broken kingdom
"King Lear" in "Satyricon"
The Moscow theater "Satyricon" opened the season with the premiere of a performance based on Shakespeare's tragedy "King Lear" staged by Yuri Butusov. The title role was played by the artistic director of the theater Konstantin Raikin. Tells.
Now it is time for critics to write thoughtful articles about the reasons for yet another Shakespeareanization of the whole country. Only last week there were two premieres in Moscow: "Antony and Cleopatra" in "Sovremennik" and "King Lear" in "Satyricon". Impressions from Lear by Lev Dodin and Hamlet by the same Yuri Butusov at the Moscow Art Theater are still fresh. "King Lear" in the "Satyricon" as a guest who came as if from nowhere - and without a specific case. Such visitors only annoy someone, but in the theater, especially, they can turn out to be more interesting than business partners. This time, the new version of Shakespeare's tragedy finally "leaves" without explaining its intentions.
"King Lear" tradition has long allowed to play in isolation from a specific soil. And there is nothing surprising in the fact that even the most meticulous viewer will never determine where and when the action of Yuri Butusov's performance takes place. It is placed outside of geography or history, because it is set on the ruins of a theater - not the Satyricon, of course, God forbid all theaters stand on their feet as firmly and meaningfully as this one does - but on the ruins, one might say, of the world theater. The scene of the "Satyricon" is exposed by Butusov's constant co-author artist Alexander Shishkin to the brick backdrop and most of all looks like a scenery warehouse. Massive red doors lead to nowhere; irrelevant pictures are seen - from some other performances, plywood sheets and boards are ready to become material for some more productions, and the uneven cast gray mass that covers the floor reminds of waste rock heaps.
Yuri Butusov is not afraid to add more and more kilograms to this substance. Judging by this performance, he does not belong to the directors who are languishing over the gold of their own design - without hesitation, he sends to the dumps what might have seemed dear to him ten minutes ago. Such decisions are scattered throughout the performance, but the director easily abandons any of them in favor of something new. As long as it becomes another external irritant for the viewer, whether it be some strange object of design, the transfer of action to the corners of the wide proscenium of the Satyricon, or the appearance of an unexpected intonation - like the crowing of Gloucester (Denis Sukhanov) hiding in the piano, the appearance of white death masks on on the faces of the actors - or a strong semantic accent: Butusov's Lear strangles the jester, who, contrary to custom, is played here not by an actor, but by an actress.
Since the world lies in ruins, there is no demand from the theater: what is left is visible. And from what exactly these or those fragments remained, think for yourself. Having let go of a beard (however, not long), Konstantin Raikin plays Lear not as a king, but as a preoccupied, stubborn person, focused on some important thought for him alone. A lot of things in his game may not seem too well drawn, until you suddenly get the feeling that Raikin's Lear really wants to go crazy - he is not afraid of madness and does not pretend to be crazy, but earnestly longs for clouding his mind. Perhaps precisely because everything around him is in ruins, and it is beyond his power to collect.
I'm not sure that this is the most organic topic for Raikin the actor. But from the performance, first of all, two Raikin scenes remain in my memory. One is in the second act, when the title character literally grows up on the stage from a pile of newspapers and, with the power of his talent, squeezes the audience's attention in his fist, finally uttering a really crazy and obsessive monologue. The second is the finale, in which Lear fussily rushes between the bodies of his daughters, trying to seat each of them directly on stools in front of three pianos. The dead daughters sag and fall, and Lear relentlessly corrects and corrects them one by one until the light is completely extinguished. His dream came true, he became insane. But for this he is deprived of deliverance by death - not immortal, but doomed to the torment of loneliness.
The theater as a place for public entertainment has lost some of its power with the advent of television in our lives. However, there are still performances that are very popular. A vivid proof of this is the "King Lear" of the "Satyricon". The audience's feedback on this colorful performance encourages many residents and guests of the capital to return to the theater again and enjoy the performance of professional actors.
What is the piece about?
