Catherine the Great and the Russian Enlightenment's Forgotten Playwright

In this episode of The Romanov Dynasty, Lucas and Luna explore a surprising facet of Catherine the Great's reign: her passion for theater and her own literary ambitions. Catherine wrote over 20 plays, including satirical comedies that mocked Russian nobles and Freemasons. Lucas discusses the Empress's collaboration with playwright Denis Fonvizin, her use of comedy as political propaganda, and the controversy around her play 'Oh, These Times!' which criticized serfdom and superstition. The episode also covers the role of the Russian theater in spreading Enlightenment ideals, the establishment of the Hermitage Theater, and the 1788 production of Catherine's historical drama 'The Early Reign of Oleg.' Touching on the limits of Catherine's reforms, Lucas and Luna examine how her plays reveal the tensions between Enlightenment philosophy and autocratic rule. The conversation weaves in details about the censorship of the era, the influence of Voltaire and Diderot, and how Catherine used the stage to shape public opinion while maintaining her absolute power. #CatherineTheGreat #RussianEnlightenment #TheaterHistory #DenisFonvizin #HermitageTheater #OhTheseTimes #PlaywrightEmpress #RussianLiterature #Satire #Voltaire #Diderot #Enlightenment #Romanovs #18thCenturyRussia #ImperialTheater #History #FexingoHistory #RussianCulture Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo