Dead Souls. “Dead Souls” at the Mayakovsky Theater Performance dead souls with an innocent
I tried to write a review, taking into account past shortcomings. It didn’t work out at all with “teeth”, because I really liked it and I didn’t see any global things that I could find fault with. It turned out longer. If anything there will be an interesting photo at the end))))
The plot of “Dead Souls” is simple, on the one hand. A person wants to get rich by any means. This topic remains relevant even now. On the other hand, the poem contains many pitfalls. Gogol presents us with heroes with established principles, explaining why they became like that. Everyone's fate turned out differently, everyone had their own trials. And everyone became the way they were able to survive the trials. A work like " Dead Souls", cannot be completely staged. A reduction in the author's text is inevitable. But it can be shortened, changed and brought to life based on the talent of the production team.
“Dead Souls” was repeatedly staged on the stages of Russian theaters. And in each production the emphasis was on one theme, which was highlighted by the director. Theater named after Mayakovsky was no exception. The director made the characters humane, despite their meanness. Chichikov's main dream, about family and children, was carried through the entire performance. In a play, you cannot make editing or special effects that show that these are the thoughts or dreams of the hero. But here it was clear even without special effects. A person's normal, down-to-earth dream of a family. But she went through the performance like air.
At the theater. Mayakovsky has its own special atmosphere. The first thing that catches your eye is the decoration of the hall, which is made in red. The Red Hall is a bit overwhelming, purely visually. The color red, in general, acts as an irritant. But this is a tribute to the theater’s past, an echo from history, which used to be the Theater of the Revolution. The same respectful attitude towards the past was carried over into Sergei Artsibashev’s production.
But to fully experience the performance, you must read Gogol’s poem.
The play is in two acts. One act is one volume. And even though the first volume was shortened, and in the second they added their own, everything was in moderation, without prejudice to the performance and the work. The director's line is built very competently. Sergei Artsibashev made the performance easy to understand. Quite a difficult task for Dead Souls. There is a lot of meaning in the sets and costumes.
In the first act, all the actors wear colorful costumes that correspond to the time being described. Their souls are still “alive”. This means that they still see colors, they see joy, they are not yet empty, not hardened. And behind them the scenery is a whole black rotating circle, which turns into houses where Chichikov is received. The concept of the play is structured in such a way that Chichikov rides in a carriage and stops by to visit everyone. Naturally, in the play you will not see all of Gogol’s philosophical thoughts and subtexts. Here only small part. But for this you need to read the book.
The whole circle expresses both the fullness of life that the heroes live and the completed first volume. The black scenery is a reflection of the darkness of Gogol's poem. Nikolai Vasilyevich wrote about the tragedy of man. And an attempt to convey the mysticism that accompanied Gogol.
Gloomy “live” scenery was also in “Electra’s Fate” at RAMT, which produced the strongest impression and made a performance. They also created tension and a sense of the viewer’s involvement in the performance. Only in the theater. Mayakovsky they also had hands. Literally. It’s true that walls can hold a person or let him go. The walls have not only “ears”, but also “hands”.
In the second act, all the actors are in black and white suits and there is a semicircle behind them. This is the burned second volume and the death of a person’s soul. A very interesting find to show, or rather emphasize more clearly, the “dead” soul in the mise-en-scène when Chichikov comes to General Betrishchev. In the general’s office hangs his color portrait, and below, under the portrait, hangs a red jacket with orders. Once upon a time in his youth, Betrishchev had a “living” soul, fought with the French, and strived for something new. And now he is a man tired of life, little interests him. The point has been made.
The musical design by Vladimir Dashkevich added even more darkness and tension to the performance. What wonderful songs there were about Rus'. All the music is on topic, in place, with the right accents. And very memorable. Which is rare for music for a play. She often passes by.
Chichikov (Sergei Udovik) was an insecure person. Mumley, led by a person. There was no visible desire in him to earn money in order to commit such fraud for the sake of it. He fit into the play, but the role was not a success. Chichikov is a man who knows his worth and is confident in his actions. He is moving towards his goal. Udovik got lost among the scenery, costumes and other actors. Chichikov was not main character, but as a prism through which the main characters pass (Sobakevich, Plyushkin, Korobochka).
It was unthinkable to imagine the handsome man Igor Kostolevsky in the role of Plyushkin. The makeup and acting did their job. Kostolevsky was unrecognizable. He looked like Baba Yaga. Even looking through binoculars, it is impossible to believe that this is the same Kostolevsky. Such a transformation. Plyushkin was indeed on stage. And no one else. If Kostolevsky had not had a second role in the second act, where he plays the Governor-General, then one might have thought: “there is a mistake in the program.” Bravo, Maestro!
