The performance where you take part. Mystical show "Returned

Anna Kovaleva

14 min.

On December 1, 2016, the world premiere of the new immersive performance "The Returned" took place in the Russian capital. It's worth hurrying - after 50 performances in Moscow, the production will leave Russia and go to New York!

What happened?

On December 1, 2016, the world premiere of the new immersive performance "The Returned" took place in the Russian capital. Moscow is the first city whose residents got the opportunity to watch this mystical show. However, it’s worth hurrying - after 50 performances in the Mother See, the production will leave Russia and go to New York: in the spring, the ambitious directorial team of the young theater company Journey Lab begins rehearsals for the American version of the performance, which is scheduled to premiere in autumn 2017.

Who put on this mystical show?

The play "The Returned" is the result of a creative collaboration between young American directors Victor Karina and Mia Zanetti from the New York theater company Journey Lab and Russian producers Vyacheslav Dusmukhametov and Miguel, choreographer and mentor of the show "DANCES" on TNT. Sounds in the mansion classical music, the author of which was the composer and leader of the group Therr Maitz Anton Belyaev.

We met the directors of the production, Mia and Viktor, at the theater bar: at the very beginning, all viewers are invited to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the performance in a small speakeasy bar located in the basement of the mansion. Guests are gradually getting used to the twilight, and the expectation increases curiosity. However, you can return to the bar at any time during the action or stay there for a cocktail after the show to discuss what you saw with other viewers of the show. I was lucky: I discussed what I saw directly with those who own the idea and implementation of this project in Russia.

Why did Moscow become the place for the world premiere of the show?

In fact, the "Returned" ended up in Moscow thanks to a happy coincidence. original idea put on an immersive performance New York based on the play "Ghosts" by the famous Norwegian Ibsen belongs to Viktor Karin (Journey Lab), although initially it was not about doing a project in Russia.

In order to stir up interest, prepare the American public for Ibsen and make a small “teaser” of the future performance, at the beginning of 2016 Journey Lab members Victor Karina and Mia Zanetti decided to stage a kind of prequel to the future production in New York. The play was released under the name The Alving Estate. The prequel sent everyone who came to the events that preceded the action classical play Norwegian playwright: it was important for the directors to show what underlies the experiences of the characters and clearly demonstrate how events from the past affect the present. Tickets for the performance were sold out very quickly, and the reaction from critics was surprisingly positive. By a happy coincidence (at least for the progressive theatrical audience of Moscow), Anastasia Timofeeva, the current creative producer of The Returned, turned out to be at this performance, who was very impressed by what she saw.

The idea to put on a large-scale immersive performance in Moscow had long been the choreographer Miguel, known to the Russian public for the popular TV project "Dancing" on TNT. Miguel has repeatedly visited the cult immersive show Sleep No More in New York and firmly decided to do something similar in Moscow. Together with TNT producer Vyacheslav Dusmukhametov, Miguel organized a meeting with the young members of Journey Lab, the authors of The Alving Estate, and invited them to make a joint immersive project in Moscow. Already in the spring of 2016, the Russian capital began active work on the creation of the world premiere of the mystical play The Returned.

What is an "immersive performance"?

Immersiveness (from the English. immersive - creating the effect of presence, immersion) is definitely one of the main trends contemporary art. Immersive theater is no exception; it is a kind of natural outcome of several trends in progressive direction and in the field of popular urban leisure.

The main feature of an immersive performance is the ability to create the effect of complete immersion of the viewer in what is happening and involve him in the plot of the production. At any moment, the participants in the action can begin to interact directly with the audience - the actors can hug you, blindfold you, take you by the hand or take you to another room. Sometimes, in order to take the viewer out of his comfort zone, it’s enough just to look into his eyes for a long time. Distinctive feature immersive performances in that the audience ceases to be just observers in the auditorium and become full participants in the entire action. By the way auditorium in the world of immersive theater in the traditional sense of the word, there is no such thing as the action of the promenade theater develops simultaneously in several different locations at once.