The plot of the work "King Lear" in the "Satyricon" is played by the actors in a special way, taking into account all modern trends in art. The action takes place in Great Britain, time - the XI century. The legendary ruler - King Lear - plans to leave the throne, but for this he needs to divide his possessions between three heirs. Unable to share everything equally, the ruler asks each of them about how much she appreciates, respects and loves him. The older sisters lie desperately, and the youngest daughter, named Cordelia, declares that her love cannot be measured in worldly values. Lear does not believe the girl and disowns her, driving her away together with her protector, the Earl of Kent. As a result, the kingdom is divided in half between the two eldest heirs.
Soon, the new rulers host a reception where they show their real faces. The King is horrified by his blindness and how fake he has raised his own children. The political situation in the kingdom is escalating every day, and as a result, the elder daughters drive Lear out of their own palace, leaving only the faithful jester with him. In parallel with this, a storyline develops, in which the Earl of Gloucester, his own son Edgar and the illegitimate Edmund take part.
In the steppe, Gloucester joins Lear, as well as the only defender of Cordelia - Kent. The daughters of the king want to kill their father, the illegitimate son of Gloucester also wants to take the life of a parent in order to receive an inheritance. The company falls into a trap and the old count loses his sight, Edgar takes custody of him, who even has to kill the servant sent to finish what he started.
According to literary critics, the problem of fathers and children in the play "King Lear" should be considered the real tragedy. "Satyricon" significantly enhances the degree of drama, which allows you to feel the spirit of a cruel era. Cordelia decides to go to war against her own sisters, and as a result of the battle, she and her father are prisoners in prison. Edmund intends to kill both, and for this he even bribes one of the prison officers. Thanks to the Duke of Albany, the plans of the illegitimate son of Gloucester become known to everyone, and he dies in a duel with his half-brother.
A repentant Edmund, being on his deathbed, tries to cancel his order, but Cordelia is already dead. One of the sisters poisoned the other and then committed suicide, unable to bear the grief. The king takes the body of his youngest daughter out of prison, after which he dies. Edgar tells that his father could not overcome all the misfortunes that fell on his head, and also departed to another world. The Earl of Kent declares that he would like to leave after the king, but submits to the Duke of Albany, who restores his status at court.
about the author
The idea of staging the play “King Lear” in the “Satyricon” has been in the air since the very beginning of the 2000s, and it is connected primarily with interest in the personality of the author. William Shakespeare, who wrote this tragedy, is known as one of the greatest playwrights on the planet, his works have been translated into almost all existing languages. Being a resident of London, he became not only a successful writer, but also a talented actor, as well as the head of the theater studio "Servants of the King".
A huge number of questions raises the personality of the writer, since the small legacy of documents that has survived today does not allow one to form a specific idea of her. Some literary critics believe that such an author as Shakespeare did not exist at all, and all his works were created by other people, however, the vast majority of researchers of his personality reject this point of view.
King Lear is by far considered one of the finest tragedies ever written in the English language. Shakespeare received a large number of accolades during his lifetime, especially from Victorians and representatives of romanticism. Even in the 21st century, his work is the subject of study by the world's leading literary scholars, who rethink the work of the British author in accordance with the current cultural situation in society.
It is believed that the creation of the work of the English writer was inspired by a legend originating from ancient times. The legend of daughters who betrayed their own father was not translated into English until the 14th century. It is known that at the end of the 16th century in the theaters of Britain the premiere of a production called “The Tragic History of King Lear” was successfully held, some literary critics believe that its author is Shakespeare, who later gave the play a new name. There are also documents confirming that Shakespeare finished work on the play only in 1606. Thus, the question of the authorship of the work is still open.
Despite this, one of the most popular performances in Moscow for several years in a row has been “King Lear” in the “Satyricon”, reviews of this unusual production attract art lovers here every year. Some of them are happy to talk about how relevant the thesis of the play is for today, and discuss it during the intermission or after the performance.
Who embodies medieval passions on stage?
One of the main components of the success of "King Lear" in the "Satyricon" is the actors and roles, correctly distributed between them. The star of the production is Konstantin Raikin, who took over the management of the theater in 1987 after the death of his father, the famous satirist Arkady Raikin. Critics note that it is thanks to his original reading of the king's personality that the performance looks incredibly organic, and the viewer willy-nilly begins to empathize with the characters.
