Dostoëvsky isn’t what you’d call a light read. As one of the most highly regarded Russian writers (probably most well-known for Crime and Punishment), his exploration of the troubled human psychology in the 19th century influenced the likes of Anton Chekhov, Ernest Hemingway, and Jean-Paul Sartre. His work is often noted as having deep religious and philosophical themes that also demonstrate a vision of the chaotic sociopolitical structure of contemporary Russia.
Now, the 2015 Ontario Scéne Festival brings to Ottawa’s National Arts Centre Bad New Days’ production of The Double, inspired by Dostoëvsky’s novella of the same name. Only instead of keeping with the author’s famed gothic-romantic style, adapters Viktor Lukawski, Arif Mirabdolbaghi, and Adam Paolozza have turned it into a comedy. Showcasing an excellence in clown and mime set against a rich musical composition, The Double is a lot of fun.
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