In her new play, based on WhatsApp correspondence, Sasha Denisova uses her 82-year-old mother Olga to tell a vital story of resistance and survival
, co-artistic director of the Wilma Theater in Philadelphia, which coproduced the show.
“But when Mama went international in her writing, when she started appealing to Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz, when she started callinga Ruscist bastard scum, I started feeling OK, she is on this level where it needs to become a play.” “My mother was born on the very day when the Germans were bombing so, when I told her to go to the bomb shelter, the first thing she said was: ‘I’m not going there. I was born there.’ That gave the start to our ongoing fight because she didn’t let me come and take her out and, as you will see in the play, this is a woman of a strong character, as all Ukrainian women are.
Denisova says: “If you read even a couple of pages of the play you’ll see her fierce style of writing. Even within one sentence it will be stuffed peppers she is cooking and the rocket terror and Zelenskiy and Putin and Macron and Scholz and Biden. She’s communicating to each of them as if they’re close friends.
Does writing help her deal with the emotions? “I won’t call this effect therapeutic,” she says. “The emotions don’t end. It’s not like you leave these emotions through and they’re done if you’re doing a piece. I’m sitting here watching the rehearsals and I’m recognising my mum on stage. She looks very much and behaves very much like my mum and I feel the waves of emotion cover me, so that’s not exactly therapy. I look at doing a play like this as an active social act.
“My family resided in Kyiv since the beginning of the 19th century. Mama still lives in the same district where our family house used to be. Hopefully it’s very understandable for American audiences: the idea of protecting your native piece of land with weapons in your arms.”
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Zelenskyy visits wounded Ukrainian soldiers in New York ahead of UN speechSpeaking ahead of addressing the United Nations General Assembly, Volodymyr Zelenskyy says it is important for Ukraine's message 'to be heard' and members must ask themselves if the organisation still has 'a place for Russian terrorists'.
Read more »
Ukrainian fencer Olha Kharlan: ‘With that black card they destroyed me, my country, everything’After she was disqualified from the fencing world championships for not shaking Russian rival’s hand, Olha Kharlan plight has become a touchstone for a war-torn nation
Read more »
Ukraine troops have recaptured key village of Klishchiivka near Bakhmut, says ZelenskiyUkrainian president praises soldiers as military says ‘powerful damage’ inflicted on Russian forces during battle
Read more »
Russia-Ukraine war live: key village near Bakhmut retaken; Chinese foreign minister to visit RussiaUkrainian president praises troops after retaking strategically important village of Klishchiivka; Wang Yi to begin four-day visit on Monday for talks
Read more »
Russia-Ukraine war at a glance: what we know on day 572 of the invasionUkrainian forces claim to have recaptured key frontline village of Klishchiivka near Bakhmut; Russia downs three drones over Crimea, Moscow says
Read more »
Ukraine needs help on all fronts: military, civilian and humanitarian. Our will cannot waverI’ve seen the bravery and resilience of the Ukrainian people. At this week’s UN general assembly, world leaders must help them, says David Miliband, CEO of the International Rescue Committee
Read more »