Three stars of Vakhtangov’s ensemble take on the exquisitely defined characters of Gérald Sibleyras’s wry comedy, which explores the universal desire to escape the confines of your own existence.
Gustave, Fernand and René – veterans who served in the First World War – have commandeered the terrace at the back of their retirement home. They gather daily to quarrel over fellow inmates and staff while fantasising about military battles, past lovers and lost dreams. In a change from the verbal duelling and the contentious issue of the giant decorative stone dog, they hatch a plan: embark on one last adventure, to freedom, beyond the poplar trees.

Shot through with physical comedy, irony and sharply observed dialogue, the show centres on a trio of eccentrics, each with his own foibles but bound by the common fear of impending death. Written by the French playwright in 2003 as an examination of mortality, identity and the passage of time, The Wind in the Poplars is directed by Rimas Tuminas.