The plot of the play can be called melodramatic. The famous provincial actress Elena Kruchinina (formerly Otradina), seventeen years later, comes to hometown with which she has bitter memories: the collapse of love, the loss of her son. In the city of youth, she gives several performances and takes an active part in the fate young actor Grigory Neznamov, unaware of who he is...

Production team:

• Director - National artist RF Alexander Zykov (Novosibirsk)
• production designer- Honored Artist of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mokrov (St. Petersburg)
• costume designer- Nika Velegzhaninova (St. Petersburg)
• Choreographer- Marina Starker (Krasnoyarsk)
• Lighting designer- Denis Solntsev (St. Petersburg)
• Musical arrangement - Viktor Stribuk
• Assistant director- Olga Nazarenko, Marina Tomilovskaya

MODERNITY OF THE CLASSICS: A VIEW THROUGH THE CENTURIES.

Director, People's Artist of Russia Alexander Zykov
("Two angels, four people", "... A plague on both your houses!",
“And this one fell out of the nest ...”), did not modernize the play
A.N. Ostrovsky. He put his new performance in the tradition of the author.

What is the relevance of the play "Guilty Without Guilt" in the opinion of the creator of the play and the artists playing the main roles?

Alexander Zykov, director:
- Yes, the melodrama Guilty Without Guilt tells a story that happened a long time ago, but the feelings experienced by its characters still excite the audience. The characters sculpted by Ostrovsky are authentic, alive, not in the least outdated for us. In a word, these characters are always modern,
how modern cruel romances are at all times.

Galina Zorina (in the play - Elena Ivanovna Kruchinina):
- The theme of motherhood, which excites every woman, sounds piercingly in the play. All mothers worry about their children, wish them happiness. These sentiments were relevant in late XIX century - when the play was written by Ostrovsky - and now.
Therefore, everything that my heroine experiences will surely resonate in the hearts of mothers. Although love, mercy and compassion are inherent in every woman.

Anna Bekchanova (in the performance - Lyubov Ivanovna Otradina):
- I think my character is a little like modern young girls. Unlike her, they build their own happiness. And Otradina, by virtue of her gentle nature and disinterested heart, has great blind patience and faith in people. At the same time, it is inactive and lives with expectations. The only thing that is similar is that we are all dependent on circumstances to one degree or another. And it's not our fault...

Ostrovsky, along with Chekhov, is recognized as one of the most sought-after Russian playwrights on the world stage. And for the Youth Theater "Guilty Without Guilt" is not the first appeal to the heritage of the classic - long years performances are sold out Late love and Love Laces. Many people also remember Semyon Spivak's The Thunderstorm staged a quarter of a century ago, which was a great success.

The well-known St. Petersburg director Andrey Andreev is working on staging the play Guilty Without Guilt. The main role - Lyubov Ivanovna Otradina / Elena Ivanovna Kruchinina - a famous image of the Russian repertoire - is played by Ekaterina Untilova, Honored Artist of Russia, leading actress of the Youth Theater on the Fontanka. In 1992, it was with Ostrovsky - with the role of Katerina in "Thunderstorm" - that the creative way Untilova's Youth theater and her stage life In Petersburg.

« Of course, this performance is being done, as they say, "for an actress"", - comments the director. - " A wonderful actress, who seemed to be created for roles “about love”. This is Ekaterina Pavlovna Untilova, whose performance of the role of Katerina in The Thunderstorm I was once very impressed. And now, offering her new meeting with Ostrovsky in the role of Otradina / Kruchinina, I would like to continue the theme (as I understood it), which sounded to me in her role from the time she began working at the Youth Theater. In general, we are trying to implement artistic intent Ostrovsky and make, as he intended, a funny melodrama.»

Ostrovsky himself writes about the play Guilty Without Guilt: This is almost my fiftieth original work and very dear to me in many respects: a lot of labor and energy was spent on finishing it; it was written after a trip to the Caucasus, under the impression of the enthusiastic reception that the Tiflis public gave me. I wanted to show the Russian public that the author revered by her did not rest on her laurels, that he still wants to work and give her artistic pleasures.. <…> This work was created unusually successfully: artistic considerations suddenly occurred to me, accessible only to young forces, which I did not dare to count on at my age.».

The play was first staged in 1884 at the Maly Theatre, for which the author intended. Otradina's role in different years the great actresses of the Russian stage played - Maria Yermolova, Maria Savina, Alisa Koonen. And today, a brilliant benefit role attracts the most talented actresses famous theaters. Since 2014, the performance "Guilty Without Guilt" with N.A. of Russia Larisa Luppian in leading role goes on the stage of the St. Petersburg Theater. Lensoviet.

According to the plot famous actress Kruchinina agrees to tour in small town with which she has associated painful memories of her youth. Unbroken by the betrayal of her beloved and the loss of her son, having achieved great fame, Kruchinina returns to her native city, where many unforeseen twists of fate await her.

