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 The Living Corpse
Author(s): Leo Tolstoy
Director: Valery Fokin
Scenic and costume designer – Alexander Borovsky
Music by - Leonid Desyatnikov
Assistant directors – Iscander Sakaev, Vadim Romanov
Musical Director – Ivan Blagodyor
Assistant to the director - Ludmila Filippova
Cast
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Feodor Vasilievich Protasov (Fedya) |
Sergey Parshin, People’s Artist of Russia,
Laureate of the State Award |
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Elisaveta Andreevna Protasova (Lisa) |
Marina Ignatova, Merited Artist of Russia (actress of Tovstonogov Bolshoy Drama Theatre)
Yulia Marchenko |
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Anna Pavlovna, Lisa’s mother |
Maria Kuznetsova, Merited Artist of Russia
Elena Nemser, Merited Artist of Russia |
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Sasha Lisa’s sister |
Yanina Lakoba
Maria Lugovaya |
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Victor Mikhailovich Karenin |
Vitaly Kovalenko |
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Anna Dmitrievna, his mother |
Olga Gilvanova
Svetlana Sheychenko, Merited Artist of Russia |
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Maria Vasilievna Krukova, Lisa’s friend |
Svetlana Sheychenko, Merited Artist of Russia Elena Nemzer, Merited Artist of Russia
Marina Gavrilova, Merited Artist of Russia |
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Sergei Dmitrievich Abreskov,
prince |
Nikolay Marton, People’s Artist of Russia
Semyon Sytnik, Merited Artist of Russia |
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Masha |
Yulia Marchenko
Alexandra Bolshakova |
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Afremov, Fedya’s friend |
Vladimir Lisetskiy, People's Artist of Russia
Alexey Panichev |
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Alexandrov, man of genius |
Igor Volkov, Merited Artist of Russia
Stepan Balakshin |
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Petushkov, artist |
Sergey Elikov, Andrey Matukov |
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inquisitor |
Arkady Volgin, Merited Artist of Russia |
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inquisitor assistant |
Vladimir Kolganov |
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Petrushin, solicitor |
Iosif Koshelevich |
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Doctor |
Pavel Yurinov, Iosif Koshelevich |
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Young officer |
Stepan Balakshin, Victor Shuralev |
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Dunyasha, maid |
Elena Gladkova |
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Nurse |
Irina Lepeshenkova, Merited Artist of Russia |
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Lackey |
Victor Semenovskiy |
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Gorodovoy |
Valentin Zakharov, Sergey Sidorenko |
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Turetsky |
Ivan Parshin |
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Mika |
Vasiliy Getmanov
Nikita Niconov |
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Musicians |
Inna Andreyeva, Ilya Yurshevich, Igor Zalivalov |
and Maria Zimina, Alexandra Kaplieva, Elena Vozhakina
It was staged by Valery Fokin after Tolstoy’s play of the same title. The Alexandrinsky Theatre had already staged that play three times. It was firstly directed by V. Meyerhold and A. L. Zagarov (1911); the revival was done by N. N. Arbatov (1921) and then it was staged again by V.P. Kozhich and A. N. Dowson (1950). The leading part of Feodor Protasov was played by such outstanding artists as Roman Apollonsky, Pavel Samojlov, Illarion Pevtsov and Nikolai Simonov. In the modern production the lead was given to Sergei Parshin, People’s artist of Russia, Laureate of the State Award.
This new performance appears to be a result of very sharp director’s reflections about tragic relationship between a person and the cruel soulless reality prompting him to retire from the world. That’s why the director refers to early draft editions of the virtually unfinished play, where there’s no place for some familiar ideas and images associated with the traditional interpretation of The Living Corpse. The style of this drama, based on the criminal and detective story, which was obtained by the author from judicial chronicle of 19th century, determines that approach.
“The question of going-away is the main question to me. It is truly up-to-date. In our complicated and intricate life, where everything may happen, the problem of willed and conscious escape from this vicious circle is really burning. Today we can meet very successful people who still flee from comfort just because they can’t accept that deceitful social mechanism as a whole. What is interesting for me is Feodor Protasov who makes a decision not being frenzy or at another booze session, but in a process of long reflections, of going through his soul’s challenge. In this play Tolstoy seems to be very close to an attempt of finding out the character’s soul, of understanding the sense of his life as it was done by Dostoevsky. Moreover, in his play Tolstoy could predict his own passing away. He was thinking a lot about how to disappear from this world and find another one, the world of freedom which can’t be led by lies,” emphasizes Velery Fokin (talking about The Living Corpse.)
The performance has no intermission
Running time - 2 h.05 min.
Premiere date - December 26, 2006
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