Plasticine

Synopsis

A gritty housing estate in post-Soviet Russia becomes the backdrop for a harrowing exploration of adolescent alienation and societal decay.

Maksim, a troubled teenager, navigates a bleak world of poverty, violence, and sexual exploitation in his rundown neighborhood. As he struggles to connect with his peers and find his place, a series of increasingly disturbing encounters—including the suicide of a classmate and a brutal sexual assault—push him towards a devastating breaking point.

Vassily Sigarev’s stark, unflinching play is a visceral portrayal of youth in crisis and a society in moral freefall. Through a series of loosely connected vignettes, “Plasticine” examines themes of sexual awakening, institutional failure, and the cycle of abuse. The play’s raw, often graphic content is juxtaposed with moments of surreal beauty, as Maksim seeks solace in his artistic creations. Sigarev’s use of stark dialogue and brutal imagery creates a nightmarish landscape where innocence is corrupted and hope seems impossibly out of reach.