The melodramatic plot is written in the genre of comedy, the nature of which is also emphasized by the game. speaking names: Kruchinina - sad, Otradina - joyful, Neznamov - rootless, etc. However, in this wonderful play there is enough air for the imagination of the directors, and the interpretation of the Youth Theater, of course, is able to surprise even the most sophisticated audience.

Bring artistic ideas the famous creative duo helps the director theater artists: set design for the performance was composed by Alexander Orlov, costumes - by Irina Cherednikova.

In the ensemble with Ekaterina Untilova there are wonderful artists: Valery Kukhareshin (Muromov), Andrei Nekrasov (Grigory Neznamov, son of Kruchinina), Konstantin Vorobyov (Dudukin), Regina Schukina (Korinkina), Alexander Cherkashin (Shmaga), Yuri Stashin / Alexander Konev (Milovzorov), Natalia Dmitrieva (Galchikha), Anastasia Tyunina (Shelavina), Yaroslav Sokolov, Anton Svit, Ilya Sokolov and RGISI students.

The performance is live musical accompaniment. At the piano - Andrey Pirog.

The director of the performance is a famous Russian director, professor at RGISI, Ph.D. Republic of Karelia Andrey Andreev. Graduate of GITIS (1973), class of the brilliant teacher MO Knebel.

From 1986 to 1996 was artistic director St. Petersburg Youth Theater A.A. Bryantsev. During this period, he staged such iconic performances on the theater stage as “Woe from Wit” by Alexander Griboedov, “Ondine” based on the play by Jean Giraudoux, “ A little prince"Based on the novel by Antoine De Saint-Exupery, Equus based on the drama by Peter Schaeffer, Catcher in the Rye by Jerome Salinger.

He performed performances in theaters in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Riga, Tashkent, Karelia, Samara, Chelyabinsk, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, Norilsk and other cities in Russia and abroad. Among the notable works are the performances: "The Cabal of the Hypocrites" at the Norilsk Polar Theatre, "The Skapen's Tricks" at the Pushkin Center, "The Master and Margarita" at the Petrozavodsk Republican Drama Theater, "Turandot" at the National Finnish Theater.

Since 1981 he has been teaching at RGISI (former LGITMIK). Since 1987, he has been directing courses at the acting and directing departments.
For the Youth Theater, this is not the first collaboration with Andrey Andreev - in the theater with great success for seven years goes by his play "Tartuffe" based on the play by Jean Baptiste Molière.

Stage director: Honored Art Worker of the Republic of Karelia Andrey Andreev
Stage movement: Igor Kachaev
Art director: Honored Artist of Russia, laureate State Prize Russian Alexander Orlov
Costume designer: Irina Cherednikova
Lighting designer: Denis Dyachenko
Musical arrangement: Andrey Pirog

We offer tickets for Guilty Without Guilt in Vakhtangov, in the small hall. The merry comedy of Pyotr Fomenko in two acts has not left anyone indifferent. The events of the play unfold in a modest family, where a noble maiden, not without good manners- Lyubov Otradina earns money by sewing to feed herself and her child. She dreams that her baby's father would marry her. Actually, Guilty without guilt in Vakhtangov- This is a melodrama based on the story of Ostrovsky.

Murov, the father of the child Otradina, cannot tell his mother about his intention to marry a modest girl, a dowry. During the next visit to Lyubov, Murov tells her about this, and, having learned that Shelavin's friend is coming to her, hides from her. Such strange behavior for Otradina is subsequently explained by the fact that in her friend’s wedding photo she recognizes her failed husband. And the child dies. This is the first action performance Guilty Without Guilt.

In the second act, events unfold seventeen years later. Barin Dudukin patronizes actors, among whom there are many pretty actresses. While he is waiting for the return of the talented actress Kruchinina, he is told about the scandal that Neznamov caused, and that they are now asking the governor not to expel him from the city.

At this point in Without the fault of the guilty the secrets of history are revealed. Kruchinina tells how she fell ill when she learned that her child was dying. Having lost consciousness, she did not come to her senses for a long time, and when she woke up, she was told that her son was no more. The intrigues, lies, and hypocrisy referred to in performance Guilty Without Guilt, are clearly marked in

Essence of the show. And Neznamov, recognized as an illegitimate child, spent a difficult childhood and youth, wandering and enduring exile. And he developed a bad temper.

Neznamov, having met with Kruchinina, scolds her for standing up for him, arguing that he will now be laughed at. But she tells him that he is just used to feeling guilty, but, in fact, he simply has not met kind and selfless people in his life. There are touching moments in comedy. Guilty without guilt. If buying tickets to the play Guilty Without Guilt, then we can do it in advance.

Further, Kruchinina is trying to find her son. She does not believe that he died, because she did not see the boy dead. And then one day Dudukin gathers guests at his estate. Everyone gathers and warns the guests that it is better not to talk about children under Kruchinia.

