Summerfolk by Maxim Gorky — a new version by Nina Raine and Moses Raine

Gorky’s Summerfolk returns to the stage in a striking new adaptation at the National Theatre. Set during a languid summer in 1905, the play follows Russia’s privileged elite as they retreat to the countryside to swim, drink champagne and fall in love — while a storm quietly gathers on the horizon.

Adapted by Nina Raine and Moses Raine, and directed by Robert Hastie, this revival sharpens Gorky’s portrait of class, denial and moral inertia. Beneath the sunlit surface lies a growing sense of unease, as characters choose comfort over responsibility and distraction over truth.

Beautiful, unsettling and eerily relevant, Summerfolk is a powerful reflection on what happens when people refuse to look beyond their own pleasure — until it’s too late. The production runs at the Olivier Theatre from March to April 2026.

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