Gwydion Theatre Stages Maxim Gorky's "The Lower Depths"

The classic play about a boardinghouse of the damned is part of the company's season exploring class issues.

Feb. 26, 2026 at 3:47am

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Gwydion Theatre Company, a young ensemble that moved from Los Angeles to Chicago post-pandemic, is mounting a new adaptation of Maxim Gorky's 1902 social-realist drama "The Lower Depths." The play, which continues Gwydion's season-long exploration of class issues, follows an eclectic group of characters from vastly different spheres who now live together in a dilapidated boardinghouse, struggling to find hope amidst their dire economic circumstances.

Why it matters

As a pre-Russian Revolution work, "The Lower Depths" reveals Gorky's early concerns with the crushing psychological weight of an exploitative system, drawing parallels to late-stage capitalism. The play offers an extended meditation on how different individuals respond to poverty and hardship.

The details

Gwydion's new adaptation, penned by artistic director Grayson Kennedy and directed by Danny Kapinos, features over a dozen characters with little in the way of plot. The wandering dialogue and limited character development make the two-and-a-quarter-hour show feel much longer, though some vignettes do show signs of emotional life.

  • The Lower Depths runs from February 19 to March 8, 2026.
  • The play premiered at the Moscow Arts Theatre in 1902 under the direction of Konstantin Stanislavski.

The players

Maxim Gorky

A Russian playwright who was hailed as the founder of the Soviet-sanctioned genre of socialist realism, though his political loyalties were somewhat complicated.

Grayson Kennedy

The artistic director of Gwydion Theatre Company, who penned the new adaptation of "The Lower Depths."

Danny Kapinos

The director of Gwydion Theatre Company's production of "The Lower Depths."

Gwydion Theatre Company

A young ensemble that moved from Los Angeles to Chicago post-pandemic and is mounting this production as part of their season-long exploration of class issues.

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The takeaway

While Gwydion's production of "The Lower Depths" may hold historical interest for fans of early 20th-century Russian drama, the wandering dialogue and limited character development make it a challenging watch for general audiences, despite the play's continued relevance in exploring the psychological toll of poverty and exploitation.