In the case of The Returned, the play takes place in a mansion early XIX century in Dashkov lane in the center of Moscow. A team of talented decorators and costume designers managed to recreate an interior that has absorbed the spirit of the times. The house has four floors and about 50 rooms, each of which plays out an enchanting action that combines the energy of progressive theater, the visual aesthetics of cinema and amazing special effects.

How was the project going?

For six months, young American directors Victor Karina and Mia Zanetti worked in strict secrecy with Russian artists and taught them innovative immersive theater techniques. It is noteworthy that many of those involved in the production have never seen walk-in performances before.

The technique with which the directorial tandem of Victor and Mia works is widespread in the USA, but for Moscow it was a novelty. Actors were taught how to interact with people correctly - in the course of working on the project, the entire team performed whole line relaxation exercises. For example, one of the tasks for the artists was to lie down in the middle of the Moscow metro and calmly observe the reaction of passers-by.

Unlike the sensational immersive "Black Russian" by Maxim Didenko, in the play "The Returned" there are obviously no well-known media faces. At the casting, actors were recruited according to completely different criteria. Artists were evaluated based on how they control their bodies, how they interact with the crowd, how they look at passersby - they were looking for those from whom it is impossible to take their eyes off. For example, one of the tasks at the casting was to do something to make the actor want to follow. In total, more than 900 artists from all over the country took part in the casting for the show. We chose the best: 31 professional actors and dancers are involved in the project.

Interestingly, neither Mia nor Victor speak Russian. Although, by their own admission, it was not a problem. The main thing was to make actor play was understandable regardless of the language spoken by the characters.

What is at the heart of The Returned?

The show is based on the play by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen "Ghosts" or "Ghosts", written back in 1881. For a long time, the play was banned both in Europe and in Russia for its excessive "naturalism". For the first time, "Ghosts" were staged only in 1903. "Ghosts" is not a simple play, it is a bold and extremely acutely social story about the collapse of the ethics of Protestantism, or rather about how, behind the facade, there is a very ideal life(at first glance) mental suffering and throwing are hidden.

Important preparations are underway in Mrs. Alving's house - in the near future they should open an orphanage built with the money of the widow of the venerable Captain Alving in memory of him. In honor of this, the captain's relatives and old friends of the family gather together, however mystical events and ghosts, as if returning from the past, tragically change the fate of the heroes of the play. Knowledge of the plot is a serious trump card in the hands of the viewer, who shoots in advance possible questions and allowing you to combine disparate episodes into a mosaic.

Ibsen himself said that the title of the play should be translated as "Those who returned", which by the way was reflected in the Russian title of the show. Interestingly, when the show leaves for the US, it will have a new name, presumably “Give me the sun” - this is one of the lines of Oswald, the son of the deceased captain.

Why are there so many explicit scenes in the show?

The show really has shocking explicit scenes at first (yes, the performance is 18+). Spoiler alert: don't miss the orgy that happens during the action. I missed, well, although, I must admit, I always miss all the orgies :)

Remember that the number of explicit scenes you see depends only on you. According to the creators of the project, the text of the original obliges frankness - many works by the Norwegian Ibsen are built around what is read between the lines and, as a rule, remains behind the scenes. The scenes of a sexual nature are not random: they highlight different moments in the history of each of the characters. For example, sensual scenes emphasize difficult life paths young Oswald and his father and help the viewer understand why and how the son inherited his father's lifestyle. Thus, explicit scenes are designed to demonstrate how a person’s deepest desires can lead to dire consequences for himself.

The sexual elements are a kind of provocation. explicit scenes affect the viewer in a special psychological way, forcing him to forget about what seems forbidden, and look at the world with a fresh, open look, free from condemnation of other people. The authors of the project idea want all those who came to feel like some kind of ghosts at home in Dashkov Lane, who can watch the heroes at their moments of greatest weakness and vulnerability. Yes, frank sex scenes help the viewer to better understand what is going on in the soul of the characters and show the inner struggle of the characters deeper.

