The Elder Son (Part 2)
After a wild night out and with nowhere to sleep, two tricksters have conned a family that one of them is their lost lost elder son. Now they must live with the consequences.
By Alexander Vampilov
Translated from Russian by Jan Butler
Adapted for radio by Tom Wainwright
It's the cold Russian winter and two tricksters needed shelter for the night after having missed the last train home. They concocted an elaborate lie that involved one of them posing as the long lost elder son of a local family. Improbably, the lie worked but now they find it impossible to extricate themselves.
The Elder Son (1967) by Alexander Vampilov is a classic of Russian theatre and has been adapted in two parts for 大象传媒 Radio.
During his lifetime, Vampilov was considered the hero of the 'new wave' of Russian dramatists and regularly compared to Anton Chekhov. His plays present a devastating and hilarious portrait of life in Brezhnev's Russia. At one time, The Elder Son ran in 44 theatres simultaneously in the Soviet Union. It was also filmed several times. Tragically, Alexander Vampilov died at the age of 34 following a boating accident in Lake Baikal.
Volodya . . . . . . Stewart Campbell
Silva . . . . . Ian Dunnett Jnr
Sarafanov . . . . . Tony Turner
Nina . . . . . Elinor Coleman
Vasya . . . . . Aaron Gelkoff
Natasha . . . . . Lauren Cornelius
Mikhail . . . . . Hasan Dixon
Music arranged and performed by Ian Dunnett Jnr.
Directed by Sasha Yevtushenko
Last on
Broadcast
- Fri 19 Feb 2021 14:15大象传媒 Radio 4
Opening Lines
John Yorke unpacks the themes behind the stories in Radio 4's weekend afternoon dramas.
The Shakespeare Sessions
Immerse yourself in Shakespeare鈥檚 world