The Mossovet Theater hosted the premiere of the dramatic play “Dowry”, timed to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the Russian writer A. N. Ostrovsky in 2023.
The production was directed by the theater's artistic director Yevgeny Marchelli.
In the modern sounding of the classical work, the experienced playwright revealed eternally relevant topics: cynicism, the pain of unrequited love, class inequality and the struggle between the material and the spiritual.
Ostrovsky's play is interpreted in modern realities, and the author's text, despite sometimes outdated expressions, fits perfectly into the overall picture on stage.
Eugene Marchelli sought to focus on revealing the psychological portrait of each hero and the relationship between men and women, which he certainly succeeded in doing.
The action of the play begins in a coffee house in the city of Bryakhov.
The representative of a wealthy trading company, Vasily Danilych Vozhevatov, over a cup of champagne under the guise of tea, tells the big businessman Mokiy Parmenych Knurov (Dmitry Shcherbin) that Larisa Dmitrievna, a well-known beauty without a dowry, is marrying Karandyshev (Anton Anosov).
The news disappoints Knurov - he believes that Karandyshev is not a couple for such a girl.
“An expensive diamond requires an expensive setting,” says Knurov.
The charming Larisa Dmitrievna Ogudalova, however, is also not happy with her fiancé.
She agreed to marry him because of misfortune and loneliness, thinking that a quiet family life would bring her soul that very peace.
The girl does not love Karandyshev, which she admits to his face.
The fact is that the heart of the young lady is occupied by Sergei Sergeyich Paratov, who, having beaten off all her suitors, disappeared without a trace.
Nevertheless, the heroine still cannot get rid of her feelings for Paratov, considering him the ideal of a man.
Sergei Sergeyich, meanwhile, arrives in the city after a year of absence to have fun before his own wedding: he marries a rich lady for the sake of gold mines.
Vozhevatov and Knurov support his idea of fun.
They tell him the news that the young Larisa Dmitrievna has a fiancé who invites them to a dinner in her honor.
The news hurts the pride of the narcissistic Paratov.
He decides to visit the Ogudalovs in order to supposedly “kiss the hand” of Larisa’s mother and apologize to the girl herself.
The arrival of Paratov becomes the starting point on the path of a dowry in love to death.
"Dowry"
© Elena Lapina, Gevorg Harutyunyan
On the stage, the viewer will not see numerous decorations.
The director chose to put on a classic performance, in which the only special effects are light.
I must say that this decision makes it possible, without being distracted, to penetrate deeper into the character of each character and understand the tragedy that A. N. Ostrovsky once wrote about.
And the artists involved in the production provide such an opportunity to the audience.
Young Larisa Ogudalova, performed by Anastasia Belova, looks the way her author would most likely describe if she lived today.
A spectacular charming girl with an enviable appearance and her own style cannot but arouse male delight.
She is not stupid, but love blinded her mind, giving free rein only to feelings.
From a young age, Larisa is in the love networks of Paratov, whose image on stage was embodied by Stanislav Bondarenko.
An egocentric, narcissistic man perceives Ogudalova as entertainment; without a dowry, the girl does not attract him.
He is obsessed with money and does not believe in love, and calls their relationship with Larisa a fleeting attraction.
Therefore, the news of a marriage with a certain Karandyshev inflames the narcissist: he needs to “wipe his nose” at the girl’s new passion, reminding Ogudalova whom she really loves passionately and desires.
Appearing at Larisa's house, where he was always welcome, he accuses the young lady of betraying their love so quickly and giving herself to another.
“Women are worthless to you,” says the hero Bondarenko, who skillfully showed all the sides of a narcissistic manipulator who doesn’t care about the feelings of a poor girl.
The game of two artists throughout the performance gives goosebumps.
The most emotional moments with the participation of Larisa deserve special mention - Anastasia Belova wants to applaud for the sadness, fear, pain and despair that she portrayed in the face of her character.
Not only Paratov in this story is blind in soul: surrounded by Larisa, all men are cynical and take her lightly.
Childhood friend Vozhevatov, whom Larisa familiarly calls Vasya, is only able to flirt with the lady and play heads-and-tails on her, and the adult and laconic Mokiy Parmenych considers her an ideal decoration nearby, therefore, being married, he offers Larisa wealth in exchange for love, in other words, be his escort.
At the same time, Knurov from the entire bourgeoisie initially seems not so “rotten”: the viewer may even get the feeling that he is a serious person who really worries about Ogudalova and is truly in love with her.
But the true face of the character is revealed at the end of the story.
The only one who, at first glance, is ready to love the beautiful Larisa without self-interest and despite the lack of a dowry, is her fiancé Karandyshev.
And maybe his feelings towards the bride are really sincere, but self-interest is still present in their union.
Beauty Larisa Dmitrievna is needed by Karandyshev, first of all, to take revenge on the highest male society, which mocked him for three years.
The hero of Anton Anosov from the very beginning does not hear the bride: he accuses her of excessive male attention, calling the Ogudalovs' house a "gypsy camp", ignores Larisa's request to leave for the village (away from the city and Paratov) and, in general, does not care about her peace of mind .
He even arranges dinner not for Larisa Dmitrievna, but in order to boast in the presence of all offenders that the girl chose him.
“I am a thing,” the desperate heroine declares at the end of the production.
Only her mother, Harita Ignatievna, truly loves and worries about Larisa, whose role on stage is embodied by the Honored Artist of Russia Elena Valyushkina.
Although she wants to marry her daughter, she still wants her happiness.
In general, the story unfolding on the stage of the theater practically does not go beyond the scope of the original work, with the exception of, perhaps, some details.
For example, Harita Ignatievna in the play is still more understanding and loving than in the play, and the image of Larisa herself turned out to be more daring than in the original.
In addition, during lunch at Karandyshev's, Larisa refuses the guests' request to perform a romance with a guitar.
Instead, the heroine rips apart the hall with her growing cry of despair and anger.
The finale is almost identical to that described in the play, even gypsy motifs sound, but the death of the heroine is shown in a slightly different form: as in the original source, after the tragic incident, Larisa tells everyone that they are not to blame and must live.
Then the men are silent, and she continues to deliver her speech, laughing and enjoying the last minutes of her life.
The music gets louder, and Ogudalova's voice is quieter, and the lights on the stage gradually go out.
The play "Dowry" is one of the most popular works of the playwright for staging in theaters.
Performed by Eugene Marchelli and the entire cast, the work has not lost its meaning and relevance, but has revealed itself in a new way, in modern realities.
The viewer will see the reflections of the author and director of the play about destructive love, commercialism and cynicism of society.
Money rules the world, and everything spiritual fades into the background.
Beauty and prestige are the two pillars on which modern moral foundations are based, capable of destroying anyone.