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British Director Nicholas Kent Brings Ukrainian Resilience to the London Stage
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British director Nicholas Kent is set to stage a new production titled Ukraine Unbroken at the Arcola Theatre in London. The performance features five plays, including a work by prominent Ukrainian playwright Natalya Vorozhbyt, according to the theater’s website on February 23.
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The production is divided into two acts. The first act, “Demonstrations and Invasions,” includes two plays. The first is “Always” by Jonathan Myerson, which focuses on the 2014 protests through the story of a couple staying in a hotel while their son participates in the demonstrations.
The second play in the act is “The Five Day War” by David Edgar, which examines the goals and misconceptions surrounding the 2022 invasion.
The second act, titled “War,” consists of three plays. “Three Comrades” by Natalya Vorozhbyt, translated by Sasha Dugdale, is a dark comedy about a Ukrainian man avoiding the draft while reflecting on how his friends have experienced the conflict. “Terrible Things” by David Greig follows Ukrainian soldiers on the frontline who capture a wounded North Korean soldier and must decide whether to risk their lives to save him.
The final play, “Taken” by Kat Hoskovich, tells the story of a mother searching for her daughter who was abducted by Russia.
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The performances will feature musical accompaniment by bandurist Mariia Petrovska. A portion of the proceeds from the event will support humanitarian efforts.
Nicholas Kent told Financial Times “We are producing a large souvenir program and a quarter of the proceeds will go to Save Ukraine to help rescue stolen children.”
The production will run from February 27 to March 28, 2026. Natalya Vorozhbyt is an award-winning Ukrainian writer and director known for her work in the “new drama” movement. She previously received the Women In Arts Award in 2020 and the Shevchenko National Prize in 2022.
Earlier, King’s College London removed references to the Russian Kalinka festival from its program following a request from Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ukrainian Embassy had argued that promoting the festival was inappropriate during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The institution apologized and updated its digital materials to eliminate the mention.
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