This event is presented in Belarusian and Russian.

The award-winning Belarusian-British director, Vladimir Shcherban, has brought together an international cast of actors to present the first staged reading of Maxim Dosko's new play, Insula.

Insula is a small, peaceful scientific village located somewhere unknown, which can only be reached by enduring the horrors of war. It is there that all the characters meet and share their experiences, while local grey-haired quantum physicists stand on the brink of a discovery that could save humanity. The play is a polyphony in which tragedy is closely intertwined with comedy, and the base with the sublime.

Written in Belarusian and Russian, the play will be presented in its original languages. This staged reading offers the audience a unique experience, as words find voices for the first time and fictional characters become real people.

The reading will be followed by a post show discussion.

Maxim Dosko is a leading contemporary Belarusian playwright born in 1987 in Minsk, Republic of Belarus. His plays have won and been recognised at many competitions, including the International Biennial of Contemporary Drama ‘Free Theatre’, the ‘Lubimovka’ Drama Festival, the “WriteBox” Contemporary Drama Competition and Festival, and the ‘Golden Mask’ Competition. His plays have been staged in Belarus, Ukraine, Poland, Azerbaijan, Russia, England, and the United States.

Vladimir Shcherban is an award-winning theatre director with a multicultural background. He was born in Ukraine, grew up in Belarus, and has lived in London since 2011. His productions have toured internationally to critical acclaim, won a Fringe First at the Edinburgh Festival, an Obie Award, and been nominated for a Drama Desk Award in New York.