Since members of the theater troupe are also involved in the production of films, it is often necessary to form a reserve staff for productions. This fate did not bypass the “King Lear” in the “Satyricon”, the actors and the roles distributed between them rarely, but still change. For example, the role of Prince Edgar is alternately played by Daniil Pugaev, and although both of them at one time played less significant characters. The distribution of roles is most often carried out several months before the start of the season, so the actors can build their work schedule in advance.
Only after watching the performance, the viewer can understand why it was necessary to stage King Lear in the Satyricon: the actors here give all their best, trying to give the audience the maximum pleasure from watching. The roles of the Dukes of Albany, Conuel and Burgundy are consistently assigned to Konstantin Tretyakov and Yakov Lomkin. All these experienced actors have been working in the theater for more than 10 years, and there is simply no replacement for these bright specialists in this performance.
All female characters are at the mercy of the most talented actresses who manage to combine theater and cinema, for example, Glafira Tarkhanova, known to a wide range of viewers, plays Cordelia. The roles of the other two daughters, Goneril and Regan, are played by Marina Drovosekova and Agrippina Steklova, the girls do not have understudies, so you can see them at every performance. The jester in the production of the theater has a highly developed feminine principle, therefore his ladies play - Elena Bereznova and Elizaveta Kardenas.
According to theatergoers, the production is very popular due to the presence of Konstantin Raikin, who plays King Lear. The performance of "Satyricon", the actors involved in it, the situation - all this pales against the background of the talent of the son of a satirist famous in the Soviet Union. However, they note, the king remains such only against the background of his retinue, so the role of each member of the troupe in the production is quite large.
Without whom, the performance would not have taken place?
The production is directed by Konstantin Raikin, who started working with the theater in 2002. Already by that time he had become famous for his debut work - the play “Waiting for Godot”. An unusual reading of Beckett's work brought him two prestigious awards at once - the Golden Mask and the prize of the Christmas Parade festival. It is in the theater. Lensoviet Raikin saw the director's talented productions, after which he decided to offer him cooperation.
Outside of time and space - the basic principle of Butusov's "King Lear" in the "Satyricon" - the viewer will not be able to determine where and at what time the action takes place. This is a traditional approach to staging a performance, but it is in this theater that it helps to create an original and complete picture of the action. The stage is completely empty: at first glance, it resembles a warehouse of scenery that has not been used for a long time, this is a symbol of the timeless space of a story that can happen anytime and anywhere.
A number of huge red doors, sheets of plywood, boards - all this should demonstrate to the viewer that the whole world is in real ruin, and the theater is a mirror of this era, which impartially demonstrates reality. The main task that Butusov sets for himself is to constantly take his guests in the auditorium out of the "comfort zone", which is why the action takes place in various parts of the stage, and the characters appear on stage in the most unexpected way.
It is worth noting the madness of the protagonist, which is very clearly expressed in the “King Lear” of the “Satyricon”. The director deliberately increases the degree of madness. At the same time, historical features are left aside, the heroes are approximately in the 20th century, this is evidenced by their clothes and appearance. Politics is also left aside here, although there are a large number of scenes in the performance that, if desired, can be shifted to the existing reality.
Does the audience like the performance?
Since at least twice a month the theater troupe shows the performance “King Lear” in the “Satyricon” for the audience, there are more and more reviews about this performance. The guests of the theater are mostly satisfied with the production, in their opinion, the main theses of the play are presented in such a way that they make them want to start taking care of their relatives and friends. Despite the need to constantly keep the audience in suspense, the actors do not abuse this, allowing their guests to draw their own conclusions during the performance.
Also, as the merits of the production, the audience singles out a well-coordinated ensemble of actors, where everyone is in their place and favorably sets off other colleagues. The musical accompaniment of the performance, created by its director, Yuri Butusov, deserves special attention, and allows forming a single integral picture of the action. A large number of bright scenographic techniques, used in the most unexpected way, allow the audience to experience a real emotional shock in the finale, which is the director's goal.
