The Last of the Soviets

On 6 October 2026, the Finnish theatre collective Helsinki 98 will make its first international guest appearance at the Vaba Lava Theatre. In Tallinn, the collective will present its breakthrough production The Last of the Soviets (Punainimese lõpp), based on Nobel Prize-winning author Svetlana Alexievich’s book Second-Hand Time: The Last of the Soviets. The play is adapted from one chapter of the book, titled “From Another Bible, and Other Believers.”

The play tells the story of Vasily Petrovich N, an 87-year-old man. The Soviet Union has already collapsed and communism has become an object of ridicule, yet Vasily Petrovich still believes in the idea.

Through Alexievich’s documentary prose, we gain insight into the collapse of the communist and totalitarian Soviet Union and the mindset from which today’s Russian regime has emerged.

The Last of the Soviets has been performed 75 times, 73 of which have sold out. It is the most frequently performed theatre production based on the works of Svetlana Alexievich anywhere in the world.

The set design and video art are by Pavel Semchenko, who received the 2024 Säde Award for Best Video Design. The same year, lead actor Sami Lanki was nominated for Theatre Actor of the Year in Finland.

The production is in Finnish with Estonian and English subtitles.

Running time: 2 hours 10 minutes (including a 15-minute intermission)

Recommended age: 16+

Please note: Latecomers cannot be admitted to the auditorium.

Program and details subject to change.

The production is part of the World on Stage project supported by the Finnish Cultural Foundation. Additional support has been provided by the City of Helsinki and the Arts Promotion Centre Finland.

The Tallinn guest performance is supported by the Nordic Cultural Point and the Finnish Institute in Estonia.

Founded in 2023, Helsinki 98 is known for its productions addressing geopolitical themes and explores the question: “What can art be after 24 February 2022?”

Helsinki 98 operates its own 80-seat venue in the former library of a school scheduled for demolition, located in the Tilajakamo community space in Vuosaari, eastern Helsinki. During its first three years, the collective has produced eight productions there, attracting a total audience of 9,240 people. The Alexievich Trilogy (The Last of the Soviets, Zinky Boys, and The Chernobyl Prayer) has received an exceptional response: 116 of its 127 performances have sold out.

Helsinki 98 has also produced a Ukrainian play Men in Broad Daylight as well as productions directed by artists who fled Belarus and Russia because of political persecution, Russia’s war against Ukraine, and authoritarian repression.

In August 2025, The Last of the Soviets was part of the main program of the Tampere Theatre Festival.