The final speech of the Governor General, performed by Kostolevsky, was more relevant than ever. Yes, Gogol wrote it many years ago. Yes, it has been edited. But the essence remains. And the essence has not changed over these centuries. This makes me want to cry, not to believe that this is true. It’s a pity that not every viewer will take these words personally.
Korobochka (Svetlana Nemolyaeva) is a lonely widow who is slow to think. Or maybe not even tight. She just has no one to talk to, and in this way she tries to detain those who come to her. Nemolyaeva surprisingly accurately conveyed all the features and habits of Korobochka. The old guard of actors have not lost their talent and skill.
Sobakevich (Alexander Andrienko) was not so clumsy. There was no fullness of character, the hero as such was not revealed. Sobakevich will not miss his benefits. He does not like society, he is closed to himself. The hero is complex, you have to dig into him and dig into him.
Production of “Dead Souls” at the Theater. Mayakovsky is a tribute to Nikolai Gogol. A performance made with such love can be forgiven for minor shortcomings.
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Stage director: Sergey Artsibashev
Premiere: 12.11.2005
"A little man with little passions"
“Dead Souls” is another magnificent interpretation of the classic by Artsibashev, who risked staging the first and second (unfinished by Gogol) volumes of the work for the first time on a theatrical stage. Even in the first year of its premiere, the production declared itself so loudly that for almost ten years now it has been considered the number one performance in the theater. Mayakovsky on a par with “Marriage”.
I was able to visit " Dead souls“twice: once in the first month of the show and the second time in the fall of last year. Over these eight years, the performance has become even more polished and coherent. Mainly Chichikov is different now. Previously, he was played by Sergei Artsibashev himself, I must admit, superbly, but he has a slightly different flavor of his own personality, a pronounced masculinity, which I did not quite associate with literary Paul Ivanovich. And Sergei Udovik, who has been playing this role since 2011, fits the type brilliantly. The mediocrity and dullness of this “mediocre gentleman”, whose only passion was the indispensable desire to get rich - all this is ideally embodied on stage by the actor.
Artsibashev's production is, of course, a modernized vision of the original source, both internal and external. In terms of content, the script is somewhat adapted to current reality; it does not always quote the book directly, and sometimes liberties are taken, such as the one where Korobochka (Svetlana Nemolyaeva) signs with the address Email("dot ru"). But, for all that, the correct meaning is put into the characters’ mouths, which correctly conveys Gogol’s ideas. The performance is presented amazingly externally as well. Firstly, this is an unusual decoration, in the form of two semicircular walls, white inside and black outside. Secondly, walls woven from wide ribbons represent a special decoration. Hands appear from the scenery, lining up in a kind of staircase, when Chichikov bribes officials; then the torsos of people appear, depicting the glorious stallions that Nozdryov (Alexey Dyakin, and in the recent past, the unforgettable Alexander Lazarev) is so eager to sell; then stage decor elements are mounted in them. And this checkeredness of matter is in everything, even in the clothes of the heroes, as if life consists of these black and white squares, like a chessboard, where you need to think through the move, and walk “by the rules,” and where everything is either white or black.
The metamorphosis of actors in one performance is interesting, when in the second act the same people play diametrically opposed characters. Igor Kostolevsky is especially striking, appearing before the audience first in the image of the stingy Plyushkin. He crawls out of some hole, in rags, altered several times, with a mended scarf tied on his head, from under which a tow of hair is falling out, nervously twitches the pathetic rag in his hand, carefully pressing it to himself, grins an almost toothless smile - some kind of a terrifying exaggerated image of Baba Yaga. And in the next department Kostolevsky is the Governor-General, a man of high moral principles, in a snow-white uniform with gold epaulettes.
Performance by famous work Gogol's "Dead Souls" on the stage of the Theater. Mayakovsky is a very powerful and expressive performance, staged by Sergei Artsibashev. Its visual component is interesting - we admire the wonderful selection of magnificent actors (both old school and modern), the incredible makeup that changes recognizable faces beyond recognition (Plyushkin performed by Kostolevsky, Nozdrev - Dyakina, Sobakeich - Andrienko, Korobochka - Nemolyaeva), created special effects ( stormy night, balls, deals for the sale of souls, trips in a carriage, bribes, an industrial plant, etc.). Otherwise, this is the classic that was carefully transferred to the stage, plus the opportunity to see the author’s vision of director Artsibashev on the unfinished second volume of “Dead Souls” by Nikolai Vasilyevich.
