1st - 15th November: Research
As most of our writers are non-Ukrainian, research was naturally the first step in the playwriting process. With Ukraine’s broad and complicated history, having a limited amount of hours was a big challenge. We decided to have sessions on the following topics:
The beginning & Kyivan Rus
Cossacks and the russian empire
USSR: Holodomor & Executed Renaissance
Revolution of Dignity: Maidan
So far, we have explored the two of the four topics. We use Ukrainian art as one of our resources to gage an understanding of Ukrainian culture, humour and way of thinking. This is required for building authentic Ukrainian characters and an overall accurate mood and atmosphere. While Ukrainian past is tragic, Ukrainians remain courageous.
Interesting facts:
Kyivan Rus was conquered in 1237 - 1242 during the Mongol invasion.
‘Kharakternyky’ were cossacks who could predict the future and made potions. They were considered medical gurus and the smartest among all.
Our favourite resource:
‘The Lost Letter’ - a 1972 Ukrainian film based on a comedic novella about cossacks by Nikolai Gogol.
What other key events in Ukrainian history should we explore deeper?