This legendary comedy of the Soviet Russian literature classic Mikhail Bulgakov (1891–1940), the author of such works as The Master and Margarita and Heart of a Dog, is on The Old Theatre of Vilnius’s stage for the first time! Juicy dialogue, the kaleidoscope of costumed interludes, the series of life paradoxes and grotesque characters – all of this reflects the New Economic Policy (NEP) period of pre-war Soviet Russia, i.e. the short-lived heyday of free market. Back then, people of particular inclination, sensing the transience of the respite, would plunge headlong into the frenzy of unbridled entertainment and passion, and this is exactly what the comedy’s plot is all about.

 

A dozen of extravagant roles is performed by the theatre’s all-star team. The central character, a wanton widow Zoya Peltz, is played by the larger-than-life Inga Maškarina. Director Rolandas Atkočiūnas, who is back on the RDTL’s stage after a long hiatus, collaborates in this production with the prominent Latvian stage designer Mārtiņš Vilkārsis and composer Giedrius Puskunigis, the unmatched master of theatrical melodies. The audience will also be delighted by a gallery of stylish retro dresses created by costume designer Jolanta Rimkutė. It’s an atelier!

 

Warning: smoking on stage

 

Performed in Russian with Lithuanian subtitles

 

Photos by Dmitrij Matvejev