Kursk

Kursk is a play by the British playwright Bryony Lavery, first performed in 2009. It is inspired by the 2000 sinking of the Russian submarine K-141 Kursk from explosions of its own torpedoes during a major naval exercise. The play is set on a British submarine on a covert mission in the Barents Sea at this time. Production history Kursk'''s first run was at the Young Vic in London in 2009; it had a second run at the same theatre in 2010. The play was directed by Mark Espiner and Dan Jones for the theatre company Sound & Fury. It featured set design by Jon Bausor and starred Tom Espiner and Laurence Mitchell. A split-level set, which the audience were free to walk around, was designed for the play. It was also performed at the Drill Hall in Edinburgh in 2009 at the festival and at the Sydney Opera House in 2011. Background The Kursk, a nuclear submarine, sank in the Barents Sea during a Northern Fleet training exercise in 2000 that involved more than 30 ships. Kursk suffered an accidental explosion, fire and detonation of torpedoes, killing all 118 sailors and officers on board. In order to recreate the experiences of submariners, the directors visited HMNB Devonport, spoke to naval advisers, and spent time on an attack submarine. OverviewKursk tells the story of the sinking of the Kursk from the perspective of the crew of a nearby British submarine. When they hear the explosion of the Kursk on their instruments, the captain of the British vessel is faced with a decision as to whether to go to the Russian ship's aid.