The Russian Academic Youth Theater canceled the production of Erast Fandorin, adapted from the first novel in Boris Akunin’s detective series, after the work was placed on a list of terrorists and extremists under the real name Grigory Chkhartishvili. The information was published on the theater’s official site.
The performance was originally scheduled for December 26.
On that date, the theater stated that Erast Fandorin would be replaced by Flowers for Algernon. Ticket policies were clarified, with tickets remaining valid at their point of purchase or being refundable.
Despite the cancellation, Erast Fandorin remains listed in the theater’s current playbill for January and February.
According to the theater’s announcement, Erast Fandorin offers a director’s non-fiction reflection on the erosion of shared criteria and romantic ideals. The piece is not a tribute to the past, but rather a timely examination of present conditions. The production, adapted from Akunin’s acclaimed first novel in the series, is described as capable of surprising audiences with unexpected twists, evoking the mood of a certain era, and provoking a range of emotions, including laughter and tears.
In the same program, other works such as The Village and I, Medvedko, and The House Stopped Here were also listed.
Rosfinmonitoring reportedly added Boris Akunin to a list of terrorists and extremists after a meeting with the comedians Vovan and Lexus, during which the author discussed Ukraine.
A recent decision from the Moscow Provincial Theater canceled all winter and spring performances of the stage adaptation The Adventure of Fandorin, which is also based on Akunin’s books.
Former actor Pavel Derevyanko voiced support for relocating major productions to rural settings, as depicted in the film Slave 2.