BOOGIE ON THE TRAIN

Daria Besedina

Inspired by real events and brought to the stage by Slavic theatre company WithinTheatre, Boogie on the Bones is a feverish, jazz-soaked story of love, rebellion, and the price of freedom in post-Stalinist Russia.

“George Orwell’s classic indictment of totalitarianism has rarely packed more of a punch than it does in this staging by withintheatre” ★★★★ Scotsman (on 1984)

💛 The Cockpit, 1-7 December

💛 Omnibus Theatre, 14-25 October

💛 Tickets - £20 (booking fee may apply)

www.omnibus-clapham.org | www.withintheatre.com

INTERVIEW: Daria Besedena (writer) & Sofia Barysevich (director)

1) What first inspired you to tell the story of the Stilyagi on stage?

Sofia Barysevich: As a director, I wanted to create a show that blends the energy and emotion of musical theatre with a deep, politically resonant narrative. The story of the Stilyagi — Soviet youth who risked everything to express themselves through fashion, music, and dance — felt both historically powerful and urgently relevant today.

My grandfather was part of the Stilyagi movement, and I grew up hearing stories about his bright yellow shirts, slicked-back hair, and the joy he found in forbidden jazz. Those memories stayed with me. And now, as we watch similar patterns of repression, censorship, and fear re-emerge in parts of the world we come from, the story feels more vital than ever. Telling Boogie on the Bones is not just about revisiting history — it’s about asking what it means to resist through joy, identity, and art.

2) The show looks at love, music and the price of freedom. How do these themes come together in Boogie on the Bones?

Daria Besedina: In our production, we use songs by artists who are currently banned in Russia — musicians labeled as “foreign agents” or whose work is forbidden. Just yesterday, a street musician in St. Petersburg was detained for performing songs by these banned artists. The parallels are chilling: in 1956, young people were arrested for listening to jazz on X-ray films; today, musicians are detained for playing the “wrong” songs. History is repeating itself. In the play, music becomes the ultimate act of resistance — not just art, but evidence of refusing to be silenced. Love and freedom are inseparable from this: when you’re told what you can listen to, wear, or feel, choosing authenticity becomes revolutionary. The price is steep — then and now — but the alternative is erasure.

3) Mel’s journey from loyal party member to passionate jazz musician is central to the story. What does his transformation represent?

Daria Besedina: Mel becomes a Stilyaga because he falls in love — with a girl who is one of them. For her, he changes everything: puts on a yellow tie, a bright jacket, joins their world. But his story isn’t just a love story. It’s about how, under an authoritarian regime that crushes any form of dissent, even the smallest act of nonconformity — wearing a yellow tie, a colourful jacket — can lead to complete destruction. The regime doesn’t tolerate difference, no matter how small. Mel’s transformation shows that in such a system, even a gesture can cost you everything. 

4) You’ve spoken about ‘disturbing echoes’ between 1956 and today. What do you mean by that?

Sofia Barysevich: When I say “disturbing echoes,” I mean how easily history repeats itself. In 1956, people were punished for how they dressed, what they listened to, or who they loved. Today, in parts of the world I come from, we’re seeing the same patterns return — LGBTQ+ identities made illegal again, artists censored, and dissent silenced.

What’s frightening is how quickly freedom can vanish, even in modern societies. The Stilyagi used jazz and colour as small acts of rebellion; now, many people are once again fighting for the right to simply exist and express themselves. Boogie on the Bones is a reminder that art and self-expression are never just aesthetic choices — they’re forms of survival.

5) WITHINTHEATRE’s work often confronts systems of control and censorship. How does this piece continue that mission?

Sofia Barysevich:  Boogie on the Bones is the third production by WITHINTHEATRE, and it continues our mission f using theatre to resist systems of control. We began with 1984, reimagined through the lens of Slavic artists who have lived under authoritarianism. We followed it with Julia.After 1984, focusing on the female perspective within oppressive systems. Now, with Boogie on the Bones, we return to history — but from a new angle: music, identity, and joy as acts of rebellion. This piece, like the others, is deeply personal. Many of us in the company left our home countries to seek the freedom to live, speak, and create authentically. Through this show, we’re telling a story not just about the Stilyagi, but about ourselves — about the right to self-expression, and the power of art to challenge control. Creating work like this in the UK allows us to finally use our voices — and we hope that by doing so, we’re contributing to meaningful dialogue and change.

6) What do you hope audiences take away from Boogie on the Bones?

Sofia Barysevich: I hope audiences leave the theatre having discovered something they didn’t know,  like the powerful image of music carved onto X-ray films, or the existence of the Stilyagi, a youth subculture that used jazz, fashion, and dance to rebel against conformity in post-Stalinist Soviet Union.

But beyond the history, I want people to reflect on the hard choices young people face under oppressive regimes — the choice between safety and freedom, survival and self-expression. Do we judge those who stay silent, or those who run? Or can we begin to understand the weight behind those decisions? Set during the political “thaw” under Khrushchev, Boogie on the Bones gives a glimpse into a moment where change felt possible — and the risks people took to chase it. It’s a reminder of how fragile freedom can be, and how vital it is to defend it.

7) Finally, what’s next for WITHINTHEATRE after this production?

Sofia Barysevich: We’re excited to be taking Boogie on the Bones to the Cockpit Theatre in London from 1–7 December. After that, more performances are planned for next year - both in the UK and beyond.

We’re committed to telling bold, political stories that amplify underrepresented voices,  and we can’t wait to share what’s coming next.

This is just the beginning.

www.omnibus-clapham.org | | www.withintheatre.com

@OmnibusTheatre @withintheatre