2008 Woodie Awards
'The Suicide' re-lived
Deborah Levison
Issue date: 10/14/04 Section: Arts
"The Suicide," originally written by Nikolai Erdman is a hilarious tale created in 1928, five years after Stalin took control of the Soviet Union's Communist Party. Erdman was only 26 years old and this would be his second and last play.
The comedy is about a young man dissatisfied with his society and a satire of Stalinism. Due to the control of the press, the production was censored (before it was ever performed before an audience) by Stalin who described it as "empty and even harmful." Today, after 50 years of censorship, "The Suicide" is the fourth most produced play in Russia.
The play itself is written with exceptional social and political observations and has a universal and lasting appeal because it reflects throughout the world today.
Wesley Savick proved this by adapting the play, setting it in an occupied area in the Middle East today, giving the audience a glimpse of the terrible consequences to the war.
"It's funny because Bush talks about doing things for the goodness of man kind, to protect human life. But at the same time it seems like that is the least important thing; and I think you see that a lot of that in "The Suicide." The main character's life becomes the least important thing," said cast member Aaron Pitre.
What makes this version of "The Suicide" particularly unique is that Savick made it so that the audience will look at the story from the eyes of the "occupied" and not the usual view of the "occupiers."
Even though it is a hilarious piece, Savick has the objective of proving that this war has affected the whole world; no one can live in isolation.
"In the play there is humor and light moments as in our world today; we are also living a "light moment" because we are in school and lead a great life. But if you really take a look at it, it is a really scary situation," said Emily Nemec. As "The Suicide"'s Masha, Nemec feels students need to balance their every day life with worldly knowledge.