Theatre
olstoy’s masterpiece reimagined. A heartbreaking story of relationships, marriage, and betrayal, Lesley Hart’s boldly theatrical adaptation brings the language bang up to date, while Polina Kalinina’s direction sweeps you up in the breathtaking pace of the story and places no limits on opulence, decadence and, above all, passion.
When her brother’s affair is discovered, Anna Karenina crosses the country by train to help save his marriage. But on her arrival at the station, a charged encounter with a dazzling young cavalry officer sends Anna on a course of action that could destroy her own marriage and tear her life apart.
Meanwhile, rejected by his beloved, Kostya Levin vows never to marry. As Anna opens herself up to love, Kostya tries in vain to shut himself off from it. Kindred spirits, Anna and Kostya are torn between desire and duty, sexual and parental love, self and society – and they won’t live a lie.
In a world of fakery, public shaming and patriarchal oppression, they are compelled to live truly – or not at all.
“Love robs you of your sanity
Mauls your heart
Will probably kill you
But without love
There is no point in living”