An interesting story happened with the "Returned" teaser. According to the organizers, Russian TV channels refused to broadcast the teaser of the show on TV, considering it too frank. So, the premiere of the teaser took place on the network in Instagrame. However, this did not prevent the teaser from collecting more than 50 million views in the first day of broadcast.

So is it worth going to the show?

Definitely yes, but be prepared - it's a bold performance. "The Returned" is the first full-fledged immersive production in the tradition of the iconic theater team Punchdrunk, which laid the foundations of the world's immersive theater. The trend towards universal immersion is one of the most noticeable trends in the modern entertainment industry, but it seems that for the first time in Moscow the promenade theater genre was treated so thoroughly and approached so seriously. After the performance, the audience is left with an interesting aftertaste and a feeling of fascination with everything that happened. In the bar, after the performance, the audience shares their feelings with friends, comparing their experience of what they saw: memories of the mystical show are put together in a mosaic, like pieces of a puzzle. I want to return to the mysterious mansion on Dashkovo: there are too many unsolved mysteries left.

The premiere of "The Returned" aroused great interest not only among the audience, but also among the professional theater community in Moscow. The show became the headliner of the program of one of the most prestigious theatrical events in the capital - the festival of the New European Theater NET.
Well, yes, the performance will be shown only 50 times, and then they will be taken to the USA.

What should you do before watching?

1. Get acquainted with Ibsen's play. If you're familiar with the story and characters beforehand, you'll be able to really immerse yourself in the secrets of the house without trying to keep up with complex storylines. For context and immersion in the right atmosphere, you can watch several films by David Lynch and read about the strict mores of society in the late 19th century.

2. Get tickets for an earlier time (spectators come in 3 times). The earlier you arrive, the more time you have to explore everything. Spectators themselves determine the time they will spend in the house on Dashkovo. You can stay within the walls of the mansion for only an hour, but even three hours may not be enough to see everything. The space and decoration of the house is a completely self-sufficient museum European culture and life late XIX century (bravo to the artists Ruslan Martynov and Ivan Bout).

Looking at the scenery is by no means less exciting than following the progress of the play. The rules encourage the audience's curiosity: no one will mind if you read the letter that lies on the table, or rummage through the suitcase of one of the characters. You can try on Frau Alving's jewelry, you can sit at the dinner table with the heroes or watch closely how the actress preens and admires herself in front of the mirror.

3. Wear comfortable shoes without heels - get ready to walk a lot, and there are quite a few stairs in the house. Sometimes, in order to keep track of the characters, you even have to run.

4. Share with friends and don't set goals to see everything. This strategy will allow you to see a different set of episodes, and, rest assured, it will be more interesting to compare them afterward. Be sure to stop for a cocktail at the bar and discuss what you see with other viewers. As for different audience strategies, there are several options. You can choose the actor you like and follow him: in this way you will become a witness to one, but a full-fledged storyline. Another behavioral tactic is to settle down in one of the many interesting locations, meeting and seeing off the characters who are brought here by the logic of the plot. If you are used to swimming against the current, then feel free to choose the path of a researcher: this is a great chance to examine all the numerous props of the house, read letters written in calligraphic handwriting, the content of which complements the replicas of the heroes of the production, and flip through the books that you will find on your way. It all depends on your desires and imagination.

5. Do not be afraid to be alone with the characters - the truth is more interesting that way. You should be curious all the time, you should not constantly follow the majority of the audience. Watching what is happening in the crowd of other spectators is not as interesting as exploring everything yourself. In the remote corners of the house, there are many secrets that are waiting to be revealed.

6. Be open. The more you bare your soul, the more you will get in return.

"Returned" is a unique performance that gives a sense of freedom and full involvement in what is happening. This is a bold theater where the main thing is not the spectacle, but personal dramatic experience.

