The secret reason for the scandalous closure of the performance with Khamatova in Riga was revealed

“Almost the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry intervened in theatrical work”

Two weeks have passed since little Riga was stirred up by the news about the closing of the performance with the participation of Chulpan Khamatova at the New Riga Theater, and passions for it will not subside in any way. Gogolis. Nature Morte” (based on Gogol’s play “Old World Landowners”) has never been played, and social networks are still wondering: what happened there anyway? There are still no official comments, but the MK observer managed to learn something from unofficial sources.

Everyone who has been busy with rehearsals for several months still assures that the play “Gogolis. Nature Morte” turned out to be very cool. And he couldn’t have been different: the director Uldis Tirons, although not a theater professional (a well-known publisher of a political magazine, a philosopher), has experience in staging, and a very successful one. And then there was the participation of two strong actors – Chulpan Khamatova and local celebrity Gundar Abolins – guaranteed the quality of the “product”. Well, the main feature is that the artists speak three languages ​​- Russian, Latvian and Ukrainian. What could be cooler?

And it was on this language chip that the “Old-world landowners” were blown up. As it turns out now, of the three languages, the main role was assigned not to Latvian, and even more so not to Russian, but to Ukrainian. And the bet on the Ukrainian language (and then on acting) allegedly guaranteed dividends – firstly. Secondly, 100% hit on the political agenda and, as a result, a great public outcry, and, finally, the production in this form was suitable for European festivals. That is, the Russian classics are now being persecuted, but in Ukrainian it is the very thing.

And when a lot of words in the language of language were learned and appropriated by Russian and Latvian artists, for some reason the Ukrainian side intervened in the theatrical production. It would seem that political activists and migrants from Ukraine should have been glad that Gogol, who always called himself a Russian writer, would now be played in his native language. But attacks began: they say, the move with the Ukrainian language is not justified, Gogol (what is the connection?) wrote in Russian. And Chulpan Khamatova is pro-Russian. It got to the point that almost the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry intervened in theatrical work – and these are claims already at the state level. Where is the logic? I asked.

– Everyone knows that Hermanis came to the run three days before the premiere, – said our Riga interlocutor. – And it seems that under pressure from people from the Ukrainian side, at first he wanted to save the situation – to remove the Ukrainian language and replace it with Latvian. And, perhaps, such a compromise would have succeeded in repaying political pressure and releasing a performance.

But it became clear to him, and to everyone in the theater, that in three days Chulpan, of course, would not have been able to learn so many texts in Latvian. She learned only that small part, which she was supposed to play in the play. And then we decided to close the show. In addition, almost signed non-disclosure agreements with everyone. And everyone was also forbidden to talk about it in the theater.

But the theater is the theater, and bit by bit the information leaked out. All participants in the performance, both creative and technical, involved in the graduation, were offended.

In general, everyone suffered from claims from the Ukrainian side – the theater economy, the audience, who sold out tickets long ago, but Chulpan Khamatova suffered the most. Even before the scandal with the “Old World Landowners”, not even Ukrainians, but Latvians, reminded her of the past. The artist, in fact, was in the millstones: curses are flying from the Russian side, they are not very accepted from the Latvian side. And now from Ukraine, because of which she, in fact, left her homeland.

But where is the logic anyway? I ask.

– Logic does not work in Latvia … And it does not work in Ukraine. We, too, thought it all illogical. But you know, those who have been living in Latvia for a long time are sure that this should have happened. After all, the attitude towards Russians, regardless of their political beliefs, here at the genetic level, to put it mildly, is negative. And what was previously not particularly advertised, now blossomed with lush color.

According to our interlocutor, now all the visitors are faced with this. You can’t spoil it here, and what people allowed themselves in Russia is strictly monitored and suppressed here.