A Los Angeles Theatre Review: ‘Slava Ukraini!’

A Few Thoughts Theater Company‘s inaugural production of Slava Ukraini! (or Waiting for Elon) is a promising start with a strong ensemble cast, interesting setup packed with urgent relevancy, and fantastic direction.

Tackling the Russia-Ukraine War is no small feat and while the wordiness of the play may be off-putting, there is much to admire in this production.

The Russia-Ukraine War has been going on since 2014, with Russia launching a full-scale invasion in 2022. It is estimated that total casualties (including the dead, wounded, and missing) across both militaries surpass two million. Roughly ten million Ukrainians have been forced from their homes. All with remarkably little accomplished on either side. Slava Ukraini! (or Waiting for Elon) is the story of three soldiers, two Ukrainian and one Russian, trapped in the bombed-out Azovstal Iron and Steel Works plant in Mariupol, Ukraine days before the siege ended. All coincidentally are lovers of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. All are desperately trying to survive. All trying to find some meaning for their actions, and the actions of their countries. Vitaliy, the younger Ukrainian soldier, is convinced that Elon Musk will come to save them.

The play essentially serves as a crash course in Russia and Ukraine’s tumultuous history done in a debate format and while it is very clear that the perspective leans heavily towards Ukraine’s just need to defend their sovereignty against an invading force, playwright Keith Szarabajka admirably gives depth to not only the two Ukrainian soldiers but also the captured Russian soldier. Jasmine Kimiko (Olha), James Morris (as Vitaliy), and Christopher Reiling (as Yevgeny) are very compelling in their roles and rose to the challenge in delivering the highly dense dialogue with ease and dexterity.

Though the play’s inevitable tragic conclusion declares that there are no innocent Russian soldiers despite the humanity given to Reiling’s character, what I found extremely interesting is that in the middle of them debating Lord of the Rings and whether or not Russia has the right to invade Ukraine for the sake of “re-unification,” the three characters straight up get into an argument about the Israeli occupation and apartheid done against the Palestinian people because Vitaliy is a Ukrainian Jew and professes his love and support for the country of Israel.

Considering it is the Russian soldier who is arguing that Israel is the oppressor, I wonder if the contradictions in the characters will be noticed by the audience. Despite all the overwhelming evidence from countless human rights organizations, Holocaust academics, and doctors stating that Israel is oppressing the Palestinians, it can be lost on some audience members if the words are coming from the perceived enemy as Yevgeny kills Vitaliy in a quick and brutal takedown. It can also be even more lost since there are a good amount of folks who still do not believe that Israel is doing anything wrong so they will take anything the Russian soldier is saying as lies or as “blood libel,” as Vitaliy accused Yevgeny of committing.

There was a part of me desperately hoping that the Russian soldier would go his separate way peacefully but would it have been cheesy and dishonest to go that kumbaya route? I am wary of narratives that portray the sympathetic Nazi/KKK/IDF/insert any oppressor character but at the same time, considering the characters just had a heavy argument about Israel and Palestine not too long before the tragic event sets up the explosive finale, I wonder if there is merit in not having Yevgeny have a sudden overt villainous turn but that it is one of the Ukrainians who kill him first. But I feel this route would not have been a possibility whatsoever as the playwright is third-generation Ukrainian and it would be akin to having someone write a sympathetic character of their own oppressors.

Taking inspiration from Waiting for Godot, the implausible scenario that these three soldiers would debate about such matters is only solidified in a baffling Elon Musk addendum where the actor portraying the tech billionaire (trillionaire?) bears no resemblance whatsoever and the performance of it is so off-putting in the way it was shot and acted that it almost derails the entire play. Thankfully, the ensemble cast, Tony Pasqualini‘s direction, and Matt Richter‘s excellent lighting and sound design provide a strong enough foundation for the weakest element of the play. I also appreciate the casting of a mixed Japanese actress for the role of Olha but more importantly, Jasmine Kimiko inhabits the role of a hardened soldier like a glove.

I imagine the wordiness and the topic material may be off-putting for many but fear not, there is much to admire in this. This play shall most certainly pass! It runs Fri, Sat, Mon at 8pm, Sun at 3pm through August 31. Atwater Village, 3269 Casitas Avenue, Theater #3, Los Angeles. Tickets are $40, $30 for seniors, $20 for students. Check website ticketing for group discounts. Reservations: afttheater.org.