Jozef Ilyich
Yuzovsky
1902-1964
Joseph Ilyich Yuzovsky was a Soviet theatre and literary critic. He was born in Warsaw in 1902. His family moved to Odessa in 1912, and then in 1919 to Rostov-on-Don which was known for its rich theatrical life even before the Russian Revolution. In 1924, Yuzovsky graduated from the Faculty of Social Sciences at Don University and the Department of History of Art at Don Archaeological Institute in 1925. That year, he started writing reviews of performances for the Rostov newspaper, Molot. In 1930, Yuzovsky moved to Moscow, where he continued to write about theatre, ballet, opera, circus and music. In the early 1930s, he became interested in A.M. Gorky’s dramaturgy, leading to the publication of Gorky’s Dramaturgy in 1940. Since 1946, Jozef Yuzovsky worked as a senior researcher at the Institute of World Literature and in 1947 published the book “Image and Epoch”, which was dedicated to the interpretation of Shakespeare’s works. In 1967, The Theatre Encyclopedia described him as a critic with a deep understanding of theatre and a vivid literary style. During that time, he rarely published books, preferring to focus on major works, but he continued to actively participate in the theatre, supporting the development of Soviet theatre. Yuzovsky also translated several plays, including “Such Times” by Jerzy Jurandot and “The Guest from the Night” by Ludwik Ashkenazy and “The Good Man of Sezuan” by Bertolt Brecht. The latter’s production at the Taganka Theatre in 1964 became a significant event. A memorial plaque was erected in his honour at the Writers’ House in Moscow, where Yuzovsky lived.
Address: Moscow, Lavrushinsky lane, 17, p. 2
