The collection includes the winning plays of the Characters International Competition of Contemporary Russian-Language Drama. Hundreds of authors from across Russia, neighbouring countries, and abroad participate annually.
“These plays are very professionally crafted, with great insight and draw on serious historical sources,” emphasised Ada Kolganova, Director of the Russian State Art Library (RSAL). She noted that this year many participants addressed military-historical themes. “This is very gratifying, because the plays were clearly written with the goal of conveying the past to today’s younger generation.”
RSAL is a co-founder of the competition and awards a diploma to the best play of its choice, which is also shortlisted. The jury noted the diversity of the genres represented: alongside historical dramas, the shortlist included contemporary tragicomedies and experimental mono plays.
The experts paid special attention to dramatic technique and the depth of character development—the key criteria in selecting the finalists. The highlighted themes included not only large-scale historical events, but also personal stories that, against this backdrop, reveal human experiences during a turning point in history.
