Russian Transport, currently running at Steppenwolf through May 11th, is, in playwright Erika Sheffer’s words, a story of “good people in bad circumstances doing terrible things.” Inspired by her own family of first and second-generation Soviet immigrants, and directed by fellow Eastern-European immigrant Yasen Peyankov, Sheffer’s story is an extremely personal portrayal of our common struggle to define success and happiness.
Staged at Steppenwolf’s upstairs theater (four flights of stairs, if you’re walking), the personal touch of the writer/director duo is immediately apparent, as the audience must use the set’s foyer entryway to reach their seats (vodka and cognac set out, but unfortunately not served). The cultural details of the performance are extremely accurate and well-thought: indoor slippers are always worn, vodka is served casually to minors, and the mother, Diana (understudy Loretta Rezos filled in for Mariann Mayberry), ensures food is always present.
The most obvious cultural aspect of the performance is the dialogue, as the three adult cast-members put on thick Russian accents for the duration of the show. English-speakers should know that much of the dialogue is actually in Russian, as writer Sheffer admits she intended to show the audience that, “you can follow the action without literally understanding the words.” The approving laughter of the many Russian-speakers in the audience is a testament to Peyankov’s direction and the cast’s preparation, and actor Tim Hopper’s accurate command of the mannerisms and intonations of recently-immigrated Uncle Boris is one of the stand-out performances of the show.
Hopper’s performance is trumped only by that of Aaron Himelstein as Alex, the Russian-born but American raised son caught between his father Misha’s (Alan Wilder) flailing-but-legitimate car service business and Uncle Boris’ more illicit business dealings as a means of providing a living. The story’s transformative character, Alex’s inner turmoil must be thoroughly convincing in order to convey Sheffer’s message, and Himelstein’s performance is raw, real, and entirely believable.
Through each family member’s influence on Alex, Sheffer challenges the audience to find a personal definition of success and happiness. Misha stands for family pride and honesty even as his business fails, while Boris succeeds despite his illicit dealings with young women. Diana supports her brother Boris, maintaining that his terrible actions are justified by his ability to provide for the family, ignoring the age and naivety of her own daughter Mira (Melanie Neilan) in relation to the girls that Boris traffics.
In fact, Sheffer’s script dictates that the actress portraying Mira must double as the Russian “models” that Alex transports for Boris, putting the story’s competing perspectives in plain view for the audience. If the double-role metaphor is not plain enough, the connection is made absolutely clear during Neilan’s final costume change from Mira to Russian girl, conducted in front of the audience at center stage under a single spotlight.
While mostly maintaining a narrow focus on the unique struggles of her characters, Sheffer does step into a more general commentary on the “American dream” for a very brief moment. As Alex transports his first girl for Boris, he tells a story of a school trip to the Statue of Liberty, where the class waited all day to climb the statue, only to find that the view from the top was just a short glimpse through a dirty window. This statement, which is left open for interpretation, is as profound as Sheffer attempts to dive in an otherwise direct and entertaining narrative.
“Russian Transport” perfectly embodies Steppenwolf’s theme for the 2013/2014 season, “Getting Ahead,” which explores “our hunger to come out on top, and the discoveries we make along the way.” In her interview with Dramaturge Dassia Posner, Sheffer notes that, “I want to see characters who, even if they might be doing things that are awful, have love in them and are capable of goodness.” With Peyankov’s direction and the cast’s commitment to their characters, Sheffer succeeds in reminding us that we all have the capacity for the terrible when survival becomes a struggle.
