Dostojevskij wanted to do a portrait of “a good man” in Myschkin – a Christ-like character whose simple-minded goodness had an immense effect on the people around him. However, his saint-likeness has an obliterating effect on the prostituted Natascha who discovers that his love is completely based on pity. She runs away with the mean Rogozhin and dies. David Fischelson has made an excellent adoption of Dostojevskij’s mammoth work and has managed to keep the strength of the original play throughout the adaptation.