However, when everything was going well, Neznamov gets up and says a toast dedicated to mothers who have abandoned their children. He adds angrily that such mothers are easily paid off with gold, which reminds the child all his life that he was abandoned. And then Kruchinina realizes that her son is in front of her. She rushes to him, sees on his neck the medallion she wore when he was still a baby.

Everyone is amazed, and Neznamov immediately asked where his father was. To which Kruchinina replied that she did not know. And he adds that the young man is smart and talented, and his father is not worthy to know him, and she will give him her last name and the opportunity to get a decent education.

Kukhareshin and Untilova are the main stars of this performance, but other artists are not on minor roles Photo from the website of the Youth Theater on the Fontanka. Author of the photo - Yulia Kudryashova

"Guilty Without Guilt" at the Youth Theater on the Fontanka: To each - a benefit performance

In the new production of Ostrovsky's play there are no small roles and small actors

The production of Ostrovsky's play Guilty Without Guilt at the Youth Theater on the Fontanka was conceived as a gift for the anniversary of actress Ekaterina Untilova. Benefit, that is, should have been. This is how it turned out. But not just one - every actor involved in a new performance can confidently consider it his benefit performance as well.

Classics as a plot for a TV series

It's generally distinguishing feature all productions of Molodyozhny - they do not have small roles and small actors. Each, even episodic, character has its own story, its own characteristic, memorable features. So potential beneficiaries might want to consider whether they want to share the glory. And this is not an easy acting task - not to pull the blanket over yourself, especially if the performance was conceived as a benefit performance. In the case of Ostrovsky's play, nothing of the kind happened - the "hero of the occasion" generously shared her "blanket", and the result was a performance in which each actor is a prime minister.

Again, we must remember the playwright - Ostrovsky's plays are good for that, and probably because they are so in demand in any era, because every artist has something to play in them. And play with brilliance, with taste. Someone, of course, can say: junk. Where is the topic of the day, where is the relevance? As it turns out upon closer inspection, everything is in place. Fortunately, there really is no politics, but about the "topics of the day" - very much so.

Take, for example, the play "Guilty Without Guilt" - it's just a serial plot. An insidious lover who changes his feelings for a profitable marriage, a child lost in infancy, an unhappy mother who unexpectedly gained wealth, success, and eventually found her son after seventeen years. A story for all time - you can make at least a Mexican series out of it, at least Indian, at least Russian. Well, everyone does, it's just that the action is transferred to our time. As a result, a multi-part TV soap is released, designed for an unpretentious viewer. That's why they shoot it somehow, and play it the same way. Because the interests of the creators of such series are far from creative, but purely material. Well, let them “sculpt” - the money, as Ranevskaya once said, will run out, but shame will remain.

As for the theatre, it's a completely different alignment.

Forward, to Stanislavsky!

So the director Andrei Andreev, who staged Ostrovsky's play at the Youth Theater on the Fontanka, did not modernize it, flirt with the public and descend to the "serial" level, but created an absolutely classic performance. In this he was helped by production designer Alexander Orlov, who created a discreet world in which a black curtain flies and a real piano plays. This classic picture maintains the overall atmosphere. Where in the first place are respect for the viewer and respect for the actors involved in the performance.

As a result, there is a return from both. The actors play an unpretentious story, which would hardly arouse empathy in anyone today, with such dedication that it cannot be echoed in auditorium she just can't. But the response, of course, is not to all these passions with betrayals and a lost child, but to acting.

And we must not forget that Ostrovsky wrote a comedy, and making the audience laugh is much more difficult than making them cry. And now the insidious traitor Murov (Valery Kukhareshin) jumps like a dragonfly, secretly giving away his own son foster parents. Rubbing behind the scenes with "noble intentions" is a theater lover and especially actresses rich man Dudukin (Konstantin Vorobyov). Not embarrassed, the actress Korinkina (Regina Schukina) plots her rival. "Star" hero-lover Milovzorov (Yuri Stashin), drinks latest actor Shmaga (Alexander Cherkashin) with his catchphrase: "The place of an actor is in the buffet." Everyone here is a beneficiary with his own comedic role.

Ekaterina Untilova as Otradina/Kruchinina and Andrei Nekrasov, who plays her lost son Neznamov, are responsible for the melodramatic component. And Untilova in her role is dignity itself. And Nekrasov in his - almost Hamlet.

Well, all together they form a single ensemble great masters, who create a performance where everything is simple, understandable, not cluttered with newfangled stage effects, and at the same time not descending to an opportunistic level, when they try to entertain the viewer by any means. And if you want to see the theater the way it was seen in the times of Ostrovsky and Stanislavsky, then “Guilty Without Guilt” is just the case.

Anna VETLINSKAYA,

Internet magazine "Interesant"