Masha Mashkova in the play "Inostranka" in Germany from 22 to 23 May 2026

The world premiere of the play "INOSTRANKA" based on the novel of the same name by Sergei Dovlatov.

Directed by Maxim Didenko
Starring Masha Mashkova

Based on real events.

What makes a person leave home? Politics, history, circumstances - or just a "bad mood"? The play "Inostranka" based on the story by Sergei Dovlatov seeks answers to these questions and transfers them to today's reality. But this is not just the story of the heroine Marusya Tatarovich - it is also the personal story of actress Masha Mashkova, her attempts to make her way in Hollywood, life in Los Angeles, memories of family and growing up.

"Inostranka" is a play-talk without a fourth wall: ironic, honest, funny and therapeutic.

It speaks about emigration as an eternal human experience - an attempt to find one's place in this world and keep a sense of humor when everything around you becomes foreign and new.

If in the 80s emigration was a domestic drama, today it is an existential leap into the unknown. But the essence remains the same: each of us one day becomes a "foreigner" - in a new country, profession or even our own life. "Let's summarize the facts. A certain Maria leaves her homeland. Then Maria, you see, asks to go back. It seems as if homeland is a variable for some people. If I want to leave, if I change my mind, I'll come back. In the meantime, a heinous betrayal has been committed, I apologize. Which means we must make amends. And then it will be decided whether to let you back in. Or not to let you back." Sergei Dovlatov. Story Inostranka. 1985.

"I have long been looking for material, thanks to which the audience in the theater will be able to snehohochat all the accumulated. Up to tears prohohochat. And to me came the heroine Marusya (drum roll) from Novosibirsk! (who doesn't know, I lived until I was 8 years old in the airline town of Tolmachevo), who emigrated to America, but the life of an emigrant... you know what I mean. And Marusya now very suddenly wanted to go back. I turned page after page of the story with shaking hands to find out sooner if Marusya would come back... back." Masha Mashkova

The author's method of director Maxim Didenko combines live theater, cinema and multimedia, creating a modern language of stage art and opening up

new forms of theatrical expression. There are two parallel processes in the performance: the theatrical, staging, and cinematic. The movie itself becomes part of the performance, which gives the project a special depth.

Maxim Sukhanov, Varya Shmykova, Nikita Kukushkin and Nikola Ashurkov starred in "INOSTRANKA" .

Authors of the play:

Playwright - Mikhail Durnenkov
Director - Maxim Didenko
Composer - Anna Drubich
Costumes - Tatiana Dolmatovskaya
Production designer - Ksenia Peretrukhina
Lighting and sound design - Yuri Galkin
Multimedia - Oleg Mikhailov
Producers - Alexandrina Markvo, Katerina Kashintseva, Masha Mashkova
Stage Manager - Ilya Kuznetsov