Sasha Filipenko Discusses "The Cremulator" Play and Novel Ahead of Israeli Tour
Writer Sasha Filipenko's novel "The Cremulator," based on the interrogation documents of Pyotr Nesterenko, director of the first Moscow crematorium, has been adapted into a play by director Maxim Didenko, starring Maxim Sukhanov. The production premiered in Berlin in February 2024 and has since toured internationally, including stops in London, Amsterdam, and Belgrade. The novel itself has been translated into sixteen languages and was a bestseller in Germany and Sweden, earning the Transfuge literary prize for best European novel in 2023. The play is scheduled to perform in Israel in mid-October.
In an interview, Filipenko explained his artistic approach, stating he aims to write diverse books in different styles, resisting publisher expectations for more historical novels. He views his writing as creating a "textual photograph" of contemporary life for future generations to understand. Filipenko also discussed the use of humor and black humor in his work, noting that in his native Belarus, such humor can lead to criminal charges, a situation he believes is becoming more widespread globally.
Filipenko described Europe as diverse, with differing responses to political events among its nations. He emphasized that humor and love serve as his personal "body armor" during challenging times. Regarding "The Cremulator," he suggested that while the protagonist, Nesterenko, is an engineer of death, the novel contains humor, which he believes is essential for depicting the normalization of evil under totalitarianism and the everyday nature of cruelty.
He views the theatrical adaptation as a separate work of art, expressing gratitude to the creative team for their respectful approach. Filipenko stated that his involvement ends with the book, allowing directors and actors full creative freedom. He noted that the play's international tour reflects a post-Soviet, post-war emigration geography, but stressed it is not an "emigrant production" and is a significant work regardless of its audience.
Filipenko reflected on the challenges of contemporary journalism, particularly regarding access to information during conflicts like the war in Ukraine, contrasting it with past conflicts. He also spoke about the emotional toll of writing intense books like "The Cremulator," which often leaves him feeling drained and requiring a period of recovery. The novel's creation involved extensive research using declassified, and later reclassified, archival documents, with Filipenko aiming for a fictionalized reconstruction that allows readers to draw their own conclusions about the characters and their complicity in historical events.
The play "The Cremulator" will be performed in Tel Aviv on October 17, Haifa on October 18, and Ashkelon on October 19. The production is organized by Shimon Live.
