Annajanska, the Bolshevik Empress

A satirical one-act play set in a military office follows a proud, conservative general who is stunned to learn that the daughter of the deposed ruler has embraced revolutionary politics and eloped; when the charismatic duchess returns as the leader of a radical movement she upends military decorum, exploits theatricality and personal loyalties to convert officers and manipulate authority. The piece compresses argument and comedy into a short stage sketch, using irony and farce to probe the instability of political allegiance, the performative nature of leadership, and the thin line between monarchy and mass movements.