This volume contains the full text in English of both "The Suicide" and Nikolai Erdman's first major, albeit less known work, "The Warrant." Although both plays were written in the early 1920s, they were haunted by the political spectre of totalitarianism and it was only in the 1980s that they began to be staged regularly worldwide. The plays themselves, full of political satire and paradox, show the immense skill of this playwright, and the introduction by John Freedman provides valuable insights into the historical context of the plays, highlighting Erdman's unique use of language. These new translations are well illustrated with little-known archival production photographs and drawings of the period.

A chillingly grotesque farce set in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution, banned for decades in the USSR and revived in this uproarious new version by Declan Donnellan. Moscow, 1924. The early days of the Soviet Union. Communism is everywhere - little understood but greatly feared. A landlord must pretend to be a Communist. His cook is mistaken for the missing princess Anastasia, and his lodger is threatening them with the militia. Nikolai Erdman's play The Mandate was written in 1924 and first performed in 1925 in a production directed by Vsevolod Meyerhold. This English version by acclaimed director Declan Donnellan was first performed at the National Theatre, London, in 2004, in a production directed by Donnellan.

Hallway-dwelling Semyon is unemployed and disheartened with life. When his last hope at turning his life around disappears he decides to commit suicide, only to find that a number of people would like him to die on their behalf. On the night of the deed, a party grows towards a glorious climax. Moira Buffini has freely adapted Nikolai Erdman's The Suicide, which was banned by Stalin before a single performance, to create Dying For It. Dying For It premiered at the Almeida Theatre, London, in March 2007.

I used to work in PR, if you're going to kill yourself let's make it an event . . . You can own this, Sam. For the first time in your life you. Could be. In charge. Things are getting tough for Sam. No job, benefits stopped and stuck in a tiny flat with his girlfriend Maya and her mum. The pressure is building. It feels like there might be only one way out. But every ending is a beginning and there are plenty of people keen to capitalise on Sam's momentous decision. From corrupt local politicians to kids trying to raise the number of views of their online videos, everyone wants a piece of Sam's demise. It scarcely matters what Sam actually wants. Faced with the promise of immortality, what's his life worth? Suhayla El-Bushra takes the satiric masterpiece by Nikolai Erdman and smashes it into contemporary urban Britain. It's provocative, fast-paced and very funny.