Terrorism: The Playright

The Presnyakov Brothers

The Presnyakov Brothers are writers, playwrights, screenwriters, directors, producers and actors. The sons of an Iranian mother and a Russian father, Oleg was born in 1969 and Vladimir in 1974.

Both brothers graduated from the same school: M. Gorky Urals State University in Yeketerinburg, Siberia.

Until recently, they were both also on the faculty of that same university: Oleg in literary theory and philology, and Vladimir in literary theory and psychology.

Together, the two founded the university's Youth Theatre, "Theatre under the name of Christina Orbakaite",an organization committed to producing experimental theatre work.

Oleg and Vladimir also write in tandem; all their plays are presented and published under their chosen joint name: The Presnyakov Brothers.

Students of language, the Presnyakov brothers are praised in Russia for their attention to natural-sounding speech, dialogue that sounds "overheard on the street." Their cool, sardonic wit enlivens their plays, and together, they create bitter and funny examinations of life in a post-Soviet Russian culture.

"Since their first play appeared in Russia's capital city, the Brothers Presnyakov have become "something of a trademark," wrote the local English-language daily, The Moscow Times, in a review last year(2004)."- The International Herald Tribune in the article Theater: The everyday facets of 'Terrorism', by Erin E. Arvedlund, May 27, 2005.

For more information, please see their Wikipedia page here.