Chekhov on the Nizhny Novgorod stage: a new play "The Wife" was shown at the drama theater.

      The performance is based on three stories by the great playwright.

      Photo: Valeria Avdeeva The premiere of the play based on A.P. Chekhov's stories "The Wife" directed by Anatoly Praudin (St. Petersburg) took place at the Nizhny Novgorod State Academic Drama Theater named after M. Gorky on Thursday, March 19. In the drama theater, this is the second premiere of the 228th season. According to the director, laureate of the State Prize of the Russian Federation Anatoly Praudin, it was initially planned to bring Chekhov's story "The Wife" to the stage. "But I decided to take two more stories by Chekhov, 'Drunkards' and 'About How I Entered into Legal Marriage,' thus placing the heads of three families 'in one boat.' During the performance, they reveal to each other the secrets of married life, and the characters seek answers to eternal questions: 'who is to blame?' and 'what to do?'," he explained. "The factory owner Frolov, suspecting his wife and the whole world of selfishness, acts out and misbehaves in the tavern. He is echoed by the surgeon doctor Nikolai Yevgrafovich, whose beautiful wife has fallen in love with a young dandy. The male confessional trio is completed by lawyer Almer, whose amazing story of marriage gives hope to future seekers of 'family happiness'," the annotation to the play "The Wife" states. The creators of the new play tried to delve into the problem of an unhappy marriage touched upon by Chekhov and to find an answer to the question of how to become happy. Director Praudin believes that marriage is a huge effort from both spouses. "God requires us to love our neighbor. Love gives the strength to forgive, but our pride often hinders resolving family conflicts. Marriage is not a sweet fairy tale: it requires daily overcoming difficulties. And if after 25 years your wife wants to hug you by the shoulders and kiss your bald head - like Zoya Andreevna, the wife of lawyer Almer in Chekhov's work - that is true happiness and genuine love," he emphasized. On stage, Chekhov's intonation sounds ironic and dramatic at the same time. However, the scenography of the play has caused mixed reactions. Some viewers noted its excessive "Chekhovness": the backyards of the Moscow Art Theater, seagulls on the curtain, and theatrical posters were instantly recognizable and distracted from focusing on the personal stories of the characters. At the same time, another part of the audience highly appreciated such an artistic solution - it made a strong impression on them. The lighting design is done in dark tones - almost all the action takes place in semi-darkness. According to lighting designer Natalia Kuznetsova, this corresponds to the concept: the plot unfolds at night in an entertainment establishment. "Moreover, before the performance and during the intermission, the standby light is turned on backstage - this creates the effect of 'theater within a theater.' In the third part of the production, the lighting becomes brighter, which is dictated by the development of the plot," she said. "Indeed, the third part required a new language and form - after all, it is happy. As a director, I always strive through my performances to warn young people: dangers lurk everywhere in life - even in something seemingly harmless at first glance, for example, in the elegant leg of a woman or in the white hat of an attractive young man - all of this can lead to disaster. It is no coincidence that the last part of the play turned out to be so chaotic. It is important to listen carefully to God's instructions and to thank the Lord for sometimes acting in ways that we need, not as we want," noted Anatoly Praudin. "Anatoly Praudin offered us an unexpected solution - a different Chekhov. We took this creative risk, and in my opinion, it was justified. The actors brilliantly coped with the tasks set by the director. Now everything depends on the audience's reaction," summed up the director of the drama theater Boris Kainov. The upcoming performances of the new play "The Wife" will take place on March 31, April 8, and April 30. Photo of the poster provided by the Nizhny Novgorod Drama Theater The director is the laureate of the State Prize of the Russian Federation Anatoly Praudin, the set designer is the laureate of the Nizhny Novgorod Prize and the Nizhny Novgorod Region Prize named after A.M. Gorky Boris Shlyamin, the lighting designer is Natalia Kuznetsova, and the musical arrangement is by the honored cultural worker of the Russian Federation Mikhail Heyfets.

      In the roles: honored artist of the Russian Federation Sergey Blokhin, honored artist of the Russian Federation Alexander Suchkov, honored artist of the Russian Federation Olga Beregova, drama artists - Natalia Kuznetsova, Oleg Shapkov, Margarita Bagoley, Maria Fotina, Alexander Mamaev, Denis Volkov, Vera Fokova, Sergey Trofimov. Start at 18:30. Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes. Age restriction: 16+.

      Let us remind you, the drama theater will join the all-Russian action "Night of Theatrical Art" (6+) on March 27. It will hold an open rehearsal of the play "Widow's Steamboat" (12+). Author: Olga Kovaleva