Slovak Director Defends Russian Culture Amid War, Stages Chekhov's Three Sisters

Theater director Patrícia Rotterová has defended staging Russian cultural works during the ongoing war, arguing that Russian culture cannot be condemned wholesale. Rotterová is currently directing Chekhov's classic play "Three Sisters" at the Divadlo Pavla Országha Hviezdoslava (DPOH), one of Slovakia's major theaters. The director explained her decision to stage the Russian playwright's work despite Russia's military aggression against Ukraine, stating that she sees parallels between the anxieties depicted in Chekhov's 19th-century drama and the concerns of today's Generation Z. The production takes place in a cold bomb shelter setting, which Rotterová uses to reflect contemporary fears and uncertainties.