Encountering Ukraine: Readings in Solidarity

War. Witness. Heroic resistance. From the early 20th century to today, Ukrainian playwrights have epitomized their fellow compatriots' distinct grit, humour and imagination through challenging and troubling times. Curated by Ukrainian-Canadian artist and activist Andrew Kushnir, this reading series of plays-in-translation represents some of the best of Ukraine's theatre and showcases how artists help define and defend the culture of a people.

Witnessing War: Ukrainian plays since February 2022

The war in Ukraine has been called the most reported upon war of all time and Ukrainian playwrights have been prolific contributors. This closing event features an assemblage of short works written since the full scale invasion of February 2022 – Ukraine’s leading dramatists reaching out to us, as they make sense of a world shattered and reformed.

Ensemble includes: Alon Nashman, Brenda Robins, Eva Foote, Justin Otto, Karl Ang, Mariya Khomutova, Ryan Boyko, Sophia Walker, Tim Campbell

List of Short Works:

A Dictionary of Emotions in a Time of War by Olena Astaseva, translated by John Freedman 

What is War? by Andrii Bondarenko, translated by John Freedman with Natalia Bratus 

24 Hours. By Nina Zakhozhenko, translated by Iana Gudzenko, ed. by Paulien Geerlings. Final edit by John Freedman 

Robinson by Vitaly Chensky, translated by John Freedman 

Three Rendezvous by Natalka Vorozhbyt, translated by John Freedman with Natalia Bratus 

Three Attempts To Improve Daily Life by Maksym Kurochkin, translated by John Freedman with Natalia Bratus 

Planting an Apple Tree by Irina Garets, translated by John Freedman with Natalia Bratus.