THE ACADEMIC MALY DRAMA TEATR DI SAN PIETROBURGO
TEATRO D'EUROPA
dal romanzo di Fyodor Abramov
adattamento teatrale di Lev Dodin e Sergey Bekhterev
regia Lev Dodin
scene Eduard Kochergin
costumi Inna Gabai regista
collaboratore Sergey Bekhterev
arrangiamenti musicali Eduard Zhuchkov
maestro di dizione Valeriy Galendeyev
direttori di scena Olga Dazidenko, Tamara Sadretdinova.
direttore tecnico Nikolai Murmanov
luci Oleg Kozlov, Vitaliy Skorodumov, Yekaterina Dorofeyeva
suono Vladimir Uojan, Alla Tikhomirova
attrezzeria Yuliya Zverlina, Viktor Gorodkov
sarte Maria Fomina, Galina Ivanova
truccatrice Galina Varukhina
tecnici di palcoscenico Yevgenii Nikiforov, Sergei Ivanov, Nikolai Kosljakoy, Mikhail Andreev, Viktor Senin
Una produzione MALY DRAMA TEATR ‑ Teatro d'Europa in collaborazione
con Change Performing Arts Milano
spettacolo in due tempi durata dello spettacolo: 3 h più un intervallo
Personaggi e interpreti
Mikhail Pryaslin Nikolai Lavrov
Raisa, sua moglie Irina Demich
le sue figlie
Verka Liya Kuzmina, Larisa Marina Gridasova, Anka Ania Slabodianiuk
i sui fratelli
Peter Anatolíy Kolibyanov, Grigorii Sergey Bekhterev
Lizaveta, sua sorella Tatyana Chestakova
Yegorsha, marito di Lizaveta Igor Ivanov
Kalina Ivanovitch Dunajev Sergey Kurychev
Yevdokija, the Martyr, sua moglie Vera Bykona
Anfisa Galina Filimonova
Rodka, figlio di Anfisa Sergey Vlasov
Viktor Netjesov Mikhail Samochko
Peter Zhitov Sergey Kozyrev
Philja, il gallo Sergey Muchenikov
Tchugaretti Vladimir Zakharyev
Ignat Baev Vladimir Artyomov
Anton Taborskii Igor Sklyar
Susa‑Balalajka Nina Semyonova
Afonka Jakovlev Oleg Gajanov
Pronka, il veterinario Alexander ZavjaIov
Katerina Lidiya Goryainova
Njurka JakovIeva Alla Semenishina
Darja Bronislava Proskurnina
Fenja, la negoziante Yelena Vasllyeva
Praskovja, il venerdì santo Svetlana Grigoryeva
Manja, la corta Irina Nikulina
Versione russa con sottotitoli in italiano e inglese
Based
on the novel by Feodor Abramov
adapted for the stage and directed by Lev Dodin
The novel "The House" is the last in the tetralogy "Brothers
and Sisters"***
The action takes place in a village in the north of Russia, Pekashino (this
village is very similar to the place where Abramov was born, which is actually
called Verkola), twenty years after World War II
ACT I
Mikhail's house.
The main character is Mikhail Pryaslin - who was only fourteen during the war;
but despite his age he had to do a man's job, since he was virtually the only
male in the village capable of working -now he is married and has three daughters
Mikhail and his wife Raisa have killed a sheep to celebrate the arrival of Mikhail's
twin brothers, Pyotr and Grigory, who have been away from the village for twenty
years and now live in the city One is an engineer and the other doesn't work
because he's epileptic The twins were very small during the war and they call
Mikhail "brother" but also "father", since after their father
was killed in the war their eldest brother took his place
The reunion is interrupted by the unexpected arrival of their neighbours, Kalina
Dunayev, an old communist, and his wife Yevdokya
The twins are surprised by the fact that Liza, their beloved sister, who looked
after them when they were little, hasn't come to welcome them They learn from
Mikhail that the two of them lave quarrelled and he refuses to see her The reason
for this is that a year ago Liza's son, fourteen-year-old Vasya, with whom he
lived alone (her husband had left her when the boy was still mall), drowned
in the river Liza was heartbroken, but soon afterwards she had an affair with
another man who was renting room in her house and she gave birth to twins.
