
date. The story. 1. The wedding is to be tomorrow. The happy
bride is in the embrace of her lover, but…he is not her bridegroom. They are to
decide what to do next. 2. The lovers
have a rendezvous in the man’s apartment. 3. The lovers meet again, maybe for
the last time. The love and happiness are gone. Why? And who is to blame? 1
man, 1 woman . Interior .
THE DOG. There are 3 characters in this drama: a man, a woman
and … a dog (who is to be played by a child or by an actress). The action turns
on a simple premise: the man wants to have his dog killed and leads it to a
veterinary station, where the woman works. The dog hinders his lifestyle
— but can love and faithfulness hinder anybody? Character of the woman —
biting, and sometimes aggressive, but unselfish, ready to love and to help —
determined the play’s title. This touching play is presented by many theatres
with great success and translated into eight foreign languages (English,
French, Chinese, Hungarian, Polish, Hebrew, Romanian, Estonian). 1 man and 2 women. Interior.
A Note From the Director Howard Fishman:
“The American Theater Company is proud to introduce itself to New York City
with our production of The Dog by Valentin Krasnogorov, the first mounting of this
unique and challenging play on any American stage. My feeling for The Dog has not changed since my first encounter with it
several years ago, when I read it on the advice of its translator while living
in New Orleans. What I admire it most for is its nobility of spirit, and for
the heart that beats so vulnerably within it. Unquestionably it is a difficult
play – thorny and elusive, afraid and uncertain. But it is brave enough to
admit all these things, and to display them on a stage where we all can
recognize those parts of ourselves, which we try so hard to keep hidden. There
is no hero or villain here. We are them and they are us. We all have our
different ideas of what life and love mean, of what is necessary to achieve
“happiness”. At one time or another, we all had to lie in the dark and face the
fury of our conscience. We make choices in life, and for better or worse, we
turn around one day to discover that our lives may be defined by these choices.
There is no right or wrong, there is simply decision and consequence. We
justify, we rationalize, and, sometimes, we even believe ourselves. It the end
it is we who must live and abide by those choices we make, which is perhaps the
greatest judgment of all. Or the damnedest. I hope you enjoy the play.”
THE FALL OF DON_JUAN. This play combines elements of drama and
comedy. Bride and groom, who are also successful business partners, are forced
by circumstances to offer a total stranger (an aging, oddly behaving man) the
role of a witness in their wedding ceremony. To kill time, the young couple
asks their witness to tell them about women he loved. The result turns out to
be quite unexpected. This accidental meeting dramatically changes the fates of
all three characters. The play is
performed in several countries with great success. 3 characters: 2 males, 1 female, interior.
VISIT OF A YOUNG LADY (a short play). A young woman comes
to her lover’s house to see his wife with her own eyes and evaluate their
relationship. Their dialogue becomes a duel not only of words, but also of
thoughts, which makes the actors look for new ways of their scenic existence.
The play is included in the series of one-act plays “The Delights of Adultery”.
2 female roles, interior.
THE ROAD THERETO, FROM WHERE THERE IS NO
ROAD This
drama is a short parable about a long life journey. The action takes place in a
certain bus, symbolizing the fast-flowing time. For an hour or so a man and a
woman live their childhood, youth, maturity and old age, the flowering of hopes
and their withering, love and indifference, faith in the best and
disappointment, the beginning of their life and its fading. Episodes succeed
one another, and the play rushes quickly, like life itself. The transition from
one scene to another should take place fairly quickly, without breaks and
interruptions. There are many personages in this relatively short play, but
their roles may be played by a small number of performers. At a minimum, there
should be three of them (HE, SHE, and CONDUCTOR), preferably five or six.
However, many actors (mainly actresses), and even extras: children, students,
bus passengers, can be involved into the play. The actress performs a dozen
different roles (this is one of the features of the play) — a school friend,
wife, daughter, lover, nurse, etc. A full list of the roles is given at the end
of the play.
BATHSHEBA The play is based on the famous biblical story
of the Israeli king David and beautiful Bathsheba, whom he unjustly took from
her husband (Second Book of Samuel, chapters 11 and 12, chapters 11 and 12). 5 (4) male, 1 female role. Interior.
THREE STARS AND THREE CHAIRS Comedie. A producer and a group of actors are
preparing an enterprise production of an “Italian” play. 3 male, 4 female roles. Interior.
