Elena Kovalskaya. Old woman at 27 years old

Old woman at 27 years old
Three oddities of "Uncle's Dream" at the Vakhtangov Theater

Elena Kovalskaya

Publication date: December 13, 2000

new Vakhtangov's production of "Uncle's Dream" directed by Vladimir Ivanov will not make the theatrical difference in Moscow. But it’s worth a look not only because it’s a light and funny comedy. There are three oddities in Ivanov's performance. The fact that this is Dostoevsky’s story is indicated only by the repentant monologue of Zina (Anna Dubrovskaya) in the finale: it reminds of Nastasya Filippovna performed by the Vakhtangov star of another generation - Yulia Borisova. The rest of the time, Dostoevsky looks like Gogol, although the director does not distort the text.

Dostoevsky wrote “Uncle’s Dream” in parallel with “The Village of Stepanchikov,” but some time before he let slip the idea of ​​a “comic novel” (comedy was the first thing Dostoevsky took up after hard labor). And if “The Village of Stepanchikovo” repeats the plot of “Tartuffe,” then “Uncle’s Dream” refers either to Gogol or to French repertoire comedies, and in the finale it parodies “Onegin.” The director who staged the story cut out this ending, as well as the plot of Zina's unhappy love and the consumptive teacher of her deceased brother. Together with the latter - that “Dostoevschina” with which this particular storyline was loaded. What remains is written in the program: “the story of the rise, glory and solemn fall of Marya Alexandrovna Moskaleva and her entire house in Mordasov . ” That is, only a comedic intrigue associated with the arrival in the city of a young old prince, to whom the first lady Mordasova Marya Alexandrovna undertook to marry off her daughter, the proud beauty Zina.

About Prince Dostoevsky he wrote that he “is not yet God knows what kind of old man, and yet, looking at him, the thought involuntarily comes to mind that he has become dilapidated, or, better said, worn out . ” The prince is played by Vladimir Etush . And here the second strangeness appears: the concept of “playing” does not fit well with what Etush does. Well, he's grazing - that's understandable - he's playing. But which of the two - Etush or the prince - barely drags his feet, is ready to fall out of the chair without support and senselessly widens his eyes - it is no longer possible to make out. If Etush, then the theater that brought the actor on stage in such a state should have sued. For using weakness for personal gain. If it’s a prince, then it’s a rather rare precedent. Older actors tend to be economical in stagecraft and as unconditional as the proverbial cat. Their means are details, not permanent characteristics. And the hundred-year-old Etush desperately ages his desperately younger old man.

The third phenomenon is Maria Aronova, who plays the main lady Mordasova. Aronova is good enough for her heroine to be her daughter. Moreover, Aronova is younger than Anna Dubrovskaya, who plays her own daughter. The fact that Aronova is a wonderful comedian has been known for a long time. But only now has it become obvious that twenty-seven-year-old Aronova is a brilliant comic old woman (there is such a role). Or rather, it was, but died out. Together with the last comic old woman - Faina Ranevskaya .

The next performances are on December 15 and 27.