Ödön von Horváth "Tales from Vienna Woods"

Ödön von Horváth “Tales from Vienna Woods”

Yana Ross Horvath gradually came to the conclusion that human beings must feel guilt for their coldness of heart, for their inability to love. Evil doesn’t prevail because evil people are too numerous or powerful, but rather because good ones become pragmatically cynical and do not resist, choosing to keep silent. Horvath translates history into genealogy by […]

Henrik Ibsen "Wild Duck"

Henrik Ibsen “Wild Duck”

Wild Duck reviews 2018   I don’t want to give away the deeply shocking and disturbing finale, but it must be said that director takes a radical step turing sacrificial ending into merciless revenge fantasy. Ross is staying true to Ibsen’s irony, she sets the tongue-in-chic ending to gorgeous operatic aria, “a prayer for peace” […]

Henrik Ibsen “Dollhouse”

Henrik Ibsen “Dollhouse”

Yana Ross A marriage contract at the end of the 19th century is a tough pill to swallow, nonetheless, we are still entering a certain contract of moral and financial obligations when we decide to call it a marriage. What does it mean “till death do us part”? Do you take it seriously? Is it […]

Anton Chekhov “Three Sisters”

Anton Chekhov “Three Sisters”

Yana Ross The militarization of Imperial Russia at the start of the 20th century when Chekhov was writing Three Sisters is uncanny parallel to our current frantic mobilization of NATO forces in Central and Eastern Europe as well as the Russian Imperial phantom pains on the border with Ukraine and the Baltics. Chekhov was looking […]

Halldór Laxness "Salka Valka"

Halldór Laxness “Salka Valka”

Yana Ross Nobel Laureate Halldór Laxness classic novel from 1930’s Salka Valka is being challenged, probed and adapted to question modern Icelandic society. Iceland’s recently history includes a seismic financial crisis, volcano explosion and tourist boom. But recent confidence  is crushed again by Panama Papers scandal implicating most of the ruling elite in a massive financial […]

Mikhail Durnenkow "The Lake"

Mikhail Durnenkow “The Lake”

Yana Ross  The play is a casual daily apocalypse of the Eastern European middle class. This work leaves you stunned and thinking about the responsibility of our passive-aggressive, disengaged society. Durnenkov managed to grasp the casual despair, escalating violence and panic of a disappearing ghost of Europe. The Lake is clearly in dialogue with Chekhov’s […]

Anton Chekhov "The Seagull"

Anton Chekhov “The Seagull”

Yana Ross At the center of the play there is a struggle of a local artistic community divided by ideology and tradition, commercial threat and vicious competition. A question of artistic freedom and limitations, self-censorship and hypocrisy is exposed in local Icelandic culture. My work always includes a long and intimate ensemble-building process. In this case, because Iceland is […]

Mikhail Bulgakov "Heart of a Dog"

Mikhail Bulgakov “Heart of a Dog”

Yana Ross Bulgakov’s parabale about eugenics experiment gone wrong presents a great hybrid of animal and human gaining momento in the current political arena. Or is it a new messija? Does he promise salvation or distruction and who will take responcibility for bringing him into this world? Performance shifts focus in a modern adaptation from […]

Franz Xavier Kroetz "Request Concert"

Franz Xavier Kroetz “Request Concert”

Yana Ross I don’t like monodramas. I think it is pretentious for one actor to draw all attention and drag out monologues. I don’t see Request Concert a mono-performance. There is a clear partner present. A radio host. He’s very real. They are in conversation together, even though she doesn’t say a word. This play […]