ROBBERY IN BROAD LAYLIGHT Robbery in Broad Daylight» is an adventurous farce-comedy revolving around a
well-dressed man, Michael, who sneaks into an upscale apartment to steal valuable
jewelry. However, his supposedly simple heist quickly spirals into chaos as
unexpected guests arrive—his accomplice VIOLA, the actual apartment owner Anna,
and a determined policeman. The comedy unfolds through a tangled web of
deception, greed, and ironic misfortunes. Michael and VIOLA bicker over
splitting the loot, Anna cunningly manipulates the situation, and the policeman
keeps a sharp eye on them all. Suspense builds as the thieves attempt to
outsmart one another, each hoping to escape unscathed. But just when the
criminals think they’ve found a way out, reality catches up with them in an
unexpected twist. This fast-paced, witty play satirizes ambition, dishonesty,
and human nature while keeping audiences entertained with sharp dialogue, absurd
situations, and theatrical humor. 2 male, 2 female roles. Interior.
EASY ACQUAINTANCE A man and a woman meet late at night in a hotel
restaurant, with the woman taking the initiative in this acquaintance. It is
very difficult to understand who this strange woman is: a night butterfly or a
sophisticated adventurer. The man cannot determine whether she likes him,
whether she is playing with him, or just wants to make money. The verbal duel
of these characters reflects their mutual attraction and repulsion, their
loneliness and desire to overcome it, the desire and fear of love. This play
has been staged by many theaters and translated into French, German, Croatian,
Bulgarian, Romanian, Farsi, Turkish, and Lithuanian. 1 male
role, 1 female.
THE PLAYS IN RUSSIAN
AN INVITATION TO A MURDER. A classic
detective play. 6 members of parliament come for a week-end to a lonely remote
villa to discuss a hard political situation. A series of unexpected murders
takes place at this secluded home. 6 men and 3 women. Interior.
BABEL. Screenplay. A modern version of the Bible story
about the Babel Tower.
HIS CASANOVA LIST. A bride and
bridegroom ask a strange elderly unknown man, whom they met accidentally, to be
witness of their wedding. This meeting drastically changes the fate of all the
personnages of the play. 2 men
and 1 woman. Exterior.
IMMODEST DESIRES. A comedy with elements
of grotesque. Its personages, mainly women, dream of personal happiness, but
find something other than what they expected. Realities of hasty life of
business and practical XXI century force them to say goodbye to the ideals of
the past. 2 men, 5 (3) women
(three roles can be played by one
actress).
LOVE MEDICINE. The
story of this ironical comedy takes place at the time of the Golden Age of
Spain, with its duels, serenades etc. In
reality it is a very modern play about love. This clever, hilarious, high-spirited comedy
is a long-run success in many drama and musical theatres. 7
men, 3 women. Exterior .
NOT TOMORROW, BUT VERY SOON. A grotesque distopic comedy. The protagonist
finds himself in unfamiliar and strange surroundings, while seeming equaly
strange to the people around. The main question is whether the maddness
afflicts the protagonist himself, or the society surrounding him. 9 male roles, 2 female roles. If
nessecary the male roles could be played by a smaller number of actors.
NOW OR NEVER. An investigation of modern marriage in the form
of a brilliant comedy, bitter and very funny. The critics appreciated the «keen sense and
wit of this hilarious, but clever and warning play», its «well-made
construction and sparkling dialogue». The
story. A man (about 30) and his wife
invite their friend and girl friend to a party. The four are interconnected
with complicated love relationships and each of them wants to sort out his
future: tonight or never. 2 men and 2 women. Interior .
SEVERAL HOURS IN THE LIFE OF A MAN AND A
WOMAN.- a sad and funny comedy. This
warm and rich play, full of compassion and understanding of the human heart,
was presented with great success at the prestigious Alexander Theatre in St.
Petersburg — the biggest and oldest theatre of Russia. Reviewers noted that the «play offers an
excellent material for actors». The
story. A circus athlete, who is
renting a room in a woman’s house, falls in love with her. Tired of his
migratory life he wants to marry the woman, leave the circus forever and begin
a new life, peaceful and happy, in a house of his own. The woman is also tired
of her loneliness. Their happiness is almost at hands, but… 1
man, 1 woman .Interior .
SHOW-BOOTH. A modern play in the style
of Commedia del arte,
based on improvisation of actors and their direct contact with the audience. 2 men and 1 woman . Interior .
SILENT NIAGARA. A Tragicomedy. A man on
the brink of breakdown, frustrated by his work, family and life, tries to find
some peace and solace in the quiet nature. However, that very path leads him to
various tragicomic adventures. 3
male roles, 4 female roles, crowd.
SOMEONE MUST LEAVE. A sharp satire, written in a grotesque, almost
absurd manner. Quick, witty, unexpected
dialogue in a «staccato» style adds a particular charm to the comedy. The story. 7 employees work at an office and all of them
— except one talented shy young man — are doing nothing. But — sudden news! —
one of the staff is to be discharged. After a desperate struggle and
complicated intrigues it is discovered that the only man who really does his
work has to be let go. 4 men, 3 women in an interior setting.
