“The Marriage of Figaro”: thoughtfully and without champagne
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On the historical stage of the Maly Theater – the famous “The Marriage of Figaro”. The text by Beaumarchais, written in 1784, last sounded within the walls of the Maly one hundred years ago, although in the pre-Soviet period the play returned here four times. Back in 1920, Suzanne was played by Vera Pashennaya, Marcelina by Ekaterina Leshkovskaya, and Cherubino by the then young Elena Gogoleva. Legends!
Today, the main role in the premiere performance of the Maly Theater is played by People’s Artist of Russia Gleb Podgorodinsky, his rival Count Almaviva is played by Honored Artist of Russia Andrey Chubchenko. The role of Marceline went to the People’s Artist of Russia Alena Okhlupina. Alexandra Ivanova plays the Countess, Olga Pleshkova plays Suzanne. And the image of the Seville doctor Bartolo, who turned out to be the father of the joker and merry fellow Figaro, is the People’s Artist of Russia Valery Afanasyev.
Looking ahead, I will say that the feeling of the performance is ambivalent. And not because the theatrical memory keeps the image of the brilliant Figaro-Mironov in the Theater of Satire. Not because the performance of Mark Zakharov with Lazarev and Pevtsov, Zakharova and Shchukina was for many decades a favorite production based on Beaumarchais.
At the Maly Theater there is a feeling that the director of The Marriage of Figaro, Vladimir Dragunov, could not fully decide on the genre. The very desire to stand out from the general series of comedies, “going into its depths”, is not at all bad. But in this case, the movement away from traditional vaudeville to the side – no, not pathos, but something too serious, lowered the degree of sparkling and festivity, for which the audience loves The Marriage of Figaro so much. We have a dime a dozen thoughtful social plays in our theater, but there is not enough real pure celebration. And it’s not so easy to organize it, this very holiday, for the audience, who has seen a lot of things in his theatrical life.
On The Marriage of Figaro, at some points it becomes boring, as if the champagne had settled and the bubbles had disappeared. Perhaps this is due to the restraint of the lighting solution. Perhaps a clear lack of cheerful music.
But in terms of genre, The Marriage of Figaro gravitates more towards farce than drama. Spectators in a performance expect the actors’ improvisation to be the heights, or at least the appearance of improvisation as a well-rehearsed action. But this is not here.
The success of The Marriage of Figaro, of course, is the acting work of the Honored Artist of Russia A. Chubchenko – Count Almaviva. The actor appears and literally fills the space. Inner power, irony, subtlety, the absence of a game of “giveaway” convince from the first minutes that the image of the governor of Andalusia is worthy to compete on equal terms with the legendary Almaviva of Alexander Shirvindt, not inferior in any way. Although he is completely different.
As for Figaro-Podgorodinsky, everything is not so clear-cut. Gleb Podgorodinsky is very convincing in the scene of the central monologue, which requires a certain seriousness. But in other places where you want cheerful mobility, swiftness, some kind of “articulatedness” of the character, the artist is no longer so good: one feels static, which, perhaps, is again dictated by the task set by the director for a good artist.
As for women, they frankly disappointed. Suzanne – O. Pleshkova lacks female coquetry and lightness in her role. The actress, probably, would have looked amazing in the image of Margarita in Bulgakov’s “Master …”, but her Suzanne looks too cold and aloof. Yes, and the countess – A.I. Ivanova lacks warmth: it was replaced by a touch of suffering. It seems that the actresses are playing a drama, not a comedy.
But beautiful Marceline performed by the People’s Artist of Russia AI Okhlupina. Okhlupina makes the housekeeper Marceline not like any of those that the viewer has seen before. Bright, scandalous, loving, manipulative, caring – Marceline has everything, every manifestation of her character is in place. Okhlupin attracts attention from the first steps, as, by the way, does the People’s Artist of Russia V. A. Afanasyev, who creates the image of the controversial and profound Dr. Bartolo. And V. A. Afanasiev is also the author and performer of songs in the play.
So, if you haven’t seen The Marriage of Figaro at the Maly Theater yet and expect all-conquering crazy fun from it, then you definitely don’t come here. Here it will be completely different – serious, social, thoughtful, sometimes causing a smile, with a long aftertaste of the juicy text of Beaumarchais.
Although, perhaps, just such a “Figaro” someone will like it.
Elena Bulova.
Photos provided by the press service of the theater
Message “The Marriage of Figaro”: thoughtfully and without champagne first appeared on Moscow truth.
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