One of the pioneers of the genre, the American team Jorney Lab, together with the Russian production company YesBWork, came up with the idea to turn Henrik Ibsen's play Ghosts (1881) into an immersive performance. A spectator who enters an old mansion with a ticket gets complete freedom of movement, the ability to poke his nose anywhere and discover, for example, secret passages and rooms. Directors Victor Karina and Mia Zanetti have been training artists in immersive theater techniques for six months in strict secrecy. Miguel, the choreographer of the show "Dances", is responsible for the movement and in general for the energy of the project. For the first time in the local latitudes, the promenade theater genre was treated so thoroughly.

It's a must to go

For several reasons. Firstly, this is the first full-fledged immersive performance in Russia in the tradition theater group Punchdrunk, laid down by their legendary "Sleep No More". Before that, there was only "Normansk" in the Center. Meyerhold, but very few people managed to see him either - the noir walker along the Strugatskys was shown less than ten times. Secondly, "The Returned" is a thing so well executed, multifaceted, historically accurate and erotic that I want to immediately bring here by the hand all the apologists for everything "classical" along with lovers of the emphasized "modern". And thirdly, the performance will be shown only 50 times, and then they will be taken to the USA.

Read Ibsen's play "Ghosts"

Or her summary. For example, . Knowing the plot is a serious trump card, removing in advance possible questions like: “Who are these people?”, “What is happening?” or “Why are these two guys called by the same name?” However, even without a rough idea of ​​the plot, the scattered episodes will form into a puzzle. To put it simply, "Ghosts" - family drama late 19th century, main character haunted by phantoms from the past, radically changing the future.

Do not go with a group of friends or couples arm in arm

Firstly, the organizers are asked not to do this. And secondly, by splitting up, you will be able to see a different set of episodes, the more interesting it will be to compare them later. If it seems to you that you do not understand anything, remember some of your travels. With a guide you will surely find quickly important museum, a palace or a skyscraper, but when you just went wherever your eyes look, you probably stumbled upon an amazing courtyard, incredible graffiti or an illegal rave - and experienced no less delight.

Don't try to follow the plot

You still won't see all the scenes, and that's the point - everything is like in life. Moreover, the space of the house and its design is an absolutely self-sufficient museum of European culture and life of the late 19th century (artists Ruslan Martynov, Ivan But). Just like Dennis Sievers' great London "still life museum", where everything is arranged as if the owners had just left. Sideboards and dressing tables filled with old glass, barber's tools and paraphernalia for smoking, lamps and wallpaper - looking at all this is no less exciting than following the play.

Don't expect a brilliant psychological performance from the actors

The artists are all insanely beautiful, plastic and charismatic. It is generally impossible to take your eyes off the red-haired carpenter giant. And what a flight scene in the corridor when the actors soar up to the ceiling using climbing holds! But don't be fooled: this is not the new Russian drama theatre. To see acting skills XXI century, go to the "ELEPHANT" Brusnikin. The "Returned" team still has a different superpower - an amazing ability not to notice the dense crowd of spectators.

Wear sneakers instead of shoes, lenses instead of glasses

At the entrance you will receive a mask (very comfortable, by the way). In principle, glasses can be worn over it, it's just not very comfortable. Same with shoes - get ready to walk a lot of stairs. And in general, we advise you to familiarize yourself with all these before leaving the house.

Follow moving characters

Like an ambulance in a traffic jam. This is the most easy way achieve total immersion in the spirit of Herman Sr. films.

Do not be afraid to be alone with the character

There is a chance to experience the so-called personal experience. For example, to hear in a whisper something addressed only to you. Actors lure viewers into the room selectively, a guaranteed experience is promised to those who buy VIP tickets for 30,000 rubles. But it is not necessary to do so.

Don't drink wine at the bar

For a glass they will ask 680 rubles. Expensive!

Don't miss the orgy

The main scene of the performance depicts a dumping sin. It is quite difficult to miss this, since almost all the characters participate in it. But this means that almost all spectators gather in one place at once. To pre-occupy convenient places and not to disappear in the flea market, we recommend that you sit down in advance in the most spacious hall of the basement. Landmark - stroboscope.

