10.06.2009
Source: en.rian.ru. Photo: Kursk after the tragedy (by mep3abeli from ljplus.ru)
Kursk, a play based on Russia's 2000 submarine tragedy, premiered at London's Young Vic Theater last night, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported.
The sinking of the Kursk nuclear submarine in 2000 claimed the lives of all 118 personnel on board.
The play is set on a British spy-submarine, which is secretly monitoring Russian naval exercises. When the Kursk disaster happens the dilemma within the British submarine is whether it should launch a rescue operation or break its silence by informing the world about the tragedy.
The production written by playwright Bryony Lavery is what The Times called "the most realistic, theatrical dive to the ocean depths."
The theater group Sound&Fury attempted to recreate the oppressive claustrophobic atmosphere of a submarine with the use of sound.
The play was created with input from former submariners and naval experts and the writers also spent time on a naval submarine.
One submariner, Ian Ashpitel, is even among the theater cast.