“Six Men Dressed Like Stalin,” now at A Red Orchid Theatre in Chicago and directed by dado, draws upon the true story of Felix Dadaev, drafted in 1942 to stand in for Josef Stalin, Premier of the Soviet Union.

The character Soso (Esteban Andres Cruz) is based on Dadaev. Like him, Soso is a juggler, ballet dancer and magician; bore a striking resemblance to Stalin; and was mistakenly declared killed in action in WWII. What became the KGB snapped up Dadaev, but this was to be no ordinary stand-in for the Soviet leader. Dadaev was carefully educated, so that he could credibly play Stalin in high-level discussions with other government leaders, and prepped to mimic Stalin’s tone and movements.

Playwright Dianne Nora uses this history as a jumping off point, imagining how the Stanislavsky Method, which demands the actor become the character emotionally and psychologically (and originated in Russia), might have been applied to polishing Soso’s performance. She takes another real-life figure, Alexie Dikiy (John Judd), one of the Soviet Union’s foremost actors, as the basis for her character Koba, who in the play trains Soso in Stanislavsky techniques.

Now we’re at the heart of the action: the Method mentor Koba reshaping the inner Soso to become Stalin. Having been declared dead at the war front, Soso presents fertile ground for recreation as the Soviet leader. For two grueling years, Soso reported daily at 6 a.m., and Koba instructed him. Soso hadn’t really acted before, he was a stage performer. Eventually, he has trial runs - walking across the street as Stalin - and returns elated, developing confidence in his role.

There are vibrant moments. At the opening the actors break the fourth wall, describing the setting and their characters before settling into the performance. Placards with time and date are hung before us, providing a timeline. And in a striking bit of avant garde showmanship, we witness state secrets being divulged to Soso as he and Koba gesticulate wildly under strobe lights and blaring operatic themes.

The intensity of the relationship between the two - Koba, an actor's actor, trying to force feed stage excellence into Soso, a street performer - is a constant: Kobo frustrated, Soso struggling. Gradually we understand that Soso has, indeed, become Stalin. But for me, there is not much in the emotional engagement that might be expected. Mostly, I came away bewildered.

A timeline in the lobby of A Red Orchid tells the remarkable backstories of Felix Dadaev and Alexie Dikiy, and gives context for “Six Men Dressed Like Stalin.” Sometimes fact is stranger than fiction, and perhaps even more interesting.

“Six Men Dressed Like Stalin” runs through June 22, 2025 at Chicago’s A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N. Wells. 

*Extended through June 28th!