Wait for the final

In one evening, two loops are played non-stop. After the first, the actors change roles, and the episodes change locations. At the end of the second, there is a big and important finale on top floor in the attic. Spectators are free to come and go at any time, but it's still worth watching the finale. All the dots are really placed there and a well-deserved and delicate catharsis happens.

In late November and early December, the Yeltsin Center hosted the Territory festival, where Yekaterinburg residents could get acquainted with latest trends in contemporary theater. As part of educational program Festival theater critics Roman Dolzhansky and Alexey Kiselev spoke about new theatrical terms and paid special attention to immersive theater. Let's talk about what they mean.

As Roman Dolzhansky immediately noted in his lecture “New theatrical terms”, immersive performances are at the peak of their popularity today. It is them that today's theatergoers put in the first place.

“An immersive performance creates the effect of complete immersion of the viewer into the plot of the production. The viewer becomes part of what is happening. Such a theater is also called "quest theater", "promenade theater" or "walking theater"

Today, this kind of action captured everything theater scenes, inviting the audience to leave their usual places in the hall and go on a journey through the world of book characters. “You come to a theater or a gallery and become a participant in this art - you have to touch something at the exhibition for something to appear on it, you have to go somewhere for part of the performance to begin. This is an art that operates with other senses besides vision. The form changes, so the feeling also changes. In other words, this art does not exist without you,” says Alexey Kiselev. He correlates this theater genre with computer games, where the player is given the opportunity to take the place of the protagonist.

FROM English phrase"immersive theater" is translated as "the theater of involvement". This is what conveys it main point- the actor at any time can involve the viewer in the production. Kiss, touch, engage in dialogue with him. The first immersive production is the show "Sleep No More" by the British group "Punchdrunk", which was based on the line of Shakespeare's "Macbeth", but placed in the 30s of the 20th century. The performance took place on the site of a five-story hotel, where actors and spectators in white masks ran around the offices and bars without talking or taking off their masks. The production made quite a splash in the 2000s, but did not receive distribution in Russia. Only ten years later, the play “Normansk” was released in Moscow, in which the audience walked around the city inhabited by indigo children and “little biters” (this is how the authors designated “internally independent people with talent not buried in the ground”).

In Yekaterinburg, critics did not find such "walking theatres". “Maybe they are, but they just haven’t received much distribution. Of course you have a large number of quests, which many equate to a promenade theater. Of course, they are very bright, interesting, and the audience there also take the place of the characters and wander around the provided location. Their main difference is that in immersive performance play with the audience professional actors, whose task is not to confuse them, not to scare them, as in most quests today, but to immerse them in the necessary plot, ”Alexey Kiselev emphasized.

Among the iconic immersive performances for Russia, Dolzhansky and Kislev singled out the performance-walker “S.T.A.L.K.E.R”, staged by the Gogol Center based on the eponymous computer game. And it, in turn, is made based on the book of the Strugatsky brothers. Spectators put on headphones, a protective suit and follow in the footsteps of the characters in the game. The main task is to “absorb” the plasticity of the computer hero.

In Cathy Mitchell's Christine, the director makes the minor heroine of August Strindberg's play Miss Julie the main character, which gives the effect of plot uncertainty. The viewer cannot see the whole picture because he is traveling the world. minor character. Behind the walls you can hear the sounds of other heroes, but this is just an illusion. The viewer sees through the eyes of a secondary heroine, and what happens behind the wall is a simultaneous action.

"The Returned" takes place in an early 19th century mansion in the center of Moscow. The house has 4 floors and about 50 rooms, in each of which a bewitching action is played out. The production is based on Henrik Ibsen's play "Ghosts". For a long time it was banned, both in Russia and in Europe, so such an interest in the performance today is quite understandable.

The most unusual immersive production by Alexei Kiselev was called May Night by the Moscow Puppet Theatre. This performance is impossible to see - there is a bandage on the eyes of the audience. The production is known to the audience through tactile and taste sensations, smells, sounds: the actors recreate the splash of water, the sound of the wind, and even feed those who came.