The cast also, according to the audience, deserves the most real awards. Earlier in the play “King Lear” of “Satyricon”, reviews quite often touched on the play of Maxim Averin, better known to the public for the role of Major Glukharev. In this theatrical production, he played the role of Edmond for several years, but due to the demand in the cinema, he was withdrawn from the play.
Despite the departure of Averin, a large number of talented actors are still involved in the play, which is also noted by the audience. A rare performance does without flowers, which are presented by grateful fans to the performers of the main roles in King Lear. The first act seems to some of them a bit long, however, they perceive it as a kind of filter through which those who are obviously not ready to plunge into the world of the performance will not pass.
Perhaps, it is this name that will come up first at the mention of the theater "Satyricon", "King Lear". In reviews of the performance, the audience is often amazed at the tricks performed by the man. The actor has been appearing on stage in the image of a monarch for more than 10 years and every time he surprises the guests of his theater - in several performances he even managed to stand on his head. Raikin's deep emotions, the scenes of contradictions brilliantly played by him, the energy of chaos - all this makes the audience constantly come to this production over and over again.
What needs to be improved?
Nothing is perfect, and viewers sometimes find a number of negative points even in children's performances designed for a completely different psychology. The “King Lear” of the “Satyricon” is no exception to the rule: in the reviews, the audience often notes that the actors are too expressive and in some cases they clearly overact. It is quite possible that this is true, since a creative person, passionate about his work, sometimes really forgets about everything and devotes himself entirely to the process. However, whether to consider this a disadvantage, everyone decides for himself.
Also quite controversial for some viewers are the moments when the actors involved in the production use bright expressive means: kicks, spitting, sweeping the stage. The guests of the theater believe that the staging of such a grandiose work could have done with other, more cultural methods that would be understandable to the Russian mentality.
Some viewers who know the director's work and who have visited King Lear, Satyricon, in their reviews note the presence of a large number of clichés that are repeated in a number of productions. In their opinion, the “symbol for the sake of a symbol” technique is often used, when one or another technique does not fit into the general staging system, but rather falls out of it, having no cultural connections with its components. Ladies are particularly negative about the way men are exposed on stage, they believe that this is unacceptable for the theater.
Some guests of the theater also have questions to the performer of the main role. They believe that Konstantin Raikin plays the role of the king in such a way that the latter seems like a notorious jester, and this does not go well with the tragic plot of the work. In this case, it is worth noting that we are still talking about the theater of satire, which is why the director conceived such an original and unusual production.
Some actors do not reach the level of their acting skills to play in the production of “King Lear” of “Satyricon” - in the reviews, the audience notes that during the performances one sometimes feels falsity and insincerity. There are also comments on the costumes of the characters, which often resemble everyday clothes, found only in people with antisocial behavior. Fortunately, the theater management listens to these reviews and even changes some fragments of the performance in order to make the viewer more comfortable, so there are more positive responses every time.
Professional opinion
Critics greeted "King Lear" very ambiguously, the performance of "Satyricon" and to this day is subjected to careful analysis. Especially professional appraisers of theatrical creativity are confused by excessive expressiveness and a huge emotional palette used by actors. In their opinion, the vast majority of the troupe members involved in this performance overact, which does not benefit the performance.
Some critics who have watched several versions of the aforementioned performance express the idea that what they saw in the Satyricon was somehow repeated in Butusov's previous productions. Copying their own creativity, in their opinion, cannot be considered as creative growth. Similarly, the character of Konstantin Raikin is considered, critics do not see the original incarnation of Lear in the play, he seems to be woven from hundreds of different kings played earlier.
There are also defenders of the performance who know perfectly well what the Satyricon Theater is. They see King Lear as a production that has nothing to do with Shakespeare's classic. A game without rules, without a definite finish and a path to it - all these are the hallmarks of Butusov's work, who perceives his production as an unusual game. The protagonist appears to fans of the play as an inexplicable person who combines the features of a child, a tyrant and an old man. Lear does not understand what is happening around him, and at some point he naturally begins to go crazy, discovering the vices of the people around him.
