Dear Elena Sergeevna - Old Fitz

Dear Elena Sergeevna

Old Fitz

A 1980s Soviet drama in an Australian Premiere, “Dear Elena Sergeevna” is presented by Last Waltz Productions, directed by Clara Voda.

Lyudmila Razumovskaya is a Russian playwright. She received a commission from the Ministry of Culture to write a play about ‘difficult teenagers’ and created “Dear Elena Sergeevna”. Rejected at the time by the ministry it has now played all over the world.

Four students drop a birthday surprise on their teacher Elena, but the true intention of their visit is unveiled when they attempt to persuade her to hand over the key to the safe where their exam papers are being kept. For the sake of their academic progress, they must falsify their scores; for the sake of their futures, excuses are made to justify their actions. The teacher finds herself in a predicament when her students begin coercing her. To stop them from making further mistakes, Elena stands firm and refuses to compromise. They are stuck in deadlock as night draws in, and the students suggest a shockingly deplorable deal as their last resort.

Politics, compromise, power, violence – this play has everything. So, what to make of this modest production presented late night at Old Fitz?  There is no doubt this is a cast of skilled actors.  The chosen text seems a combination of something that was written by the playwright (and translated) and parts that seem fully improvised. The result is a mish mash of delivery styles – some of which is completely inaudible.  Coupled with staging that ignores any intelligent sight line so that action is obscured this is a tricky production to take seriously.  I am guessing this is all a nod to “naturalism” and the result is artless.  We know from the moment the students enter the space that they are up to no good – there is no unfolding of action, tension or revelation.  Except for the inevitable undisciplined violence which felt dangerous in all the wrong ways.

The two women in the production Madeline Li and Teodora Matovic are stand outs as they have moments where we see something deeper and more personal in their work.

Review by Kate Gaul

Image: Noah David Perry