Korney Ivanovich Chukovsky — that name has resonated, delighted, and warmed hearts of children and adults alike for over a century. His fairy tales outsell the editions of Pushkin. Generations come and go, fashions change, but his stories remain beloved and widely read.

Everyone recognizes Chukovsky as a gentle storyteller, a cheerful grandfather figure, a friend to all children. Yet, do we truly know him as a person? A self-taught man born during the reign of Alexander III, a confidant of Mayakovsky, Blok, and Akhmatova; a researcher of Nekrasov and translator of the great American poet Walt Whitman. He was also a father of four children, three of whom he mourned during his lifetime.

What was he really like? What did he conceal from outsiders? Why did he eventually turn away from his own fairy tales?

“Chukovsky” is a journey into a paradoxical fairy tale that transforms into reality. Here, translator Nikolay Korneichuk becomes the storyteller Korney Chukovsky; animals resolve issues in the HOA "Limpopo," and in magical dreams—as in real life—love always prevails.

The 1920s—when all of Chukovsky’s most famous fairy tales were written: "Barmaley," "Fedorino Gorye," "The Tatty Rat," "The Fly-Tie," "Moydodyr," "Doctor Aibolit," "The Telephone," "Stolen Sun." The play "Chukovsky" coincides with their centennial.

Savva Saveliev: “Who is the real Chukovsky? We seek the answer to this question in our play. Therefore, I want to warn the audience right away: this is not a children’s play. ‘Chukovsky’ is a fairy tale for adults. It explores the dark side of fame and fleeting popularity.”