Staged Reading of THE BEDBUG Runs at Medicine Show Theatre, 12/18-19

Medicine Show Theatre presents The Bedbug, a biting romp through the Soviet bourgeoisie complete with philistines, party fat cats and profiteers. Visiting artist Elizabeth Ruelas, co-founder of New Renaissance Theatre Company, directs this reading as part of Medicine Show's acclaimed Season of Russia, December 18th and 19th.

Vladimir Mayakovsky's 1928 play, vicious in its mockery of early Communist society, tells the story of Ivan Prisypkin, a former worker who wants to marry into the bourgeoisie and live a life of decadence. But a tragic accident at his wedding leaves him frozen in a block of ice. We find ourselves 50 years in the future where passion, vices, and even love are ancient history. A defrosted Prisypkin becomes a sideshow attraction for having all three.

"This is a beautiful political satire that holds a funhouse mirror up to nature and connects with us all," says Ruelas. "In the end, we find out what really separates mankind from a bedbug."

This season, on this 100th anniversary of the Russian revolution, the company has begun a conversation - sometimes intense, often raucous, always enlightening -- with our audiences. To explore what we've learned over the past century, we've developed a speaker series to accompany our shows and examine issues such as genocide, propaganda and other thorny, but vital and timely topics.

Following the December 18th performance of Bedbug, Dr. Eliot Borenstein, head of the Russia department at New York University will join the conversation; Dr. Yakov Klots of Hunter College will speak on December 19th.

Hot on the Bedbug's heels will be an absurd romp of epic proportions, Mr. Chekhov and Mr. Porter, a compilation of three great Chekhov plays interspersed hilariously with Cole Porter songs.

The first show in our Season of Russia was the U.S. premiere of Robert Chandler's new translation of Andrei Platonov's 14 Little Red Huts. The array of literature and history professors who led discussions after that show included Dr. Olga Meerson of Georgetown University, Dr. Kevin M.F. Platt from the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Bradley Gorski of Barnard and Columbia University, as well as Edwin Frank, editor of the New York Book Review Classics.

About Us

Medicine Show Theatre Ensemble is one of the oldest experimental theatre companies in New York City. The troupe offers alternatives to conventional theatre by playing with language, music, movement, form, and ideas.

For more information and reservations, call 212 262-4216. To purchase tickets on line, go to www.brownpapertickets.com. TDF accepted.