The first installment of Tom Stoppard’s Russian revolution trilogy documents the emergence of European philosophical ideas under the oppressive rule of Czar Nicholas. This was a time when an elite’s vast estate was valued by how many souls or people were bound to the property.

The play follows the enlighten- ment of Michael Bakunin, the young and rebellious heir to a feudal estate worth hundreds of souls, as he ca- priciously embraces the teachings of different philosophers and searches for the meaning of life. He meets other young Russian revolutionaries along the way that help shape his philosophic education as they work to spread freedom to the empire.

Hosted by the Shotgun Players, this play is a shining example of how local theater should be done. The actors maneuver the small stage and interact with only a few props, but it’s no stretch of the imagination to travel with the characters and follow the story.

The scale of the production in no way inhibits the actors’ ability to im– merse an audience in a 19th-century Russia that struggles to uphold past traditions while its citizens contem– plate autonomy. To say it simply, this is some of the best acting I have seen at a local play.

If you find yourself in Berkeley or have an interest in this play, I encourage you to buy a ticket. You’ll be glad you did.