The Coast of Utopia I, II, and III

These three plays by Tom Stoppard bring to life some of the Russian revolutionaries during the period from 1833 to 1866.  Michael Bakunin and Alexander Herzen are particularly featured - Bakunin as a somewhat juvenile, but infectiously enthusiastic inciter of armed revolution and Herzen as a thoughtful, clear-headed intellectual who believes in incremental change.  Herzen to Bakunin:

Stop!- 'Destruction is a creative passion' You're such a . . . child! We have to go to the people, bring them with us, step by step.

Later, Bakunin offers a toast "The liberty of each, for the equality of all!" and Herzen objects "What does that mean?  It doesn't mean anything" and Bakunin replies "It means I am not free unless you, too, are free - and Herzen says "That's nonsense - you were free when I was locked up."  Herzen finally concludes

"I am devoted to you, Bakunin. I delight in the fanfare, no, the funfair of your pronouncements.  I would name my child for you, but equally I would name you for my child, because everything which is simple you make difficult and everything difficult simple.  You've made yourself a European reputation by a kind of revolutionary word-music from which it is impossible to extract an ounce of meaning, let alone a political idea, let alone a course of action". 

Stoppard's dialog is, naturally,  fast and clever, but there are moments of heart-rending tragedy, and the personalities are indelible.