Insight comes at the most critical moments for each character in the play. Each of the sisters goes crazy in her own way, passionately and emotionally, the actresses, according to critics, give all the best, wanting to convey to their viewers the idea of the need for respect and reverence in the family. Lear's insight, which comes to him through tears and laughter, is combined with pain and horror, expressed in a bright finale, where the king unsuccessfully tries to seat his dead heirs at the piano, and they constantly fall. The old man's desire to return to the past, where the children were happy and loved each other, is quite understandable, but, alas, untimely.
Why is it worth going to the production of "Satyricon"?
The original reading of the British classic and the use of techniques to "embed" the narrative in any time frame are among the main reasons to visit "King Lear" in the "Satyricon". The duration of the performance is 3 hours, so you should mentally prepare in advance. The production has only one 15-minute intermission, during which you can admire the exposition of photographs of theater actors and visit the local buffet.
Despite the fact that the performance was created according to a classic literary work, an age limit is imposed on it - children under 12 years old are not recommended to attend it. There are many reasons for this - including the demonstration by the main character of his underwear. If you are going to see "King Lear" in the "Satyricon", it is forbidden to take photos of the production and video recording, as well as at any other similar event - this is worth remembering. If this prohibition is not observed, violators may be subject to an administrative fine, and in case of distribution of pirated video recordings, the theater, as the owner of the copyright for the performance, has the right to file a lawsuit.
The remarks of culturologists and art lovers are always taken into account when preparing for the screening of King Lear in the Satyricon: the duration of the performance in the theater indicates that it has been in demand for 12 years now. If you want to get real aesthetic pleasure from going to the theater, it is best to get acquainted with Shakespeare's book in advance, as well as with literary works that were written by leading researchers of this writer's work. Special impressions are guaranteed to those who can read the tragedy in the original.
How to buy tickets?
If you want to see a production of King Lear at the Satyricon, it's best to buy tickets months in advance, as they sell out very quickly. The cost of an entrance counter mark ranges from 1 to 6 thousand rubles, it will directly depend on the chosen place. The most expensive place will cost, located almost in front of the stage - in sector A, the minimum price here is 2 thousand rubles (row 11), the maximum - 6 (from rows 1 to 5). The most profitable tickets can be bought in the left or right box, they cost from 1 to 1.5 thousand rubles, but there is a significant drawback here - part of the stage will not be visible, which will not allow you to fully enjoy the performance.
Since tickets are sold out in advance, it is best to decide on the date of the trip to King Lear in the Satyricon in a couple of months, it is better to choose places in the central part of the hall in order to see absolutely all the action. However, here everything will depend on the availability of free finances, so the decision is yours. Tickets can be purchased at the box office of the theater itself, as well as at numerous universal points of sale, where counterfeits are sold for absolutely all performances in Moscow and the region.
How to get to the theatre?
Before going to a cultural institution, be sure to specify on which stage King Lear will be shown: the Satyricon has several venues, the main one - at Sheremetyevskaya, 8 - is currently under reconstruction. The exact timing of the completion of the repair is unknown, so the performances are now being shown at other venues. Two of them are located next to the theater - along Sheremetyevskaya street, in houses 2 and 6/2. The easiest way to get there is by metro, you will need to get off at the Maryina Roshcha station.
It is quite possible that other venues will also host the production of "King Lear" "Satyricon", the addresses of these creative spaces are Arbat, 24 and 26. Despite the fact that these buildings house two stages of the Theater. Vakhtangov, actors and spectators loyally share them with their guests from the theater of satire. Since the Arbat is closed to public transport, the easiest way is to get to the nearest metro stations - Smolenskaya or Arbatskaya, and then walk a little along one of the oldest streets in Moscow.