SONG OF SONGS. — A play based on the
Bible story about the king Salomo. 7
men and 2 women.
THAT WEAK GENTLE GENDER. — set of two very funny short plays. These well-constructed, fast-moving farces,
reminding us of the times of Rabelais and Le Sage, are staged with success by
many drama and musical theatres. The
story. 1. A small Night Serenade. The wife of an old doctor falls in love with a
young boy. She finds a way to deceive her strict husband. 2. The
Silent Wife. A man invites a doctor for
his young, good but dumb wife. The man wants her to be cured. In vain the
doctor tries to dissuade the husband. The man insists. The physician restores
the wife’s speech. She begins talking
non-stop until the husband goes mad. He asks the doctor to make his wife dumb
again, but there are no ways to make her silent. 2
men, 3 women. Interior.
THE BEILIS CASE. A theatrical
representation of a world-famous criminal trial which took place in 1913.
Beilis, a Jew from Kiev, Ukraine, was accused of murdering a Christian boy. Surging anti-Semitic forces in Russia aimed at
condemning Beilis in order to provoke huge Jewish pogroms. The Beilis case attracted world wide
attention. The best lawyers of the time
took part in the proceedings. The play
is very timely today, while national problems are severe. 19
men and 6 women . If necessary the play can be played by 12 actors.
THE BRIDE’S ROOM. — dramatic comedy. Only women (aged from 15 to
70) act. in this unusual play. The
bride, her mother, sister, and girl-friends, as well as other women — relatives
of the bridegroom — are gathering in the «bride’s room» of a palace for
marriage registration (as it is customary in the Russia). But nobody knows where bridegroom is. Pending his arrival, the events of this play
develop. There have been hundreds of performances of the play in Russian
theatres. 16 characters of this comedy
can be played, if necessary, by 12 actresses.
THE GATES OF HEAVEN. Several men and women are fighting to the
death one with another… for what? They do not know! 5
men and 4 women . Exterior.
THE EMPEROR WILL NOT COME BACK
In 312, the Roman emperor Constantine the Great granted freedom of religion to Christians by the Edict
of Milan and provided the church with substantial financial support. In the
following decades, the number of Christians increased rapidly. Being in the minority,
they dramatically increased their influence. Emperor Julian, nephew of
Constantine, decided to prevent the bishops from striving for monopoly
spiritual and political domination. 12 male roles, 2 female, extras. All the
characters in the play can be played by 10 to 12 actors.
THE LEGS OF WOMAN #2. Screenplay. A
fantasmagory story from the life of contemporary Russia.
THE LOT. — A short play based on an
episode from the Jewish history — a tragic culmination of the struggle for the
Mazada fortress. 2 men and 1
woman.
THE RENDEZVOUS ON WEDNESDAYS. Satirical
play with a farcical plot in the style of French la piece bien faite – «well-made play». The
adultery intrigue is combined with a
passionate desire of the personages to make their career. The plays won a grand
success in the theaters. 3 men,
3 women in an interior setting.
THE SWAN SONG. A synthesis of ironic,
almost absurd comedy and melodrama. The
main personages of the play are in the age of summing up. 2 men, 10 women in an interior setting.
THE WOMAN WHO DID NOT EXIST. Screenplay.
There is a surprising episode in the history of the Papacy which has caused
many legends and disputes. It is known that only a man can be elected as the
Pope. However a legend asserts that once a woman, having given herself out to
be a man, became the Pope and successfully occupied the Holy See during ten
years. To be a head of the Christian world was a hard task in those years.
However, the ruling of the Papesse was very successful. The history informs us
only about the major results of the church and political activity of this
exclusive woman. However, we know nothing about papesse’s private life, about
her character, about her road to the power. Therefore, the story about her
course of life, about her love and sufferings, about her dizzy ascension to the
top of the world public pyramid is only a subject of the art fiction based on
the realities of that time. The screenplay reflects the main steps of the
heroine’s life: youth, the first love, her decision to pretend to be a man, her
struggle for the Holy See, her election as the Pope and her activity in this
quality, her searches for happiness. The screenplay gives a good material for
an actress. She has a rare opportunity to play both the woman and the man in a
serious non-standard role.
THEATRICAL COMEDY. An evening
performance of a classical play of ХVШ age has already began, but the performer of one of
the main roles has not yet come. He is urgently replaced by another actor, who
doesn’t know the role. It results with numerous tragicomic situations. The plot
is complicated with personal conflicts Love, hate, envy, jealousy and flirt of
the actors give an additional colour to the comical plot. 3 men and 1 woman.
THREE-CORNERED ROLLS. — a purimspiel. 4 men and 1 woman.