This was the second production by Petr Naumovich Fomenko in the Vakhtangov Theatre. (In 1988 Petr Naumovich put the performance “The Deal” by A. Sukhovo-Kobylin on the stage). The scenes from F. Gorenstein’s play were put as the “big” performance close to the heavy esthetics of the sixties. In the story of Russian cabals spectators caught the signs of today. But the most important things for the stage director were neither today’s coincidences nor the horrors of the Petr’s times, but Petr and Alexey themselves. M. Sukhanov in the role of Petr was tough, smart, ruthless, with sharp eyes and low voice. He looked tired, sick but saw everything through and his calm grip was a grip of steel. Alexey portrayed by S. Makovetskiy, was infantile, artless, ambitious, simply not cut out to be a king. Having sold everyone and being sold by everyone, hating his father for his strength and pining with pity on himself, Alexey was miserable, but not disgusting, so full and enlightened by love to his simple-minded Aksinyushka (D. Mikhailova) he was. Was that by long arm of the stage director or by the actor, but not just a man small and weak was forgiven, this is traditional, but a man nefarious and mean, just because he is a human.