Mikhail thought this was an insult to the memory of his dear nephew and a disgrace
to the whole family. The twins insist that they want to see their sister at
once and Mikhail agrees to let them go, provided they come back in time for
dinner.
Liza's house
Liza
is extremely pleased and deeply moved to see her brothers again. She tells them
what happened after her son drowned. An officer came to stay at her house. She
was feeling lonely after the death of her son and the officer, a married man,
was very good with her. After some time he left, but she didn't mind. Now she
is happy to have children, even though she feels guilty.
Some women from the village drop in to say hello to the twins. Mikhail also
rushes in. He is angry because the brothers didn't
come to dinner on time. The quarrel between Mikhail and his sister causes Grigory
to have an epileptic fit.
In the old family house
Liza and Pyotr are in the old house where they used to live during the war.
It is now deserted, because Mikhail has built a new home for his family and
Liza lives in the house she inherited from her ex-husband's grandfather. They
talk about village life and it emerges that Mikhail is upset because his fellow
villagers have lost all interest in work and are no longer concerned about their
village.
Pyotr tells Liza about life with his brother Grigory; to whom he was very close
when they were small. Then Pyotr became an engineer and has been looking after
his brother; but this prevents him from having a private life, so he has begun
to hate Grigory.
Near the village shop
Yegorsha, Liza's ex-husband, returns to the village after twenty years. Everyone
is curious to see how Liza will react. Liza invites him home.
Liza remembers when they were young and especially the time when Yegorsha came
home on leave from military service.
Near Anfisa's house
Anfisa, ex-president of the kolkhoz and a close friend of Liza's, meets up with
Yegorsha and learns that he has sold the house where Liza is living, because,
since their son has died, she is no longer related to his grandfather and has
therefore lost any right to the property.
Anfisa calls Liza to tell her the sad news about the house. She advises her
to take legal action against Yegorsha, but Liza doesn't want to Her love for
him is still too strong and she can't bear the thought of her ex-husband and
herself in court.
At Mikhail's
Mikhail's eldest daughter has come back from Moscow where she has been to visit
her aunt Mikhail's wife, Raisa, tells him that Liza has moved out of the house
that Yegorsha has sold. Mikhail says that he has to go to the Provincial Committee,
since he has orotested against the thefts from the kolkhoz property in the village
and, when the president of the kolkhoz heard about this he wrote a letter slighting
him and forced eight workers to sign it. His wife reproaches him and begs him
not to get involved in such matters, but he is ready to do anything to defend
his own standpoint and he won't allow those people to destroy the village.
Near the kolkhoz office
The workers come here every day to be assigned their daily jobs Taborsky, president
of the kolkhoz arrives. There is another dispute with Mikhail about how the
kolkhoz land is used, and Taborsky says he is following orders from high up
and doesn't feel at all guilty.
The reason for the dispute is that since Mikhail actually owns his own land
he uses his good sense and experience in working it.
Taborsky, by contrast, is a party official, he is not interested in the land,
but only in executing Party orders that come from people who know nothing about
agriculture For Taborsky loyalty to the Party is more important than the welfare
of his own village
At
Kalina's
Pyotr and Mikhail have been invited to Kalina's Yevdokya tells her guests the
story of her life Her husband, Kalina Ivan wich,has lived through the history
of the Soviet State, he participated in all the most important events from the
beginning, and was a victim of the errors committed by the communists.
He and his wife travelled the length and breadth of the country; convinced that
taking part in spreading socialism would help the nation Being an honest person,
he protested against the illegal repressions of the communists in 1937 and finally
ended up in prison himself Now he is honoured and respected
ACT II
At Mikhail's
Raisa and Mikhail are talking about the party that Anfisa is organizing for
her son Rodka
It's the custom to give a party before young men leave home to do their military
service All the families in the village have been invited Raisa, however, refuses
to go Rodka is courting Vera, one of her daughters, but she knows he is also
going out with a lot of other women in the village
The
party at Anfisa's
One of the villagers proposes a toast in memory of Rodka 's dead father. Anfisa
is offended because Rodka himself hasn't proposed the toast.
