ReviewsReview | Pravda — a Georgian satire of war propagandaby Xandie (Alexandra) Kuenning• 2 min readShare▲Courtesy photo.4.5/5★Georgian author Lasha Bugadze’s latest play is a biting reflection of the propaganda production surrounding Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine. At only 45 minutes, Pravda follows a simple premise: as two radio announcers (Natia Parjanadze and Nikusha Bakradze) more and more absurdly rationalise and defend a war begun by their unnamed country’s president just that morning, more and more words, phrases, and eventually letters are banned, as announced by the radio show’s manager (Sophio Zeragia), operating behind the scenes. While never explicitly stated during the performance, it is clear the play derives inspiration from Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, and the subsequent media propaganda that has arisen internally. One of the first words to be banned is death. Following the manager’s lead, the two announcers spin pretty words on how ‘other people die, ours don’t’, at the same time claiming that while the ‘enemy’ will be ‘exterminated’, their ‘honourable soldiers’ will not kill anyone. As the show continues, it becomes clear there is sometimes little rhyme and reason to what is banned — raincoat becomes the second word, followed by vagina, then city, then the term geographical point. Like any radio talk show, the station takes callers, all supposedly filtered beforehand to ensure the questions remain safe. Yet, rumours of a dead opposition member resurrected following the discovery of an empty grave soon begin to flood the station, producing more and more ludicrous explanations and tangents. For example, at one point, an announcer digresses upon the farcical claim that the ‘enemy’ spread their own short soldiers among the local children, leading the president to have to ‘exterminate’ the country’s children (though it is made clear at the same time that these children were not killed, as dying is banned). The announcers consistently struggle with the manager’s instructions, often humorously insulting their own side to the manager’s panic. The swift changes and updates also wreak havoc, such as when the announcers are told to praise General Oleg-Abdullah for his work on the front lines before the news breaks that he surrendered to the ‘enemy’, leading them to immediately switch to cursing him. Then, when it turns out he was killed in battle (or physically distanced, as the announcers phrase it), he is exclaimed as a hero, worthy of the many medals now being bestowed upon him by the president. As the tide turns, the war eventually reaches the studio itself, the announcers, who now face the banning of letters, being forced to simply moan into their microphones until even the term banned is banned and there are no voices left. While not an inherently deep play, Georgian director Zura Getsadze’s production expertly captures Bugadze’s satirical and absurdist intentions, making it a fun, if at times depressingly relevant, performance. Pravda premiered with English subtitles at the New Drama Festival with Theatre on Atoneli on 15 April 2026. It is now being presented by the Tbilisi City Theatre; the next performance is scheduled for 19 September 2026. Culture and Features Editor. After years in academia, Xandie returned to Georgia to join OC Media. Her previous work with non-profits focused on Eurasian affairs, particularly queer and gender rights and green politics. She’s also a fan of foreign cinema, tea, and books (but not spilling tea on books).