Before The Flood

Synopsis

A world teetering on the edge of apocalypse. In a suburban home, a family grapples with faith, madness, and the possibility of salvation through a packet of crisps.

When Haon wins a yacht in a crisp packet prize draw, he becomes convinced he’s the modern-day Noah, tasked with saving humanity from an impending flood. As he descends into delusion, his wife and son are caught between skepticism and hope, while a cast of increasingly desperate characters – from corrupt officials to disillusioned policemen – clamor for a spot on his metaphorical ark.

Oleg and Vladimir Presnyakov’s darkly comedic play blends absurdist humour with biting social commentary, exploring themes of faith, consumerism, and societal breakdown. Through a series of interconnected vignettes, the playwrights paint a vivid picture of a world where reality and delusion blur, and salvation might be found in the most unlikely of places. The play’s non-linear structure and rapid tonal shifts from farce to tragedy mirror the chaos of a society on the brink of collapse, while probing deeper questions about human nature and the search for meaning in an increasingly chaotic world.