Russian Revolution

From the late 19th century through to the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the Tsar's authority across the Russian Empire began to be openly questioned and many Russians started to rebel. This came after centuries of harsh rule with very few rights for the common people. The first major threat came with the 1905 Revolution during the rule of Nicholas II. Attempts to reassert Tsarist power and authority did not last long, and opposition against Nicholas II rapidly increased in the years leading up to World War I. By the end of the war, 300 years of Tsarist rule had come to an end and the nation had entered a civil war that was not resolved until 1921. This guide will explore the years leading up to the revolution and the issues that sparked it, and consider how this period in history has been represented on stage.

Terminology

• Assassination: The murder of a prominent or important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, member of a royal family, or CEO.
• Autocracy: A state or society governed by one person with absolute power.
• Bolshevik: A member of the majority faction of the Russian Social Democratic Party, which seized power in the October Revolution of 1917.
• Censorship: The suppression of speech, public communication, or other information.
• Industrialization: The development of industries in a country or region on a wide scale.
• Marxism: The political and economic theories of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. They were later developed to form the basis of communism.

Key Dates & Events

• 1880 - An attempt to assassinate Tsar Alexander II by blowing up the palace dining room fails due to the Tsar being late for dinner.
• 1881 - Tsar Alexander II is assassinated by a member of the radical group People’s Will. He is succeeded by his son, Alexander III.
• 1882 - Pogroms against Jews spread across the Russian Empire, leading to mass emigration of the Jewish population.
• 1883 - Yiddish theatre was banned in Russia, forcing many performers and writers to leave Russia. The ban was lifted in 1904.
• 1894 - Tsar Alexander III dies after a sudden illness. He is succeeded by his son Nicholas II.
• 1898 - Foundation of the Moscow Art Theatre.
• 1903-1906 - A violent wave of pogroms sweep across southern Russia, leaving thousands dead and forcing many to flee their home country.
• 1905 - So-called ‘Bloody Sunday’ occurs in January. Troops and police open fire on a peaceful demonstration outside the Winter Palace and elsewhere in St Petersburg, killing and injuring around 1,000 people.
• 1905 - Tsar Nicholas II issues the October Manifesto, promising civil liberties (such as freedom of speech) and an elected parliament (Duma).
• 1914 - Germany declares war on Russia in August, resulting in Russia entering the First World War.
• 1916 - Rasputin is assassinated by a group of conservative noblemen who opposed his influence over the royal family.
• 1917 - A series of public protests begin in Petrograd in March, which last for eight days and eventually result in abolition of the monarchy in Russia.
• 1917 - Russia is officially declared a republic in September.
• 1917 - The Bolsheviks seize control of Petrograd in October and take control of the Winter Palace.
• 1917 - An armistice between Russia and the Central Powers is signed and fighting stops. Russia’s involvement in World War I comes to an end in March 1918.
• 1918 - Tsar Nicholas II and his family are executed by the Bolsheviks in July.
• 1919 - The Moscow Yiddish Theatre was established in Petrograd (later known as the Moscow State Jewish Theatre). It was shut down in 1948 by the Soviet government.
• 1921 - The Civil War comes to an end.
• 1922 - The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) is created in December.
• 1927 - The first theatrical depiction outside of Russia of the origin and events of the revolution in the play Rasputin, the Romanovs, the War and the People who Rose against them.
• 1927 - The Moscow Art Theatre produces Vsevolod Ivanov’s play Armored Train 14-69.
• 1964 - Fiddler on the Roof premiered on Broadway.
• 2006 - The musical adaptation of Doctor Zhivago premieres at La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego, California.
• 2017 - The musical Anastasia opened on Broadway.