Author says censors halted hostage play
- added April 14, 2008
- 1 response
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- sinlung
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A British-based playwright has accused Russian authorities of Soviet-style censorship after her play, about a real-life hostage siege in Moscow, was canceled on its opening night.
The play was based on events at Moscow's Dubrovka theater six years ago, when Chechen terrorists stormed in as more than 700 people watched a musical. About 120 theater-goers died in a rescue operation that victims' relatives say was botched.
Playwright Natalia Pelevine said that moments after the curtain came down on the play's first performance in Russia, in Dagestan, local officials told the director the play's first night would be its last.
Dagestan's President, Mukhu Aliyev, was in the audience for the performance. He denied that he had ordered its cancellation or that his administration practised censorship.
"The banning of this play is either a provocation by someone or an ill-conceived decision by the republic [of Dagestan's] minister of culture," he said in comments on his web site.
But he added: "I did not like the production as a whole because, in my view, it romanticizes the image of the terrorists. It made them look heroic."
He hinted Russia's enemies could be using the play to destabilize the region, an allegation Pelevine described as "absolutely mind-boggling, laughable."
The play was based on events at Moscow's Dubrovka theater six years ago, when Chechen terrorists stormed in as more than 700 people watched a musical. About 120 theater-goers died in a rescue operation that victims' relatives say was botched.
Playwright Natalia Pelevine said that moments after the curtain came down on the play's first performance in Russia, in Dagestan, local officials told the director the play's first night would be its last.
Dagestan's President, Mukhu Aliyev, was in the audience for the performance. He denied that he had ordered its cancellation or that his administration practised censorship.
"The banning of this play is either a provocation by someone or an ill-conceived decision by the republic [of Dagestan's] minister of culture," he said in comments on his web site.
But he added: "I did not like the production as a whole because, in my view, it romanticizes the image of the terrorists. It made them look heroic."
He hinted Russia's enemies could be using the play to destabilize the region, an allegation Pelevine described as "absolutely mind-boggling, laughable."
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Oh dear. Freedom of speech infridgement alert! Just let the players play, for goodness sakes. If you want unbiased news, read the paper (and read it with a shrewd eye). If you want a night of entertainment that can makes you think, go to the theater.
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- St_Alia_10191
- 22 days ago
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