‘Anastasia’ Review: A Masterful Examination of Identity in a Tumultuous Era of Russian History

“How do you become the person you forgot you ever were?” asks Anya (Caitlin A. Beirne ’25), the heroine of the Harvard Radcliffe Dramatic Club’s production of “Anastasia,” running at the Loeb Drama Center through Nov. 9. As the question demonstrates, at the heart of the musical is Anya’s identity, as it’s challenged by amnesia, revolution, and the vicissitudes of fortune.

Composed of standout after standout performance, each bursting with gusto, and choreography infused with the same dynamism, “Anastasia” is a reproduction faithful to the original and replete with talent — from the passionate acting, befitting of a Russian drama, to versatile dance that ranges from traditional ballet to equally beautiful modern dance, to hauntingly powerful singing.

Based on the 1997 film of the same name, “Anastasia,” which premiered on Broadway in 2017, opens in Russia during the aftermath of the October Revolution, which saw the execution of the imperial Romanov family and the rise of communist rule. Joining forces with two con artists, Dmitry (Kaylor G. Toronto ’27) and Vlad (Alexander H. Lee ’27), Anya agrees to play the part of Anastasia, the Romanov princess believed to be still alive by her grandmother, the Dowager Empress (Ria S. Cuéllar-Koh ’26). Through the scheme, Dmitry and Vlad hope to secure a monetary reward, while the amnesiac Anya hopes for passage to France and to rediscover her past.

The show opens with a young Anastasia (Lindsay D. Bernard ’26) receiving a music box from the Dowager Empress, the two of them perched on a regal red cushion, the curtain still down behind them. This directorial choice does not break the fourth wall, but seems to imply it doesn’t exist. The audience is thus, from the very beginning, granted intimate access to the central relationship in the musical — the one which impels Anastasia to conspire with two city ruffians, abandon all she knows, and travel to the distant land of Paris in the hopes of realizing her dream and regaining her sense of self.

After the curtain is retracted, a quaint St. Petersburg is revealed, composed of painted spires — designed by scenic designer Aurora Yin ’25, the set is simple, but enough to evoke the city. When the audience next lays eyes upon the heroine, rather than dressed in stately attire at center stage, she is relegated to the margins of it, in the earthly tones of an overworked city sweep that underscores the dramatic change in Anastasia’s identity. In choreography that masterfully conveys this shift, Anastasia flits in and out of the crowd of city dwellers as they deliver the energetic number “A Rumor in St. Petersburg.” It’s a poignant beginning of her journey to recover the affectionate connection to her grandmother that the audience so viscerally experienced in the musical’s first scene.

The choreography by Alan Huang ’27, Jess R. Hung ’25, and Alia S. Marrero-AlAttar ’27 reflects Anya’s conflicted identity in a particularly striking manner in “Learn to Do it,” when Dmitry and Vlad convince Anya to join them in their scheme. Dancing first with Dmitry, he leads her around the stage, as if she is unsure of herself, incapable of deciding which direction to move. Soon, Vlad joins, and the two men sandwich Anya in between them and twirl her every which way, creating a visual representation of the role that external forces — politics, violence, misfortune — have played in determining the direction of her life.

Whether expressing Anya’s irrepressible desire to discover her past, Gleb Vaganov’s (Isaac A. Newman ’25) drive to exact revenge, or the excessive indulgence of the Countess Lily (Dzifa A. Ackuayi ’28) that embodies the ennui of the exiled Russian aristocracy, the cast achieves peak dramatic effect by pouring emotion into their acting. Beirne, whose blazing artistry propels the show, demonstrates choreographic aptitude and breathtakingly convincing acting. Her vivid characterization of Anya is exemplified when she sings “Journey to the Past,” a song in which Anya reckons with her identity. Beirne’s voice is deeply powerful, and she expresses Anya’s yearning to find herself with a chilling force.

Another performance deserving of commendation comes from Newman, who plays Gleb. As he emerges from the shadows of the stage in most scenes, he conveys the dark anger that guides him, as his father died of shame over his participation in killing the Romanovs. Gleb’s resentment is brought to a head in “Still/The Neva Flows (Reprise),” when he stands ready to murder the princess and avenge his father. A deathly silence overcomes the theater as Newman shakes compulsively, fighting to muster the will to perform the dastardly deed.

The mystery ends with Anya returning the music box to her grandmother, delicately opening it as the orchestra produces a beautifully sentimental tune. In this touching final scene, Anya’s identity and her connection to her grandmother is restored. With shining talent, the cast of “Anastasia” creates a poignant exploration of identity as it is tested by one of the most tumultuous eras in Russian history.

“Anastasia” runs at the Loeb Drama Center through Nov. 9.