Mother Russia

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About the Show

Dark comedy set in post-Soviet St. Petersburg from playwright Lauren Yee.

Set in St. Petersburg in 1992, Mother Russia follows Evgeny, a disoriented young man navigating a society in transition after the fall of the Soviet Union. Taking a surveillance job alongside his old friend Dmitri, Evgeny becomes entangled in the life of their target, Katya—a former pop singer whose mysterious past and uncertain loyalties blur the lines between personal and political intrigue. As the surveillance deepens, Evgeny wrestles with newfound freedom, love, and the encroaching symbols of Western capitalism.

The play is written by Lauren Yee, known for Cambodian Rock Band and The Great Leap.

Directed by Teddy Bergman, Mother Russia marks its New York premiere at Signature Theatre as part of the 2025–26 season.

Critic Reviews (12)

"In too many cases, the humor's sharp edges have been sanded off in the name of easy laughs. This is satire with false teeth."
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In Yee’s exuberant and stealthily devastating new comedy, history arrives not with a bang but with an order of fast food.
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“One of the most memorable monologues I’ve heard on any stage this year—hilarious and insightful.”
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The serious playfulness of Russian culture is steeped in physical comedy, quick wit, and persiflage.
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The production accurately captures the mood of a nation with an uncertain future and a fire from the past still burning.
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"This doesn’t sound like a barrel-o-laughs, but Yee’s play...is as funny as it is smart. This is a comedy with a lot on its mind"
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"Mother Russia, both the character and the play, beg the audience to find her funny and smart in a way that sabotages its own story."
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"The men in Yee’s keen new play—wonderfully heightened in its comedy, with a veiled sad, wise heart—are an unholy mess"
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