The Story of a Kidnapping adapts O. Henry’s The Ransom of Red Chief

Production Details and Theatrical Tour History

Staged for audiences aged 12 and older, the performance takes place at Nebolshoy Theatre located at 1/11 Pushkinskaya Street, with ticket availability and scheduling confirmed directly through event organizers. The production runs for two hours and forty minutes, including an intermission. Director Eduard Terekhov brings O. Henry’s tale to the stage, following previous festival and tour appearances by the company. In 2019, the production traveled to Volgograd as part of the federal program “Big Tours for Children and Youth.” Subsequently, the show appeared in Samara during September 2021 for the 5th Interregional Festival “Volga Theatrical.”

Plot Adaptation of O. Henry’s Classic

The narrative transports viewers to a setting near a small town in southern Alabama, where two ambitious adventurers hatch a scheme to make quick money. The pair abducts the son of the town’s wealthiest resident, planning to demand a substantial ransom for his safe return. However, the kidnappers encounter an unexpected obstacle when the young captive reacts with boundless enthusiasm to his captivity. Deprived of normal parental attention, the boy embraces the escapade as an exciting adventure. Infused with relentless energy and an active imagination, the child redefines the dynamic of the kidnapping by styling himself as the chief of an Indian tribe. Instead of a standard hostage situation, the captive establishes his own rules and assigns roles to his bewildered captors. The resulting plot features humor, resourceful pranks, and unexpected twists as the kidnappers find themselves overwhelmed by the energetic demands of their supposed prisoner.