Irkutsk Young Spectator Theatre opens 99th season with The Forest

Theatre director Alexander Grechman said píesy Aleksandra Ostróvskogo vsegdá búdut aktuál’ny, ved’ v níh podnimáyutsya véchnye témy, v dánnom slúchae – eto vopros sóvesti v sàmom shirokom obshchechelovécheskom smysle as the Irkutsk Regional Young Spectator Theatre named after A. Vampilov opened its 99th season on September 18, with the comedy The Forest, Областная газета reported.

Opening Night and the Estate of Penki

The production began in the Penki estate of landowner Raisa Pavlovna Gurmyzhskaya, played by Marina Егорова. On her dependency are her impoverished relative Aksyusha, played by Aleksandra Бринько, and Aleksey Bulanov, an uncompleted gymnasium student played by Ilya Vetrov. Gurmyzhskaya tells wealthy neighbors Milonov, played by Filipp Cherny, and Bodaev, played by Dmitry Ivanov, that she intends to marry the young pair with a dowry. Viewers soon realize this is a facade for her true intentions with Bulanov.

Aksyusha is in love with Pyotr, the son of merchant Vosmibratov. Pyotr is played by Andrey Goncharov, while his father is played by Ilya Krikun. The calculating merchant refuses to let his son marry without a dowry. The arrival of provincial actors Gennady Neschastlivtsev, played by Aleksandr Sterelyugin, and Arkady Schastlivtsev, played by Pavel Matushevich, disrupts the estate.

The Choice Between Freedom and Comfort

Neschastlivtsev is Gurmyzhskaya’s missing nephew, a hereditary nobleman who left a comfortable life for an acting career. Grechman chose the play because a production about theatre fits the TAZh anniversary context. Predlozheniem teatra bylo postavit’ Ostrovskogo, a ya radel imenno za etu p’esu, potomu chto logichno, chto spektakl’ v preddverii yubileya TYuZa o teatre, Grechman explained.

Gurmyzhskaya hides her nephew’s profession while trying to seduce Bulanov. The production uses a butterfly motif to symbolize the unequal relationship. Bulanov carries a collection of insects, and Gurmyzhskaya appears in a white moth costume. Grechman noted that v etih otnosheniyah net chuvstv, a est’ tol’ko raschet, Gurmyzhskaya pokupaet lyubov’ Bulanova, a tot prodaet svoyu molodost’ za sytuyu zhizn’, poetomu takie otnosheniya iznachal’no mertvy.

Neschastlivtsev Resolves Disputes Before Leaving the Production

Vosmibratov attempts to cheat Gurmyzhskaya over a forest sale, but Neschastlivtsev intervenes and returns the money. Housekeeper Ulita, played by Natalya Malamud, breaks off her relationship with Schastlivtsev upon learning he is an actor. Neschastlivtsev later urges Aksyusha to become an actress after she contemplates suicide over Pyotr.

Gurmyzhskaya ultimately presents Bulanov as her future husband. Neschastlivtsev gives his remaining money to Aksyusha as a dowry and quotes Friedrich Schiller’s The Robbers before leaving. The Irkutsk Regional Young Spectator Theatre production runs as part of its 99th season repertory.