Vera; Or, The Nihilists
Set against the backdrop of widespread social and political unrest in turn-of-the-century Tsarist Russia, Oscar Wilde’s little-known first play is a story of idealism, conspiracy and corruption.
As social unrest sweeps across Russia, a young woman by the name of Vera Sabouroff travels to Moscow to avenge her brother’s unjust imprisonment. Driven initially by a desire for vengeance, Vera becomes embroiled with a secretive faction of social radicals known as the Nihilists and rapidly becomes their most proficient assassin.
United only by their rejection of societal norms and their desire to spark a nationwide revolution, the group hatch a daring plot—to murder the Czar and free their nation from the grip of tyranny. But when her ideals are brought into conflict with her heart, Vera finds herself doubting the cause for which she has risked everything.