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Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty
Henry M. Robert

IVAN FRANKO DRAMA THEATER SHOWS MOSCOW HOW TO STAGE SHAKESPEARE

13 November, 2012 - 00:00

Judging from Ukrainian press reviews on King Lear staged by the Ivan Franko National Theater, the invitation to play in Moscow which the company received from the Anton Chekhov International Festival’s organizing committee was dictated by nostalgic rather than creative considerations.

In Moscow the play was a great success which could not be possibly explained by the public’s affection for Bohdan Stupka or respect for stage director Serhiy Danchenko. The company’s epochal polyphonic interpretation of one of the most philosophical Shakespearean texts obviously calls for quiet concentration and ready sympathy from the audience. At home, King Lear was not even nominated for the Kyiv Pectoral festival. In Moscow, the company had to play in extreme conditions, because the trailer with stage props was late for the performance and after only a brief “technical” rehearsal. And it was received with standing ovation. Of course, there were opponents, but it seems worth quoting Vaduz Gaievski, one of the most subtle Russian theatrical critics. After the performance he exclaimed, “Mr. Danchenko showed us how to stage Chekhov once [i.e., Uncle Vanya in 1980 - Ed.] and here he is again, having just given us an exemplary rendition of Shakespeare!”

Oleg Yefremov, taciturn as ever (and a seldom guest at colleagues’ performances) sat through the play and invited Serhiy Danchenko, an old friend, to his office for a friendly chat...

Photo by Viktor Marushchenko, The Day:

In Moscow King Lear was received better than in Kyiv

 

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