Sputnik is a British theatre company dedicated to sourcing, translating and producing new Russian-language plays from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus for British audiences.
Russia has a history of theatrical innovation, and Russian playwrights have played a significant role in shaping modern European theatre. Contemporary playwriting in Russia has been going through an important and innovative period since 1991, with a prolific output by predominantly young dramatists. Young Russian playwrights are experimenting with subject and genre as well as responding to the ongoing political and social changes in their country. A number of pioneering theatres and individuals are ensuring that new playwriting talents are being produced in cities across Russia. Sputnik is bringing these playwrights and their plays to British audiences. The Sputnik team is thereby also highlighting the acute importance of theatre as a benchmark for issues of freedom of speech in Putin's Russia.
Sputnik has previously collaborated with Professors Julie Curtis and Philip Bullock to organise a workshop on 21st century Russian-language theatre from Moscow and Kiev, entitled 'Back to the USSR?' The workshop included a collaboration with the Theatre Royal Plymouth to develop and stage a preliminary rehearsed reading of a new play about historical memory and the Stalin era. This play has since been performed in London and Plymouth.
The partnership with Creative Multilingualism centres on the organisation of further workshops leading to at least one full theatre production.