The Queen of Spades at the Teatrium on Serpukhovka

“This Queen of Spades is an original verse reading of a classic. I was impressed by the unusually emotional play of the main actors – the heroes of Herman and the Countess. The musical accompaniment is wonderfully chosen, color and lighting effects create a feeling of complete immersion in the action of the mystical situation unfolding on the stage. The dynamics and constant movement of the actors, the change of moods and even ideas are especially captivating! An interesting interpretation of the first “demonic” story by A. S. Pushkin from the “series” of works related to the card game,” a young lady, accompanied by an imposing young man, commented highly artistically about the premiere.

The plot of the performance is based on the secret of the real origin of the three mystical cards. The idea of ​​the work was given to Pushkin by Prince Golitsyn, who once recouped thanks to the advice of his grandmother Natalya Golitsyna, betting on three specific cards.

“This performance is not an attempt to alter Pushkin’s idea, but an attempt to present our view of the problem raised by the great poet. We do not resort to “modernization” of the production. We are trying to convey that we continue to talk about the same things that Pushkin talked about, ”says director Oleg Ilyin about the work on the production.

The performance features the original text of the poet Alexander Shcherbina, who achieved an absolutely new sound for the story known to everyone from school. Having mixed the poetic text with quotes from the libretto of the opera of the same name and the original, the director received a “composite” work with a modern sound. Classic plot, traditional costumes. And then – the opening of the veil over the mystery of the origin of the three cards.

The performance skillfully intertwined features of romanticism, mysticism and realism. Herman decides to get rich at any cost, but is he ready to pay the price? The team of the performance raises the question, both for themselves and for the viewer, about the price of choice: winning is on one side of the scale, love is on the other. What do the characters choose, and what does the viewer choose?

Cast: Countess – Alena Yakovleva; Herman – Ivan Stebunov and Makar Zaporozhye; Liza – Alina Lanina, Natalya Skomorokhova and Anna Glaube; Tomsky – Andrey Frolov.

The incredibly artistic Alyona Yakovleva plays incomparably – to the rupture of the aorta and to the standing ovation of the hall. Her colleagues also did not disappoint. The performance is watched in one breath.

And who outplayed whom and who made what choice – only after the final: both for the actors and for the viewer.

And about recognition: The Queen of Spades won three awards at the Amur Autumn 2022 festival. Best performance, best female role (Alena Yakovleva), as well as a prize for directing (Oleg Ilyin).

Natalia Loginova.

Photo by Roman Sychevsky and Ksenia Slobodskaya