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