The Play

Andrei Kureichik wrote Insulted. Belarus in Russian, which, with Belarusian language, is one of two official languages in Belarus. The original title, Обиженные. Беларусь(сия), includes a play on words that refers to the Soviet-era name of Belorussia, as well as to the contemporary name, Belarus. A literal English translation of the title might render it as The Insulted Ones. Belarus(this), where “Belarus(this)” also renders something close to “Belorussia.” This has been rendered in various ways in the many translations. (See The Translations below). As reported in The Stage, “Kureichik, a member of Belarus’ Coordination Council for the transition of power, wrote the play as a rapid response to those first days of protests, arrests and violence meted out by the police. He wrote it quickly, capturing the urgency of the situation and went into hiding immediately after finishing.”[3] Kureichik described the writing of the play in an interview with BBC radio: “On the 9th of August, when Belarus elections started revolution in Belarus, of course, as a playwright, as a citizen, I decided to react somehow.”