Award-winning radio play revisits Pussy Riot protest and questions the Putin regime
The radio play Matko boží, vyžeň Putina (Mother of God, Banish Putin) has won Czech Radio first place at the UK International Radio Drama Festival 2026, held in Canterbury. The play revisits an artistic intervention by a group of young women who drew attention to the dangerous ties between the patriarch of the Orthodox Church and the authoritarian regime of Vladimir Putin.
On 21 February 2012, the Russian punk band, Pussy Riot, tried to sing an anti-Putin song in Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Only a few words and tones were sung and played before the five girls, wearing brightly coloured balaclavas, were driven off the premises by security guards.
Thirteen years later, Czech director Jiří Adámek Austerlitz created a radio play that revisits the anti-Putin protest. He brings three female voices to the microphone, which, through a shifting stream of litanies, statements, quotations, and songs, once again pose the question of why Russian society clings so strongly to a dictatorial regime and is willing to tolerate its aggression.
Before creating the radio play, Adámek Austerlitz studied in depth the story of the women from the group Pussy Riot. One of his sources was also a book by activist Nadya Tolokonnikova, who founded the group in 2011.
“Both members of Pussy Riot who were ultimately punished for their performances were students of philosophy. Their actions were intellectually well-grounded. At the same time, before writing the play, I explored the relationship between Putin, Patriarch Kirill and the Orthodox Church, as well as its incredible misuse for war purposes. Gradually, I arrived at a fundamental question, which is implied in the play: Who is the heretic here? Is it Pussy Riot — or Putin and Kirill?”
In formal terms, the radio play combines elements of Orthodox prayer with Russian folk songs. Jiří Adámek chose this approach in order to make the piece accessible to a wider audience.
“It occurred to me that in the guise of activism and feminist punk, a large part of radio listeners wouldn’t be able to connect with it. So I translated it into a more accessible audio language. The fact is that what Pussy Riot performed in their protest is a prayer. Even though it’s in a punk genre, they are essentially praying to the Virgin Mary, asking her to drive away a man who, in their view, is destroying the country they love. I think it’s very important to realize that just because someone uses a rebellious genre doesn’t mean the message isn’t meant seriously.”
The fact that the radio play captivated audiences at an international festival in the UK, where it won first place, is seen by the editor-in-chief of Czech Radio Vltava, Jaroslava Haladová, as a major success.
“I personally feel great joy that the play Mother of God, Banish Putin resonates not only in the Czech Republic but also abroad. I think this proves that art knows no boundaries. Even when translated, the play remains deeply emotional and very powerful. I find it absolutely fantastic that such works are being created at Czech Radio, on the Vltava station — works that can communicate emotions and a strong message across countries. This play is a combination of art and the truth it carries within it.”
The radio composition works with distinctive sound design, music, and stylized vocal expression. The recording features performers Kateřina Císařová, Vendula Holičková, and Bára Mišíková, together with the Brno Contemporary Orchestra under the direction of Pavel Šnajdr. The sound design was created by Ladislav Železný.
The play premiered on 18 February 2025 on Czech Radio Vltava as part of the programme Večerná dráma.
