Reception Heiner Müller’s drama “Cement” in Russia at the turn of the XX and XXI centuries
- DOI
- 10.5922/2225-5346-2025-1-13
- Pages
- 211-225
Abstract
The literary fate of the German dramatist Heiner Müller is paradoxical. Despite his plays being part of the main repertoire in many of the world’s leading theaters, he faced prolonged censorship both in his homeland, the German Democratic Republic, and in Russia. However, interest in his works has grown significantly in recent years. Müller's major works have been translated into Russian, and his plays are increasingly staged in domestic theatres. Alongside these theatrical productions, Russian researchers are actively engaging with Müller’s legacy, analyzing various aspects of his dramatic works in numerous scholarly studies. This demonstrates the emergence of an active phase of academic discourse in Russia centered on Heiner Müller's contributions to drama.
This article aims to examine the specifics of the Russian-language reception of Müller’s play “Cement” in contemporary scholarship and culture. “Cement” holds a pivotal role in the process of mastering Müller’s legacy in Russia. The study is novel and significant as it systematically organizes materials on the reception of this play, providing a comprehensive analysis of how it has been perceived and interpreted. The key themes and dominant aspects of “Cement” are identified through a comparative analysis of current Russian research on Müller’s work, as well as insights from modern Russian electronic media. The study draws conclusions about the nature of Müller’s reception in Russia and the specific perception of his drama in this context. The practical significance of this research lies in its applicability to the development and delivery of lectures on the history of European drama, as well as specialized courses on German literature.