@showsiveseen Lauren Yee's "Mother #Russia" #play at @Seattle Rep. Thought-provoking timely piece filled with layers of symbolism mirroring the current USA political climate. Rich with poignant lines and moments that hit home. Closes this weekend! #Review: showsiveseen.com/12369 Director: Nicholas C. Avila Stage Manager: Jessica C. Bomball #motherRussia #theatre #showsiveseen ♬ "Swan Lake" Trance Arrange – New Air
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Lauren Yee’s Mother Russia play at Seattle Rep. Thought-provoking timely piece filled with layers of symbolism mirroring the current USA political climate. Rich with poignant lines and moments that hit home. Closes this weekend!
See it!
Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show? Yes
Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? Maybe
Mainstream Appeal: Medium
If A Random Stranger Asked What Show They Should See This Weekend, Would I Mention This Production? Yes
My Synopsis (No Spoilers): In the wake of the USSR’s collapse, an oligarch’s son, his childhood buddy, and an artistic former enemy of the Soviet establishment grapple with a burning question: has capitalism truly changed their lives for the better?
Synopsis from the Licensor or Theatre Company: Evgeny and Dmitri are just two average guys who dream of cushy government jobs—but when the fall of the Soviet Union puts hiring on hold, they find work surveilling a former pop star instead. As they bumble their way through the assignment, both spying and life under capitalism prove harder than they thought. This prescient and thought-provoking world-premiere comedy by Lauren Yee (The Great Leap, Cambodian Rock Band) reveals what happens when old systems and strongmen fall away, and we let the free market decide—but freedom doesn’t taste as good as we thought it would.
Type: Play
World Premiere: Yes
Several or Few Scenes: Several
Several or Few Settings/Locations: A couple
Static (Stationary) or Dynamic Set: Mostly dynamic
Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: You must know the general late history of the Soviet Union. It also helps if you grew up in the 1990s exposed to references and brands like Sophie’s Choice, Nike (“Just Do It!”), and Folgers (“the best part of waking up”).
Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes
Union Actors: 3
Total Actors: 4
Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium speed
Was there an intermission? No
Length (Including Any Intermission): 90 mins
Other Rave(s)
- Foreshadowing Symbolism: The play’s characters and themes resonate strongly with the cultural and political dynamics of present-day MAGA America. The script attempts to explain where modern political conservative ideology evolved from and even delves into the curious phenomenon of conservative men gravitating toward liberal women.
- Poignant Lines: Lauren Yee filled the script rich with poignant lines that reference this foreshadowing of modern MAGA America. One striking example is the line, “We would have thrived in the 1950s,” which highlights a longing for a time that never truly benefitted everyone. Another stark moment critiques cisgender, white American (often wealthy) men and their obliviousness to their privilege as Katya (played by Andi Alhadeff) declared “When Russia fails, it will be because of men like you.” Perhaps the most compelling line was when Dimitri (played by Jesse Calixto) ironically said “I can’t believe this all worked out for me.” This moment seems to reference how racial minorities or “proletariat” Americans self-defeating-ly vote against their interests when they vote for MAGA. In addition to these serious reflections, the script also delivers some darkly comedic moments, such as when Dimitri recollects the day the Soviet Union fell quipping, “When you see Swan Lake on every channel, you know the shit’s gonna hit the fan,” which highlighted the upheaval of their political and economic system with sharp humor.
- Post-Soviet Russian Society: The script introduces a unique premise that the fall of the USSR left many Russians facing lives seemingly changed for the worse by the collapse. I couldn’t help but wonder if this sentiment truly reflected the views of a significant portion of the Russian population in the 90s since that’s not what is taught in general world history (at least in the USA). The characters in the play are overwhelmed by the boundless choices capitalism offers and struggle to navigate their newfound freedom. Their futures, once seemingly set in predictable roles (such as a successful renegade anti-Soviet artist touring the USA, a KGB officer, or a price adjuster) are completely upended as capitalism takes hold of Russia. It reminded me of a conversation I had with a Russian friend, who shared that his family was near the top of the waitlist in securing an apartment fully funded by the communist government before the USSR collapsed.
- Witty Dialogue: The writing had me and the stranger next to me audibly ‘hmph’-ing throughout the entire show. This is always a good sign. My seatmate reacted even more than I did, especially when the characters revealed their true selves.
- Food: I’m always a sucker for food themes in live theatre like in The 5th Avenue Theatre’s recent Waitress production or ArtsWest and The Hansberry Project’s recent Clyde production. Mother Russia leaned into the food theme right away when Julie Briskman, fully in character as Mother Russia, handed out doughnuts to the front row during the opening scene. Throughout the play, McDonald’s fast food was a recurring topic so much that by curtain call, the not-so-subliminal messages fully took hold of my cravings. I caved and picked up McDonald’s French fries on the way home. After all, they’re my favorite “food” in the world. (Yes, I know. I’m trash.)
Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)
- Casio Brand: The script repeatedly referenced Casio as an expensive, high-status wristwatch brand in Russia, making a point to highlight that Evgeny (played by Billy Finn), the son of an oligarch father, uniquely wore one. While this may resonate culturally within Russia, it felt a bit off to the broader audience. I don’t think Casio has ever been widely recognized as a luxury brand in the USA, neither in the 1990s or today. I think of plain calculators at the mention of Casio. A more universally recognized symbol of wealth, like Rolex, might have delivered the intended message to mainstream audiences with greater clarity.
- Climatic Scene: The beginning of the climactic scene unraveled in a weird way. Thankfully, the scene found its footing by the end. A bit of script refinement here could help. It’s a common phenomenon (even established theatre works) for the writing to lazily slump a little in the latter half. Still, I’m just glad that the scene eventually landed well in the end. “All’s well that ends well?”
Theatre Company: Seattle Rep
Venue: Leo K. Theater at Seattle Rep
Venue Physical Address: 155 Mercer St, Seattle, WA 98109
Price Range: $58-75
Ticket Affordability Options: See the theatre’s official pages about discounts and pay-what-you-can performances
Seating: Assigned Seating
Parking: There are paid lots and paid street parking. I usually park on Mercer to the West of 1st Ave. There’s usually also plentiful street parking around Safeway. If there’s an event in Seattle Center or Climate Pledge Arena, street parking is usually limited and much more expensive.
Like/Comment/Share my Social Media Posts About this Performance:
Buy a Ticket or Learn More:
Pictures: See production pictures below by Sayed Alamy.
Cast and Production Team: See after pictures below.