Roman Dolzhansky and Aleksey Kiselev are sure that the theater of engagement is at the peak of its popularity today and will be in demand for a long time to come. After all, getting into the atmosphere of an immersive performance, the audience briefly falls out of real life. And let them understand that this is all an illusion, they want to return to a new unknown world again and again.

Information from the organizer

On April 27 and 28, 2019, the talented actress Tatyana Babenkova will join the cast of the show- star of the series "Policeman from Rublyovka" on TNT channel. You will be able to appreciate the new reading of the role of Regina and once again immerse yourself in the exciting events taking place in the house of the Alvings. Take advantage of this special offer for April 28th only! We have reduced the cost of the basic ticket by 10%. We look forward to seeing you at the show!

18+ - the organizer has the right to demand an identity card and refuse entry without refunding the ticket price.

The total duration of the show is 2.5 hours. The viewer himself determines the time spent in the mansion. The viewer can stay in the bar until 24.00.

Dress code / Personal items
Throughout the action, it is forbidden to speak, touch people without masks and take it off. If you want to keep up with all the events in the mansion, we recommend that you wear comfortable shoes, as well as contact lenses instead of glasses. Outerwear and personal belongings must be deposited in the cloakroom.

Safety
The show will use modern technical lighting and special solutions and effects.

VIP ticket
Included in the price: private entrance and cloakroom, unlimited premium bar, guaranteed one-on-one experience for deep immersion in the show. The owner of one of the six VIP tickets will be able to see an extended version of the show, get a guaranteed personal theatrical experience with the characters of the play, as well as access to a personal bar in Captain Alving's secret office.

Jacob's table
You can book one of the four tables for two opposite the Ibsen Bar. The price of the reservation includes a privileged seat, two glasses of champagne and snacks. The reservation is valid from 18.30 until the end of the bar. Does not give access to the show.

Ticket "Journey Home". The owner of the only ticket for the evening will take a walk around the mansion, accompanied by one of the inhabitants. Only for you the House will reveal its secrets, inaccessible to others. Before purchasing this service, we recommend visiting the performance.

The immersive show "Returned" is a theater where there are no seats. And instead of a stage - four floors of an old mansion. You put on a mask and become a participant in the action. Only here you will independently determine your path, explore the space and all the props. You have access to 50 rooms and 240 scenes that are simply physically impossible to see in one visit. Only some viewers will be able to find secret rooms. It will take several visits to truly understand the innovative format of the project, as well as the full depth of immersion. Get ready for a new level of experience and work with your inner self. We strongly recommend that you reach the final of the performance.

Only a few standard ticket holders will be able to participate in a special private scene alone with the actor; the lucky ones are chosen in a special way. While VIP ticket holders, which include the extended version of the show, drinks and bar snacks, will get a guaranteed tête-à-tête with the actor, and this is an unforgettable, very personal experience. VIP ticket holders enter the theater through a separate VIP entrance.

Anyone who wants to experience a special immersive experience, we are in a hurry to invite you to the Alwing Mansion for the Returned Show! Until the end of April, we invite everyone who has long wanted to visit the show "Returned", but did not dare, as well as those who have already been with us.You can buy tickets at a special price of 4500 rubles. Start - at 19.30.

Until the end of April, VIP tickets for sessions at 19.00 will be available at a special price - 20,000 rubles.You will have access to an extended version of the production, individual scenes, as well as access to a personal bar.Welcome!

Entrance to the theater is strictly from the age of 18 and is possible only upon presentation of a passport. The barcode on the ticket can be presented from a mobile device or from a printed ticket. Exact time entry is indicated on the ticket. Entrance to the show is by several groups, each of which enters at its own time. This is due to strict rules and instruction. Be careful! During the entire performance, in no case should you talk or touch the actors. The guardians of the mansion - black masks - keep order.

About five years ago, in New York, I ended up in the three-story building of the McKittrick Hotel, where on different floors and in different rooms you can walk around and watch the performance that takes place in different parts of this building. The performance is called "Slip no more", an excellent production. You will be in NY, go by all means (http://www.sleepnomore.com/).

