With the exception of Liudmila Petrushevskaia's dramatic output, Soviet/Russian drama of the 1980s and 1990s has generally been ignored by the Western literary establishment. Nina Sadur, the playwright, occupies a prominent place in theliterary pantheon of the period. The plays included in this volume off er some of her most infl uential theatrical works to the English-speaking audience for the fi rst time. This collection will appeal to readers interested in Russian literature and culture, Russian theater, and women's literature in general.Sadur's plays are inspired by symbolist drama, the theater of the absurd, and Russian folklore, yet are also infused with contemporary reality and populated by contemporary characters. They are overtly gynocentric, and have exerted a tremendous influence on contemporary Russian literature. Working essentiallyin isolation, Sadur built a bridge between the early twentieth century dramatic discourse and that of the late Soviet era, preparing for the rise of the new Russian drama of the 2000s.