This is a collection of John Freedman's reviews and articles, most originally written for the Moscow Times, in which he focuses his expert critical eye on the directors, writers and actors who held center stage during the 1996-97 theater season in Moscow.The book looks at the debut of promising new artists and directors at the Moscow Art Theater celebrating its 100th anniversary this year and offers a wealth of insight into the latest developments in Russian theater.Freedman illuminates all of the season's noteworthy trends and events in clear, informed and unapologetically opinionated reports. More than just an overview of the stars and highlights, "Moscow Performances II" observes at close range the playhouses and the people who make up the ever-changing face of contemporary Russian theater today.This volume is generously illustrated with photographs of featured productions and will be a useful reference for students, professors, writers, directors and actors in the fields of Russ