And now the signal has reached our latitudes. In the center of Moscow, they found a whole mansion ("Troekurov's house") and adapted it for the play "Black Russian" (https://blackrussianshow.ru/). Like, based on Pushkin's novel "Dubrovsky".

Went down. I tell everything how it happened.

So you enter the building. Fresh fir spruce branches are lying on the sides. You approach the counter, where all your friends are separated, giving them different polygonal masks - deer, chanterelles and owls. Then, the passenger flow through the building is segregated using these masks.

The mask is uncomfortable shopizdets. Presses the glasses into the eyes, everything is in grease and smudges from blinking eyelashes on the lenses. If you take off your glasses, the mask fits perfectly between eyeball and lower eyelid. And if you consider that I had a deer mask, and I constantly touched the doorways and shelves with my horns, then my evening in the Helmholtz mansion would have ended. So wearing glasses and a mask with a truncated field of vision, I handed over my jacket to the wardrobe.

Encampments of foxes and owls were taken away somewhere, and a herd of deer was driven into the kitchen. The kitchen is real, the products are real, everything is even tasty, but it looks disgusting. Selected products of black color - Borodino bread, black pudding, eggplant, raisins and prunes. In principle, I hate the aesthetics of decaying decadence, but here it was masterfully supported by chefs, reminiscent of Moscow designers who walk around in all black. At the same time they gave out vodka. It is strange that the vodka was transparent, because there is black ("Blavod" is called).

I liked this place the most - they gave me a stack, the blood on the bread turned out to be excellent. The reindeer in the kitchen looked like ladies in Saudi Arabia who eat pasta without removing the veil. Everyone drank, the eyes under the glasses became even more foggy.

We were taken to a room with hay. The hay smelled like hay. And then the actors began to play. God, even in Vologda the drama school has already stepped forward. Under Russian singing the actors wringed their hands badly, jumped in the hay, there was no meaningful plot or text. Then we went to the second floor to a separate room.

There, the Frenchman danced romantically with a bear, then shot him with a loud piston. The bear hit the floor. The Frenchman approached, removed the head and shoulders from the bear, and a woman was inside. The Frenchman gently stroked her face with his hands, the woman got rid of the skin, being completely naked. Baba made a turn on the spot, lay down on the table, but quickly changed her mind about lying down and ran away through another door.

Then everyone went to the forest of foam cardboard Christmas trees. Here I really remembered the residence of Father Frost in Veliky Ustyug - there are exactly the same decorations in the building. And they also take everyone between the Christmas trees to create a fabulous mood. Everyone walks, so among these trees, like a snake in Nokia. Then everyone stops, and the actors begin to collect couples from the audience. The actress brings a girl in a mask to me and says that she has found a good girl for me, they say, communicate and get to know each other.

And I feel that the slogan of the play "go crazy in this house" is not so dishonest. I came to the theater, and they put on a mask, poured me vodka, took me to a cardboard forest and gave me a random girl. Some kind of fucking swing party for the impotent and based on Pushkin.

Then there were some more indistinct numbers, and in the finale all the spectators are gathered in one hall, where the main stage takes place. This is a huge round revolving table, on which all the actors dance very badly and indistinctly. There is no sense in the texts, scenography and plot. Only cries of "Masha!" connect the performance with the original work. and "Dubrovsky!".

At the end, Dubrovsky is shot, he falls. And only in this place does a noteworthy theatrical find happen. All this time there was a very weak video projection on the walls of the hall (poor brightness and terrible resolution). And after the shot, the blood splatters beautifully like this on the walls. On video, of course.

But then the dwarf standing on the stage (and the dwarf in the theater is like a rosette of butter on a cake, always depicts an emotion, but is completely inedible) feels Dubrovsky's pulse and says "Finita la comedy!"

Everyone, after that turn to the wardrobe.

Tickets cost from 5900 to 7900 rubles. If the viewer has that much money and wants immersive theater, then I would recommend a strip club. There, too, actresses among the audience go and also pour vodka, only they dance better. And there are no dwarfs, damn it.