THE STORY: Constructed out of flashbacks, the play moves backward and forward in time as it probes into the plight of one Zilov, an engineer who has achieved a certain position in the Soviet bureaucracy, but has lost his will to live. He has come to detest his boring job and the petty superior he must defer to; his marriage is falling apart; he feels betrayed by his friends, he disdains the young student who offers him the passion and sense of wonder he once derived from his wife; and he seems concerned only with his annual hunting trip which, he hopes, will restore a purpose and identity to his life. But events continue to frustrate him: his wife aborts the child who might have saved their relationship; the new apartment they have wrested from the grudging bureaucracy seems more a tomb than a home; and ultimately, suicide appears to be Zilov's only alternative. But, in the end, emboldened by vodka and defying the persistent bad weather, Zilov does go hunting - for the will to live is stronger than the desire to give up, and hope remains, even in the gray sameness of an existence gone stale.
A perceptive, inventive play from the modern Russian theatre which, remarkably, dares to expose the darker side of life in contemporary Soviet society, and the deep-seated malaise that troubles many of its citizens. Produced with notable success by Arena Stage, in Washington, D.C. "On this evidence, Vampilov was a remarkable playwright
" - Washington Post. "Once again, Arena has scored a major success. It has given us a fascinating play that is also a fascinating document." - Washington Star. "
a drama of unusual depth and perception
" - Variety.
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Dramatists Play Service Inc. |
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| Category |
Plays |
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| Medium |
Softcover |
| ISBN13 |
9780822203384 |
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| Dimensions |
197x134 |