She goes outside weighed down with sad thoughts, she remembers the time when
she first met her husband, Ivan Lukashin. They met during the war, Ivan had
returned to the village to convalesce after being wounded and they fell in love
Then Ivan went back to the front, Anfisa promised to wait for him and she kept
her word Lukashin returned to the village and became president of the kolkhoz.
Then he was accused of misappropriation of the grain supplies and sent to prison
where he died.
This scene is accompanied by the women singing a song that was very popular
at the time, I Waited for You All Through the War.
A drunk woman enters who works as the village stablehand. She says Rodka has
made her daughter pregnant .Anfisa refuses to believe her and follows her to
check whether this is true or not.
She comes back upset by what she has heard. She tells Mikhail and her son the
truth Rodka doesn't deny anything, but says that he is not particularly concerned
Vera, Mikhail and Raisa's daughter, hears their argument and leaves.
Near the office
The news arrives that Taborsky; whom Mikhail has been opposing so vehemently;
has been relieved of his post. Mikhail is happy to hear this and hurries to
Viktor Netesov to find out if it is true and, in fact, this turns out to be
the case.
Mikhail is extremely pleased, since he has always thought all the village problems
were Taborsky's fault, and he rushes home to give his wife the good news At
this point more news arrives Netesov has been appointed the new president of
the kolkhoz Mikhail puts on his best suit and goes to the first meeting with
the new president.
The first meeting with the new president of the kolkhoz
Viktor Netesov offers Mikhail the job of village stablehand. Everyone makes
fun of him, evidently he thought he would be given a more important post. However,
he accepts his new task, he can't disobey the new president since he has been
waiting for a change for so long.
Near the stable
Vera tries to cheer her father up, she says that she likes his new job, since
he has always loved horses.
At Kalina's
Mikhail and Pyotr carry Kalina inside after washing him in the sauna. They see
some vodka on the table. It is a Russian custom to commemorate the deceased
by drinking vodka. This evening Yevdokya drinks in memory of her son. He left
as a volunteer to fight in the war (though he was under age), to prove the innocence
of his father Kalina Ivanovich, and was killed in battle. Then Yevdokya tells
how she found her husband in the lager. Kalina says he can't breathe and asks
her to sing him his favourite revolutionary song. Then he dies.
Kalina's funeral
Kalina's funeral is held. After the funeral, Pyotr asks Grigory to spread the
word in the village that he, Pyotr, will go back to the
city alone. Anfisa rushes in with the news that the workers are demolishing
the house that has been sold, to sell it as firewood to a stranger
Pyotr suggests placing the "horse" from the demolished house on the
roof of their old house (the villages in the north of Russia are famous for
their beautiful decorative elements that are called "horses").
Liza is pleased because at least it will be a memento of the old grandfather
who left her the house. They set to work. While they are hauling the "horse"
onto the roof the old rope breaks and the heavy wooden "horse" falls
on Liza. They take her to hospital where she dies. One of the villagers brings
the tragic news to Mikhail.
Liza's funeral
Mikhail asks "Where are my nephews?" "With Anfisa", his
wife replies.
Mikhail asks "Why? Why aren't they with us? I am their uncle. Thirty years
ago, before my father left for the war, he lifted me in his arms and asked 'Do
you understand me?' For thirty years I've been wondering what he meant by that.
And only now do I seem to have understood".
* * * Abramov began to write the novel Brothers and Sisters in 1958. It is a
tetralogy that took him over twenty years to complete and in which he describes
the living conditions of Russian peasants Brothers and Sisters, on the subject
of the less well-off classes during World War II, was published in 1958; Two
Winters and Three Summers came out in 1968 and describes the deprivations of
the early post-war years; Roads and Crossroads appeared in 1972 and here Abramov
denounces the Party's agrarian policy in the early fifties; and finally; The
House was published in 1978 and it gives a more intimate picture of the fate
of the Pryaslin family; the protagonists of the tetralogy.