Yaga

by Kat Sandler

She's more than just a wicked old witch. Baba Yaga is a legend, usually known as that elderly woman who lives alone in the woods and grinds the bones of the wicked. But what if she was actually a sexy, smart, modern woman operating off of morally ambiguous motives?

A detective finds himself in a small, isolated town asking, what does the disappearance of a young heir to a yogurt empire have to do with some random lore about an old witch? Matched by an apprehensive local sheriff, a university professor with a taste for younger men, and a whole cast of curious characters, the Slavic myth of Baba Yaga twists into a new labyrinth of secret lives, ancient magic, and multiple suspects.

This genre-bending comedic fairy tale meets thrilling whodunit gives voice to an antihero of epic proportions while interrogating how her story has historically been told by men. From now on, you'll remember the name Baba Yaga for the right reasons.

Genres: Plays, Witches

144 pages, Paperback

Published May 18, 2021

Reviews

[Phillip · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of contemporary feminist revisions of fairy tales and other traditional stories, especially ones in which women are presented negatively (which is most fairy tales, to be honest). Sandler reworks the Slavic folk tale of Baby Yaga, an old witch who lives in a cabin on chicken legs in the woods and can grant wishes but also eats children and kills people. In Sandler's re-telling, a private investigator comes to a small town searching for a missing yogurt fortune heir, and he finds a twisted world of sex, mysticism, mystery, secrets, murder, chickens, and bad dogs. In this town, which has virtually no men in it, apart from Detective Rapp and Henry (the missing heir, whom we meet in flashback scenes), all other characters are female--though this never strikes Rapp as odd, and honestly I didn't really think much about it until the end of the play. He works with police Detective Carson and his prime suspect is Katherine Yazov, a professor in her sixties who was having an affair with Henry, but when it turns out she has an alibi he has to find a new suspect. However, when Elena, Katherine's mom, complicates the story with some Ukrainian folktales suspiciously reminiscent of the murder, Rapp is put on a path that leads him into a twisted world of magic, superstition, female rage, and punishment for sexual violence.
https://youtu.be/6GfT7waf3bE

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVED THIS.

Girl power to the MAX. Is it a little twisted? Sure. But, I loved it. This is crazy relevant right now and I hope more companies decide to produce this show!

[Not Sarah Connor Writes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this play by Playwrights Canada Press in exchange for an honest review.

Brilliant! Stupendous! Amazing! I want to see this live!

Read the full review on my blog!

[Aaron Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This play is so good. It's a mystery, first of all, and I think I'm just so pleased to have read two really good mysteries for the stage in the last couple of weeks. (The Extractionist is the other. So good.) But Yaga might even be better than that. It's an investigation into a folkloric character, a feminist reimagining of a fairy-tale monster, and a really sexy story of seduction and desire. This is a really good time.

[Katie Laskemoen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing!!!

[Tan · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Are all women Yaga?"

[Sterling Wesson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pretty good! The start was pretty meh but it really comes together in the second half. Definitely the best of the plays I’ve had to read so far.

[Karley · Rating 5 out of 5]

just a fucking firecracker of a play. obsessed with it when i saw it at tarragon, obsessed with it in print. kat is everything i want to be as a playwright

[kristen tan · Rating 5 out of 5]

im in this play and technically i read it for the first time in december but im counting it now bc im 4 books behind schedule 😭
ok this slays, i play woman b and everything about it is so fun

[Rachel Whelen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this this much. Folky witch vibes mixed with a detective story and female rage. Yes please!

[Tarrah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really my cup of tea. It was going to be 2 stars but the ending was fairly interesting, certainly a lot better than the rest of the play.

[dom · Rating 5 out of 5]

spectacular i want to see this performed i LOVEEEE kat sandler

[Gael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This play is just sooooo goooooood.

[Benjamin Kersey]

LOVED IT

[Helena VanNatter · Rating 5 out of 5]

i need to help produce this play NOW