Akunin has also been translated into English.  He is an extraordinary brilliant man - his real profession is as Professor of Oriental Studies, he is an expert on Japanese antiquities and speaks and writes Japanese fluently... he writes on the subject in Japanese and is published there, under his "real" name (which is not "Akunin"...  that's a made-up name clear to any Russian, who would see that that "B Akunin" is a jest at Bakunin.   I am not sure his work would translate well - its astounding style is at least part of the joy of reading him... along with the extensive spoofs of other works he includes as a compliment to his well-read readership

I think his cleverest piece is "The Seagull", published "back-to-front" in one volume with Chekhov's "The Seagull"...  it takes the penultimate line of Chekhov's work,  and moves forward with it...

Chekhov's play ends:

DORN. [Looking through the pages of a magazine, to TRIGORIN] There was an article from America in this magazine about two months ago that I wanted to ask you about, among other things. [He leads TRIGORIN to the front of the stage] I am very much interested in this question. [He lowers his voice and whispers] You must take Madame Arkadina away from here; what I wanted to say was, that Constantine has shot himself.

The curtain falls.

Akunin's play begins:

DORN. [Looking through the pages of a magazine, to TRIGORIN] There was an article from America in this magazine about two months ago that I wanted to ask you about, among other things. [He leads TRIGORIN to the front of the stage] I am very much interested in this question. [He lowers his voice and whispers] You must take Madame Arkadina away from here; what I wanted to say was, that Constantine has shot himself.

TRIGORIN: No, he has not shot himself!  Someone has shot him!

 

The Moscow Theatre for Contemporary Work stages both plays on one evening with the same cast, running on after an interval