Viewers will see a lesson in love and kindness in “An Extraordinary Journey”

The theater “Grandfather Durov’s Corner” turned 110 years old. On December 3, New Year’s performances began on the New and Old stages. On the Old (Big) stage there is a new play “Winter’s Tale”. On the New Stage, the audience will see an updated version of the already beloved performance “An Extraordinary Journey”. Our correspondent visited one of the performances of “An Extraordinary Journey”.

About the New Stage

“Grandfather Durov’s Corner” is familiar to everyone since childhood. Therefore, it was interesting to see how the theater has changed, what new things have appeared in it. The construction of the new stage began in 2018, and its opening took place in 2021. The spacious foyer pleases with bright colors; there is a buffet in the basement of the building. Installed ramps will help the movement of people with limited mobility.

But then the third bell begins to trill, and we find ourselves in the auditorium. It has over 300 seats. The stage is made in the form of a semicircular amphitheater resembling a circus arena. The auditorium itself is divided into sectors, from each seat you can clearly see everything that happens on the stage.

“The opening of the New Stage solved the theatre’s two main problems: the animals are now placed more freely, and the audience has an additional opportunity to watch performances,” says Natalia Durova Jr., artist-tamer, director of the new performance and artistic director of the theater.

The journey begins!

In the hall at all performances is always a full house. So the play “An Extraordinary Journey” gathered a full hall of spectators from a year and a half to … It is interesting to watch the performance for people of all ages.

The plot is quite simple: the creator of the theater Vladimir Durov and his companion Journalist are going on an exciting journey through different countries. On this extraordinary journey, they meet lynxes, goats, macaque monkeys, sea lions, noses, dogs, cats, wolves, camels, and elephants. But this is not just a meeting with animals, but a really exciting journey, a bright, colorful show. In a short period of time, viewers have time to visit different parts of the world and find out what animals can be found there.

Of course, the main characters of the show are animals. They are real actors of this theater, capable of performing not just tricks, but playing on stage. And they enjoy the game. Everyone plays their role for an encore.

The method of working with animals, which was used by the founder of the theater Vladimir Leonidovich Durov, was fundamentally different from the methods used by the so-called tamers. In his animals, he saw first of all partners and followed the motto “Amusing – teach!” And four-legged artists with affection and mutual trust, which is visible even to the naked eye between the trainer and them, work real miracles.

Each issue is a separate story in a certain part of the world, which tells, first of all, about the mutual trust of a person and his four-legged wards. However, during this bright show, we saw both pinnipeds – the sea lion caused a storm of emotions among the audience, and birds: handsome parrots, which struck with the brightness of their plumage and excellent game.

Of course, adult viewers could not fail to note the work of trainers. Indeed, among the troupe of the theater there are animals that are very difficult to train. For example, nosukha, a charming animal from the raccoon family, she is a real tightrope walker in the arena. And the wolves? Is it possible to teach them something? Everything is possible with grandfather Durov!

The audience applauded the oldest actress of the theater – the elephant Suzy. She has been on stage for more than a dozen years, and during this time she has become a real people’s favorite.

Of course, the New Year’s trip cannot end without Santa Claus and a real Christmas tree. This colorful show cheers up, and we are waiting for the New Year, which is just around the corner. And this theater also teaches us to treat our smaller brothers in a special, attentive and loving way, because we are always responsible for those whom we have taught.

“I think New Year is the most important holiday for children. And we are very glad that we are the first in Moscow to start New Year’s performances. Let our young viewers tune in to the holiday now,” says the artistic director of the theater Natalia Durova Jr.

Nina DONSKIKH.

Author’s photo