The Ukrainian Quest for Dignity: Postcolonial Theatrical Rewriting of the Literary Classics on the Eve of the Euromaidan

Oleksandra Wallo (Associate Professor, Slavic Languages & Literatures)

MON OCT 12, 12:00-1:30 PM

Hall Center Conference Hall

This talk explores a recent trend in contemporary Ukrainian theater: injecting new life into the Ukrainian literary canon through a postcolonial rewriting of works by canonical authors. Oleksandra Wallo examines the plays of Natalka Vorozhbyt, the premier contemporary Ukrainian dramatist, screenwriter, and film director who helped set this trend. Focusing on works from the early 2010s, the talk shows how each play embarks on a quest for dignity for Ukrainians, anticipating the Euromaidan protests of 2013–2014, later known in Ukraine as the Revolution of Dignity.