Synopsis

The opulent confines of a Russian palace, now tainted with the scent of impending doom

Dancer, a former tutor to the Romanov children turned Lenin’s appointed executioner, grapples with the enormous power thrust upon him in the final hours of the Russian Imperial family. As he psychologically manipulates his royal charges, Dancer embodies the contradictions of revolutionary fervor – at once saintly and sadistic. The Romanovs, stripped of their authority but not their humanity, become pawns in a surreal game of power and morality.

Howard Barker’s Hated Nightfall is a searing examination of revolutionary violence and the corrupting nature of power. Through his signature poetic and intense style, Barker crafts a narrative that defies easy moral judgments, forcing audiences to confront the darkest aspects of human nature. As the play hurtles towards its inevitably tragic conclusion, it raises profound questions about the justifications for cruelty in the name of political change. The play stands as a prime example of Barker’s “Theatre of Catastrophe,” challenging conventional theatrical norms and pushing the boundaries of what drama can explore.