In January 2018, Alexander Koruchekov, a well-known director, launches a new production – ‘An Ardent Heart’ after the famous Alexander Ostrovsky’s play.

 ‘An Ardent Heart’ is a satirical comedy with old Russian society as its target, but the play also features three of Ostrovsky’s trademark samodurs (domestic tyrants).  This term was used by the mid-minetinth-century critic Nikolai Dobroliubov in relation to Ostrovsky’s plays. The portrayal of these samodurs – Kuroslepov, the father of the heroine Parasha and husband to the deceitful Matrena; Gradoboev, a corrupt city manage; and Khrylov, a wealthy estate owner whose extravagant existence is perhaps best captured by his habit of watering his plants with champagne – dictates the plotine of the play and can easily cross into the realm of the grotesque. Khrylov, in particular, pushes the boundaries of realism into the grotesque, making realistic acting nearly unattainable. Although the three tyrants dominate the play, the plotine that connects the various characters revolves around Parasha’s conflict with her stepmother, Matrena, who has not only stolen 2,000 rounbles from her husband, but also prevents Parasha from receiving her inheritance and marrying. Eventually, the theft is exposed, Parasha’s father, Kuroslepov, makes everything right, and Parasha marries her love, Gavrilo.

William D. Gunn. ‘Back to Ostrovsky!’

Alexander Koruchekov offers a new interpretation of the play, widens the comedy genre, introduces both passion and lyrical notes. The production has a little touch of the street theatre, heroes live on stage filling the show with grotesque peculiarities, funny situations and absurd conflicts. 

‘An Ardent Heart’ is a performance full of fantasy and theatricality, which bring a new added value to the classical play beloved by Russian theatregoers.

The set design is developed by Maxim Obrezkov, costumes constructed by Mariya Danilova, and the music for the performance is written by Petr Nalich and played by the Vakhtangov Thearre orchestra.

On stage you will see Evgeny Knyazev, Sergey Makovetskiy, Olga Tumaikina, Anna Antonova, Maria Berdinskikh, Evgeny Kosyrev, Yury Kraskov, Oleg Lopuhov, Vasily Simonov, Anatoliy Menshchikov, Alexander Pavlov, Vitalys Semenovs, Yriy Tsokurov, Eugeny Pilugin, Yuri Polyak, Denis Samoylov, Vasily Tsygantsov, Pavel Yudin.

First nights: January 18, 19, 30.