“Critic’s Pick! A bracing trial by Zoom…Riveting!” - Maya Phillips, The New York Times
From Boston's award-winning Arlekin Players Theatre, this interactive digital production is set inside a live "ZOOM courtroom," where the virtual audience serves as the jury. Performer Darya Denisova gives a “mesmerizing portrayal” (The Boston Globe) of Natasha Banina, a teen orphan on trial for a crime of passion, whose alluring testimony reveals her dreams for love, family, and freedom.
This inventive digital production that began in May 2020 as a living room experiment and went on to earn critical acclaim from The New York Times is based on Natasha’s Dream by the Russian playwright Yaroslava Pulinovich. Says director Igor Golyak, “We are creating a new art form to overcome social distancing, the pandemic, and ultimately unite people in one virtual space by merging theater, cinematography, and video games.” A leading example of innovation in virtual theater, State vs. Natasha Banina is evidence that live performance can engage audiences even when experienced at home.
State vs. Natasha Banina is followed by a discussion with the artists and audience.
Based on Natasha’s Dream by Yaroslava Pulinovich
Performer: Darya Denisova
Translator: John Freedman
Director and Video Design: Igor Golyak
Production Associate: Marianna Golyak
Animator: Anton Iakhontov
Music Composor: Vadim Khrapatchev
Produced by Igor Golyak & Sara Stackhouse
Post-show Moderators:
Oct 12 - Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim, contributing music critic for The New York Times and founder of Beginner's Ear
Oct 14 - Jessica Hecht, actress and singer
What To Watch October 12th To Take Away The Blues
IGOR GOLYAK AND DARYA DENISOVA OF STATE vs. NATASHA BANINA
The best live theater to stream online this week
Arlekin Players Theatre
Arlekin Players Theatre was created in Boston in 2009 and has since toured to New York, Chicago, and Hartford, as well as to international festivals in Russia, Armenia, Ukraine, and Monaco.
Darya Denisova
Darya Denisova received the 2020 Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Actress for Arlekin’s The Stone. She has performed as the lead actress in various Arlekin Players’ productions, including “Memorial Prayer” in 2014, “Natasha’s Dream” in 2015, “Tales of the Last Wednesday” in 2016, “Dead Man’s Diary” in 2017, “МЫ-US” in 2018, “The Stone” in 2019 and “The Seagull” in 2019.
Igor Golyak
Igor Golyak received the 2020 Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Director for Arlekin’s The Stone and was also nominated in the same year for his direction of Arlekin’s The Seagull.