Donetsk, May 31 - DAN. The Donetsk National Academic Musical and Drama Theatre staged “This Didn’t Happen,” a play after American playwright Albert Gurney Jr’s "Sylvia." Its media preview ran on the Theatre’s New Stage on Thursday, the Theatre’s press office reported.

“Today, we had media screening of the romantic comedy “This Didn’t Happen” after Albert Ramsdell Gurney Jr’s Sylvia directed by Vladimir Bykovskiy on the Theatre’s New Stage,” the report said.

The cast includes DPR Honoured Artist Elena Martynova, Ukraine’s Honoured Artist Ruslan Slabunov and artists Inna Gvozdikova, Albina Terekhova, Igor Rybchinskiy and Maria Molodova.

The play tells about a disillusioned man who took a stray dog home. It had a tremendous impact on his relationship with his wife. It is noteworthy that the role of the dog is played by a woman.

“The play is very touching, warm and engaging. I’ve long been familiar with this plot; I’ve seen several versions and I’m happy that this particular play has been chosen. It’s a record-maker as it was staged by 170 theatres in more than 30 countries, including Russia,” the Theatre’s director general and art director Natalia Volkova was quoted as saying.

The first night of “This Didn’t Happen” is due at 17:00 on June 22.

Albert Gurney Jr is a well-known American dramatist who authored 25 plays and three novels. He wrote scenarios of shows and musical librettos.. Gurney’s Sylvia premiered in 1995. Back then it was included into the prestigious anthology of best American plays of the year, while in 2015 it was among the top ten Broadway shows.*jk