(Planet KVN)
Tragedy in 2 acts (3 hours) 12+
W. Shakespeare
Director: Yuri Butusov
Lear: Konstantin Raikin
Goneril: Marina Drovosekova
Regan: Agrippina Steklova
Cordelia: Mariana Spivak, Glafira Tarkhanova
Gloucester: Denis Sukhanov
Edmond: Anton Kuznetsov
Edgar, King of France: Artem Osipov
Jester: Elena Bereznova, Elizabeth Martinez Cardenas
Kent: Timofey Tribuntsev
and others Dates: 10.05 Fri 19:00
Review of "Afisha":
King Lear in this performance is played by Konstantin Raikin. The reason is already enough to go to the performance: after all, actors of such a scale and professionalism today can be counted on the fingers.
This Lear lives in a world, as if created on the ruins of different worlds and civilizations. This Lear wears a black knitted cap, which he calls a crown, and a suit without any special signs of the era. Medieval ruler? Or maybe the mighty one of today's world? It doesn't matter here. The story is as old as the world - whether it is about a king who divided his kingdom and was left out of work, or about a simple father who left an inheritance to his children during his lifetime and received hatred and aggression instead of gratitude - in the end, this is a story about the tragic breakup of a family. The only important thing in this game is that Lear is a Human.
In the game - because the performances of Yuri Butusov are always "sessions of theatrical play." He knows how to blow away the dust of centuries from classical history and tell it in a fascinating way. A well-known inventor, he does not let the viewer get bored, saturating his productions with jokes, almost circus clowning and spectacular notions, often very theatrical, but sometimes, alas, idle.
Rough texture, bright colors, sharp gestures, simple feelings... This performance is tough and modern. But still - who is this Lear? And what is the reason for his act, which launched a series of tragic events? Maybe you can figure it out?
Directed by Y. Butusov. Artist A. Shishkin. Choreographer N. Reutov.
Maria Kolganova
The performance includes: 
Cordelia, Lear's daughter- Glafira Tarkhanova
Impressions are very diverse, I must say.
From liked:
- actually, Raikin :) I always liked him very much, but - young, in films. And then "the idiot's dream came true" - I saw Konstantin Arkadievich on stage.
- the game of some actors. Here is very, very - Edgar (Artem Osipov). It's funny - I thought that I also liked the King of France, and after that I considered that this is the same Artem Osipov :) The Jester was also nice.
- the last scene with pianos.
From the dislikes:
- insanely noisy. Just a cacophony of sounds. Still feeling that the equipment is not too good :(
- there are too many tricks that are quite old (in fact, the performance is not the first year, of course), and which directly yell from the stage: "And we are the director's original tricks !!!". Not interested.
- the game of most actors, oddly enough. Especially the ladies were not pleased. In general, it is interesting - the feeling that everyone played their own - some sincerely and emotionally, some played "tricks", some recited and wringed their hands. It's certainly fun to watch, but nothing more.
The result of the performance - it was necessary to watch, at least for the sake of Raikin ... And in order to form your own opinion, because if you believe the reviews, most of the audience are indescribably delighted, and a smaller (but still noticeable) part is offended in the best feelings :)) But "wow" didn't happen, so... Just an opinion.
Here are some photos from the internet. To convey the atmosphere :)
In general, this is my second trip to the Satyricon (about 5 years ago), and I come to the conclusion that the theater, apparently, is "not mine." Among other things, it is completely not focused on the viewer. Nothing for convenience. There is not a single (!) bench in front of the wardrobe. Latecomers are not allowed into the hall - at all. No "standing in the last row, so as not to interfere." I would also understand this in a small hall, where every movement draws attention from the stage - but here the hall is huge, and there is enough swarming in it! By the way, when someone came out in the middle of the action (apparently, they couldn’t stand it), it didn’t seem to interfere, apparently :) The ushers ladies don’t know how the seats in the hall are distributed. Thanks to their "help" I had to make my way through the entire row from 1st to 18th place. Row was 20, there the seats, in fact, do not go the way they do in others, but - that's why they are theater attendants, to look at the ticket and direct the viewer to the seats, no? And these announcements about phones and photography are insanely unpleasant. Especially delivered that the ladies-servants ran around the hall before the beginning and yelled at those who tried to take pictures in the hall, threatened to take away the equipment.