In conclusion, one only has to quote Gogol and understand with bitterness how relevant he is even after one hundred and seventy years: “I understand that dishonor is so deeply rooted among us that it is shameful and shameful to be honest. But the moment has come when we must save our land, save our Fatherland. I appeal to those who still have it in their chest Russian heart and who at least understand the word “nobility”. Brothers, our land is perishing. It is not perishing from the invasion of foreigners, it is perishing from ourselves. Already, in addition to the legal government, another, stronger than the legal one, has formed. Everything in our lives has already been assessed and prices have been announced all over the world. And no bravest, wisest ruler will be able to correct evil until each of us finally feels that we must rebel against untruth. I appeal to those who have not forgotten what the nobility of thought is, to those whose souls are still alive, I ask them to remember the debt that must be repaid here on earth. After all, if you and I don’t remember our duty...”
Prepared by: Andrey Kuzovkov
Lyuba O reviews: 140 ratings: 220 rating: 174
NastyaPhoenix reviews: 381 ratings: 381 ratings: 405
I’ll start my story about the play “Dead Souls”, staged by Artsibashev (and he couldn’t have staged it badly, I know him from Pokrovka) based on the “poem about Chichikov in two volumes”, written partly by Gogol and partly by Malyagin, so to speak , in half. These two volumes made up two acts, separated by an intermission and lasting two hours. I will say in advance that it is impossible to find fault anywhere with the “external data” of the performance: firstly, the excellent performance of perfectly chosen actors, and first of all Artsibashev himself in the role of Chichikov himself. Secondly, the original solution of the scenery in the form of a giant rotating cone, with which you could do anything: open its internal space for everyone to see, and put something outside it, on a platform that sets it in motion, and push it into holes in it for the arms and head. Thirdly, the music itself and the “off-screen” singing of the choir together with the singing of the actors “in the frame”; all the songs not only organically complemented the action stylistically, but were even mostly based on plots lyrical digressions Gogol. Let's add to this costumes, lighting, turning the prompter's booth into a chaise - and we get a product of undoubtedly high quality. But all this, as usual, is not the main thing - now let’s turn our attention to the meaning. The first act is, first of all, a competent artistic reading of Gogol's text: bright types of landowners, subtle humor, and at the forefront - Chichikov, to whom his father did not leave money, but left advice to save a penny, enthusiastically undertook to fulfill what was bequeathed by his parent and from the position professional psychologist suitable for each new “victim”. It seems like we already went through all this at school, it seems like nothing new, but already there in the finale, when Chichikov’s secret is revealed by Nozdryov (Alexander Lazarev), the viewer may wonder which of them is the bigger scoundrel. However, all the ideas put in by Malyagin, which were only outlined in the first act, and all the evangelical subtext assumed by Gogol, almost imperceptible in the first act, will clearly appear in the second act. In it, it is no longer possible not to perceive Chichikov, caught red-handed after another scam and put in a cage, as a tragic character. He proves to us too convincingly that he is not a criminal, he did not offend children and widows, but “took only from the rich.” And we ourselves see that he is led not by the thirst for profit, but by the captivating ghost of family happiness, which appears to him in the form of a woman surrounded by a flock of children, because this happiness, in his opinion, would be impossible without means of subsistence, without capital. We ourselves see that he is being pushed to sin by a man with the terrible name Legal Adviser (Evgeniy Paramonov), the leader of officials, who in the first act only suggests to Chichikov the idea of buying up dead souls, and in the second he already holds on tightly to him, pursues him, does not let go, seduces , like the devil, and how the devil appears from underground - from a hole in the floor of the stage. But if the first act still fully corresponds to the name “Dead Souls” - in it we are fully convinced of the worthlessness of the existence of landowners - then the second act should be called “Living Souls”: it features two damn cute characters - the Governor General (Igor Kostolevsky ) and Murazov (Igor Okhlupin). They preach, turning not so much to the serf age, but to the present century: the first proves to the audience that the time has come to save the Motherland, which is perishing not from foreigners, but from ourselves, and the second proves to Chichikov that all his plans are crumbling, because they are being built on the sand - on deception. “What power!” - Chichikov admires the power of the Legal Adviser and his retinue; Murazov and the Prince, talking to him, insist that truth is on their side. How can one not remember the proverb “God is not in power, but in truth”, and not apply it to Gogol’s global, universal scale of the planned trilogy, which would have rivaled Dante’s work, had it been created?.. And Chichikov, already half saved by the love that had awakened in him to Ulinka Betrishcheva, makes his choice in favor of truth, not force, when Murazov and the Prince convince him that his soul is alive, active, it’s just that this energy, patience, ingenuity should be directed in a different direction, forced to serve good, and not evil. The second act ends with the words of the coachman Selifan (Yuri Sokolov), who fatherly hugs his master and is firmly convinced that if the soul is alive, then it is immortal. Purgatory, in which Chichikov, who has passed through hell, is saved through suffering, ends with the threshold of heaven, which is why such a bright, optimistic feeling remains after watching this performance, as in general after all of Artsibashev’s performances. So here is a work familiar from childhood, which many are accustomed to viewing as social satire and nothing more, at the hand of a real Master with capital letters could turn into another beautiful story... about love. After all, it is without her, and not at all without money, that family – and not only – happiness, which Chichikov, embodied by Artsibashev, so dreamed of, is impossible. In short, I strongly recommend everyone to watch this performance, which will certainly be one of my favorites.
