Ivanov

(Belvoir Street Theatre)

Ivanov is a man struggling. He is out of work, out of funds and out of patience. He snaps at everyone around him, including his seriously ill wife, his sponging relatives and a meddling local doctor.

I've often wondered about Russian humour. Would it make more sense to me if I were a Russian. Do Russians understand Australian humour or is our humour as baffling to them as their humour can seem to me.

This is quite a funny production but the comedy does seem peculiar in parts. Transplanting the action to an Australian setting also makes the production puzzling on occasions. However the performances are good and the staging quite interesting.

If you've ever had a yearning to hear a Patsy Cline classic and our National Anthem (both verses) sung in Russian then this production is a must see for you.

★★★