A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian - (Oberon Modern Plays) by Tanika Gupta (Paperback)

About the Book

The stage adaptation of the million-selling novel

Book Synopsis

Nikolai, an 86 year old retired Ukrainian engineer and tractor historian in Peterborough, has fallen in love with 36 year old Valentina. His daughters, Vera and Nadezhda, who have not spoken to one another since their mother's death, unite in horror to defend their father and what remains of his pension.

But is Valentina a refugee searching for better opportunities, or a bogus visa seeker trying to cheat a vulnerable old man? Growing closer to her sister, and unearthing some family history from which she has previously been shielded, Nadezhda finally understands the animosity between Vera and her father.

Award-winning writer Tanika Gupta has created a wonderful re-telling of this dark family comedy, adapted from the bestselling novel by Marina Lewycka for the stage. It explores the hopes and hardships of immigrants, and how past experiences can shape families and relationships.

About the Author

After graduating from Oxford University, Tanika Gupta worked as a community worker and in an Asian women's refuge for several years. She began writing drama in the early 1990s. Tanika has written extensively for theatre, radio, film and television. Her play, The Waiting Room (National Theatre), won the John Whiting Award in 2000. Oberon Books publishes Inside Out (Clean Break), Fragile Land (Hampstead Theatre), Gladiator Games (Sheffield Crucible), Sanctuary (National Theatre), Meet the Mukherjees (Bolton Octagon), Hobson's Choice (Young Vic and Manchester Royal Exchange), Catch (Royal Court), Sugar Mummies (Royal Court), White Boy (National Youth Theatre/Soho Theatre), Wah! Wah! Girls (Sadlers Wells), The Empress (RSC), Mindwalking (Bandbazi), Lions and Tigers (Shakespeare's Globe), her adaptations of Great Expectations (Watford Palace), Anita and Me (Birmingham Rep), A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian (Hull Truck), Red Dust Road (National Theatre of Scotland) and her collections, Tanika Gupta: Political Plays (2012) and Tanika Gupta: Historical Plays (2019). She was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement (2004), was the recipient of the Amnesty International Media Award (2005) for her radio play, Chitra and won the BBC Audio Drama Award 2013 for 'best adaptation' for her version of A Doll's House. Tanika was awarded an MBE in 2008 and received the James Tait Black Award for Lions and Tigers in 2018. She is a visiting lecturer at Central School for Speech and Drama where she is an Honorary Fellow.