Oliver King for Belka Productions presents
THE 41st
Adapted from Boris Lavrenyev’s novella by James Elliott
1922. A desert island in the Aral Sea, Russia: the scene of a miracle, as Maryutka Filatovna, crack sharpshooter for the Red Army in the Russian Civil War, fights to survive a brutal winter and to deliver to justice her captive and sole companion: White Army Lieutenant, Vadim.
1932. A prison cell, somewhere in the Soviet Union: the scene of a nightmare, as Maria Basova, the 'Poet of the Volga' and alleged dissident, fights to be allowed to die, her only possible escape from the brutal interrogation of Stalin's NKVD.
In the unimaginable horrors of a Russian winter and Stalin's purges, one woman fights to prove her devotion to the one thing in her life she has ever truly loved. But what do the NKVD want from her? What brought them to this Communist Party hero? And what really happened on that island?
Belka Productions are thrilled to present a rehearsed reading of this new play, adapted for the stage from Boris Lavrenyev’s classic novel for the very first time.
Belka Productions was founded to promote Anglo-Russian cultural exchange. Past productions include Donkey Heart (Trafalgar Studios, 2015), Three Sisters, Uncle Vanya (Wyndhams Theatre, 2014) & A Warsaw Melody (Arcola Theatre, 2012).
www.belkaproductions.co.uk
Jamie Sives was born and raised in Lochend, Edinburgh. He graduated from Drama Centre London in the summer of 1998.
His first film role was alongside Vinnie Jones in 'Mean Machine', and has gone on to appear in over twenty feature films including; 'One Last Chance', with Dougray Scott, 'Clash Of The Titans', with Sam Worthington, 'Shell Shock', with Colin Farrell, 'Frozen', with Shirley Henderson, 'Last Chance Harvey', with Dustin Hoffman, 'A Woman In Winter', with Brian Cox, 'Valhalla Rising', with Mads Mikkelsen, 'On A Clear Day', with Peter Mullan, 'Hallam Foe', with Jamie Bell, 'Love And Other Disasters', with Brittany Murphy, 'It's A Wonderful Afterlife', with Sally Hawkins, 'The Strange Case of Wilhelm Reich', with Klaus Maria Brandauer and 'A Very Unsettled Summer' with Ana Ularu. Recently, Jamie completed work on his first foreign language film entitled L'Heretique, and has two more films in 'Rearview' with Antonia Thomas and the road movie 'Moon Dogs' awaiting release.
TAMLA KARI - Maryutka
Trained: Drama Centre London
Theatre: includes Cold Call (Southwark Playhouse), Versailles (Donmar Warehouse), Saturday Night and Sunday Morning - Manchester Theatre Award for Best Newcomer (Royal Exchange)
Film: includes The Inbetweeners Movie 1 and 2
TV: includes The Musketeers, The Job Lot, Cuckoo, Silk, Being Human
BENJAMIN O'MAHONEY - Lieutenant
Longlisted for BAFTA 'Best Supporting Actor' 2015. Can currently be seen in the BAFTA nominated 'KAJAKI : THE TRUE STORY' ('KILO TWO BRAVO' in USA) produced by Gareth Unwin (The King's Speech)
Trained: Drama Centre LondonTheatre: includes Twefth Night, Taming of the Shrew (Propeller), What You Will (Shakespeare’s Globe), The Cherry Orchard (Rose, Kingston), Unrestless, 24 Hour Plays (Old Vic), Ballroom Blitz (Hull Truck) &The Emperor Self (Arcola)
Film: includes Stu Hale (lead) in Kajaki (Aka Kilo Two Bravo),The Other Boleyn Girl, Max 6 & Le Leggy Della Causalita
TV: includes Ripper Street
