Front (1942)
A play directly about war was necessary for both the theatre and spectators. Army was retreating, and people needed a performance which would raise the fighting spirit. A. Korneychuk’s play was a precise fulfillment of a political order (a direct order of Stalin). Having just appeared it was immediately published in “Pravda”. Twenty two theatres of the country were granted an honorable right for productions of “The Front”. It was only one year later that Moscowites saw the performance of the Vakhtangists, when the theatre returned from evacuation, but the production was immediately recognized as the best.
In 1975 the performance was reopened by E. R. Simonov. The role of Gorlov in the new production was played by Mikhail Ulyanov, and that of Ognev — Vasiliy Lanovoy.
Main Stage
Premiere was on 6 November 1942
Characters & Cast:
Gorlov |
Alexey Dikiy Mikhail Derzhavin |
Gaidar |
Joseph Tolchanov Nikolay Pazhitnov |
Blagonravov, head of the front committe, |
Nikolay Smirnov |
Ognev, army commander |
Andrey Abrikosov Boris Babochkin Nikolay Emelyanov |
Kolos, infantry commander |
Anatoliy Goryunov |
Orlick, political committee commander, |
Lev Snezhitsky |
Udivitelniy, head of the intelligence department, |
Alexander Bizyukov |
Gorlov Miron |
Nikolay Bubnov |
Gorlov Sergey |
Ivan Doronin |
Svechka, guard colonel |
Aleksey Emelyanov |
Krikun, special journalist |
Nikolay Plotnikov |
Tikhiy, front newspaper editor |
Grigory Merlinsky |
Ostapenko, guard sergeant |
Boris Shuhmin |
Gomelauri, guard junior sergeant |
Rafik Ekimov |
Bashlykov, guard sergeant |
Fyodor Odinokov |
Shayametov, guard junior sergeant |
Ivan Kashirin |
Maryusya, nurse |
Dina Andreeva Varvara Popova |
Khripun, head of communication department |
Mikhail Sidorkin |
Mestniy, head of the committee |
Vladimir Balikhin |
Grustniy, actor |
Viktor Koltsov Nikolai Gritsenko |
Yasniy, mayor, commander of the regiment, |
Konstantin Monov |
Pechenka, fighter |
Eugeniy Maximov |
2nd soldier |
Georgy Ivanov Anatoliy Borisov |
Ognev’s Head of the committee |
Alexander Kashperov |
Captain, head of the communication office |
Mikhail Zharkovsky |
Orlov’s Adjunct |
Vladimir Kolchin |
Ognev’s Adjunct |
Yriy Igelstrom |
Mayor Gusakov |
Viktor Eykhov |
Crew:
Production |
Ruben Simonov |
Decorator |
Vadim Ryndin |
Composer |
Aleksandr Golubtsev |
Conductor |
Rostislav Arkhangelskiy |