19.06.2008
Comment on the review
muller43 muller reviews: 2 ratings: 2 rating: 2
A performance without any storyline. Only Sergei Udovik (Chichikov) and Alexey Dyakin (Nozdrev) pull off the performance. Definitely not worth going.
From organizational moments. If you book tickets online, do not believe what is written on the website. You will be given a ticket not at the entrance by the administrator, but at the box office.
When exiting, only one door to the street was open.... the result was the biggest crowd I have ever seen in theaters))
MrArtem Kuzmin reviews: 4 ratings: 10 rating: 12
A wonderful performance, excellent acting, an interesting idea and scenery, but this is not Gogol...
The scenery is another story, they were unusual and I really liked their idea, as has already been described here. There were two semicircles: white inside and dark outside, which rotated and had many different hidden doors. These doors let all the actors down. They were so worn that some of them did not open at the right time. Let's say, the disgraced Chichikov fought at all costs. open doors to his friends, but they closed them, and so he turned his back to the scenery and began to pronounce his monologue, and these two semicircles with doors began to rotate, and at the phrase: “Why did all my friends close the doors in front of my nose” - by accident such an opening hits him on the back. According to its logic, the entire second act is lost, since why should he go somewhere if the path has been opened for him. There were many such cases.
If you have not read and are not going to read Dead Souls, then, of course, come. Otherwise, before the appearance of Plyushkin, the production does not resemble Gogol’s text. In places she was vulgarized by the non-existent actions of Nozdryov, Chichikov and Manilov’s wife, who managed to make such gestures that her dress rose to incredible heights.
All of the above is compensated by a strong ending that will make you think about Russia and the soul.
Svetlana Dyagileva reviews: 117 ratings: 168 rating: 88
I decided to go to “Dead Souls” because I had heard that it was a classic production with Nemolyaeva and Kostolevsky.
The performance was divided into 2 parts according to the respective volumes. I didn’t read the second volume, but we weren’t forced to.
Overall I liked the performance. This is a good, solid performance with wonderful actors. This is the same performance where it’s not scary to bring schoolchildren (unlike “Eugene Onegin” at the Vakhtangovsky, which is wonderful, but not for schoolchildren). Overall, a heavily stripped-down story with a classic text.
There were very interesting decorations, or rather what was made of them. Around the stage there was a high canvas up to the ceiling, which outside black, with white inside. This decoration moves and comes in two parts so you can open them up. So, on the black side, the set was lined with stretchy fabric through which you could stick hands, heads, bodies, and props. It was very interesting! The most amazing thing is that the scenery moved with incredible precision: it stopped at the right moment, and the actors who were inside brought the necessary things to the stage, holding out their hands, or leaning out when necessary (they themselves were periodically part of the props).
I also liked Chichikov’s chaise: they removed several boards from the front stage, made a seat for the coachman and a portable box-bench for Chichikov. The top was reversible and foldable. I really liked this find.
The costumes were good! Costumes of that era: ladies in dresses with rings, men in suits. Nemolyaeva has the most costumes: in the first act, one for the role of Korobochka, the second is light for socialite; in the second - dark for a lady.
There were several moments of humor: Korobochka’s (Nemolyaev) signature: “Kor.ru”, and then the ru replayed “Rub come on”; "dogs"; A pleasant lady and a lady pleasant in every way.
I really liked Kostolevsky! Simply incredible! In the first act he played Plyushkin, and in the second - the Governor-General. I didn’t even recognize him in the role of Plyushkin! Of course, I was sitting high, of course, I was in the movie" Nameless star“I remember when I was young, but he was an incredible Plyushkin! He looked like Baba Yaga! In some incredible worn, torn, wretched robe-dress, with some kind of incomprehensible headdress, all hunched over, offended by his relatives, incredibly greedy, bargaining over air. In the second act in the role of Governor General, he is already in a suit, with a beautiful wife, a grayish, respectable gentleman.
I also noted Kucher Chichikov for myself. He's interesting and wonderful. The role may be small, but in this role the actor put so much love into the strange gentleman! And especially at the end, when he talked about the soul.
My opinion is this: it is very good performance especially for lovers of the classics and classical productions(if you don't take into account the decorations). When going to a performance, you need to be prepared for a huge number of frantic schoolchildren. Sometimes they really look like mad people, especially when they are not controlled by teachers. Sometimes it seems that they came to the theater for the first time and do not know that they are usually silent during the performance. I was lucky, I sat where there were no schoolchildren - they sat on my tier above.
