About the Writer of The White Factory
The White Factory, playing at London’s Marylebone Theatre until November 2023, was written by Russian exile Dmitry Glukhovsky. In a daring collaboration between Ukrainian, Russian and British creatives, the show follows one man’s journey from the Lodz ghetto of 1940s Poland to 1960s America. It’s a heart-wrenching drama of love, endurance, hope and despair, beautifully told on stage. So let’s find out more about 1960s theatre and the writer of this show.
Who is Dmitry Glukhovsky?
Born on 12 June 1979 and raised in Moscow, Dmitry Glukhovsky is a Russian author, playwright and journalist best known for his post-apocalyptic science fiction novel Metro 2033. While originally published for free on his website for all to read, the book and its sequels turned into a multimedia franchise including a video game series.
As a well-known journalist, Dmitry Glukhovsky has worked for numerous media outlets including Euronews in Lyon France and Russia Today. He’s travelled far and wide, from the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant to the North Pole, and has covered significant events during his career including the 2006 Lebanon War. Glukhovsky has worked for German radio station Deutsche Welle and for British television channel Sky News.
An Outspoken Critic of the Russia/Ukraine War
As an outspoken critic of the war between Russia and Ukraine, Glukhovsky has been exiled from his home country and is now wanted in Russia for his criticism of the Russian government’s handling of the war. Russia has targeted multiple opposition figures and journalists with a law threatening jail time for those convicted of spreading ‘fake’ news about the military. Glukhovsky faces prosecution for calling for a halt to the war and accusing Russian soldiers of committing crimes in Ukraine.
Charges were first levelled against the journalist in June 2022, a few months after the Russian government outlawed independent reporting or protest of the invasion of Ukraine. The charges appear to have arisen from an Instagram post Glukhovsky posted on 12 March 2022, which called for readers to ‘recognise that this is a real war against an entire nation and stop it.’
The prosecutor general’s website said an investigation determined that Glukhovsky had published ‘deliberately false information’ accusing the Russian military of intentionally shelling and bombing homes, schools and hospitals, of mass killings and of raping underage Ukrainian school girls. It said the case against Glikhovsky would be conducted in his absence.
Resolute in his Beliefs
Despite a lingering prison sentence hanging over him and being declared a ‘foreign agent’, Glukhovsky remains vocally critical of the invasion of Ukraine and of Russian ruler Vladimir Putin. In February 2023, he wrote, “Ukraine has been resisting Putin’s aggression for a year now. As it was a year ago, I am quite convinced that this war is just as destructive for Russia and our people as it is lethal and destructive for the people of Ukraine I love.”
When it comes to ‘indoor activities near me’ don’t miss Glukhovsky’s spectacular production of The White Factory. Get your ticket to the play today and witness a dramatic story told live on stage.
