Alejandro casona - trees die while standing. Alejandro casona - trees die while standing Reviews of the play trees die while standing
Simplified history
The Tomsk Drama Theater continued the season with an unexpected premiere. The audience was presented with the play "Trees die while standing." This is a melodrama by the Spanish playwright Alejandro Cason, written back in 1949. The play was very beloved by the Soviet theater 30-20 years ago, it was staged literally all over the country. It is difficult to find a city where she would never have been played, or an experienced theater-goer who has not seen at least one version of this sentimental story.
The Tomsk Drama is no exception: here Trees Die Standing was staged in the 1990s under the name Atelier of Illusions. And theater lovers still remember how great were Yuri Kisurin, Arkady Arkin, Elena Kozlovskaya and other actors in that production.
The choice of this particular play is somewhat surprising these days. The main director of the theater, director of the play "Trees die while standing" Sergei Kulikovsky explained his decision at the autumn meeting with the audience, which is traditional for the Drama.
It turned out that the performance was conceived as a benefit performance of the Honored Artist of the Russian Federation Olga Maltseva. The theater hoped that she was about to be given an even higher title - People's Artist. The process of obtaining an official document was delayed due to paperwork, and there was no reason for the benefit performance. But the theater did not begin to adjust the production plans.
Prior to the premiere, Trees Die Standing could be expected to be a “win-win”. A simple, understandable melodramatic performance that is essential in the repertoire. A production that gives the audience vivid emotions, with memorable acting works. Alas, this is not happening yet.
Staging
The intrigue of Cason's play is simple: Senor Balboa (Honored Artist of the Russian Federation Gennady Polyakov) once kicked out his only grandson from home, he went overseas.
Grandmother (Honored Artist of the Russian Federation Olga Maltseva) was very worried about this story, and her husband began to write letters on behalf of the young man, where he created the image of a reformed person who loves his relatives, talks about his wonderful wife. The woman believed in this idyll.
Suddenly, a couple of years after the exile, the family received a telegram from their real grandson, with the good news of his imminent arrival. While Balboa was pondering what to do, a misfortune happened: the steamer on which his grandson was sailing sank.
The messages about this tragedy were hidden from the grandmother, and the real grandson was replaced by a man from the agency of good deeds (Anton Antonov), his wife had to play Isabella (Olesya Latypova).
The grandmother was happy, her guests also felt the atmosphere of love that reigns in the house. But, as befits a melodrama, at the most inopportune moment a real grandson (Vitaly Ogar) showed up, alive, unharmed and, unlike the rest of the characters, very unpleasant. Meanwhile, my grandmother has a bad heart, and they cannot be allowed to meet ...
The play as interpreted by Kulikovsky has changed markedly. The first part of "Trees" is noticeably shortened, as a result, many minor but colorful characters disappeared from the performance, such as a pastor who, in the guise of a sailor, sings to sailors an old song about their homeland at the pier or a thief who manages to steal from other swindlers in order to return stolen goods owners.
The play was not left with the touching story of Isabella's acquaintance with Mauricio (Anton Antonov), important for the plot, as well as the whole set that explains why the strange office does extravagant and good deeds.
At the beginning of the performance, the first time viewer may become confused. On the stage, two plots develop in parallel: in one corner the incomprehensible office of Mauricio is "working", where Senor Balboa is asking to play urgently 20 years ago from his grandson, excommunicated from the house. The rest of the space, for a long time partially separated from the viewer by windows, is Balboa's house. There, his wife hastily puts things in order and is impatiently waiting for the unlucky grandson.
The play was shortened for staging, but the action still develops slowly. The whole performance, alas, turns out to be very even, even monotonous. From the passionate Spain, only the beautiful names of the heroes remain in it. From secret love - complaints of inattention. Even a villainous grandson turns out to be especially unremarkable, not causing any anger or irritation. Of the acting work, Olga Maltseva's Grandmother is the most convincing so far - with her combination of attentiveness and solicitude (more likely characteristic of Russian grandmothers) with an unbending character.
Perspectives
Perhaps, "Trees Die Standing" will become the last work of Sergei Kulikovsky on the big stage of the Tomsk drama as the chief director. Now he is rehearsing a solo performance by Olesya Latypova based on the play by Diana Balyko "Pine bar", the production will be on the small stage. And after the New Year, a new chief will probably appear in the drama theater. Sergei Kulikovsky has long said that he wants to spend more time in his native Belarus than he can afford with his current Tomsk position.
There are chances that Alexander Ogarev, a student of the famous director Anatoly Vasiliev, will take his place. For many years Ogarev participated in projects of the famous Moscow theater "School of Dramatic Art". In 2011-2013, Alexander headed the Krasnodar Academic Drama Theater.
While it has been decided that in the spring he will stage a play in Tomsk, it is known that this will be a serious, large-scale work, and the details have not yet been disclosed. If Ogarev and the troupe manage to find a common language, then it is he who, perhaps, will become the new chief director of the Tomsk Drama.
Text: Maria Simonova
Photo: Maria Anikina
The work is written in the genre of a play. It is based on the theme of love and endless devotion. At the same time, the difficult life circumstances of people are shown, interesting exciting stories and unpredictable twists and turns.
In the center of the play is Senor Balboa. The grandson of his wife ran away from home many years ago, he often got into a skirmish with his family, so Señor Balboa literally kicked him out of the house. The grandson began to lead a riotous lifestyle and rob people. The husband, so that the old woman would not be upset and worried, decided on some kind of intrigue. He began to write letters to her from his once escaped grandson. Naturally, in his letters he presented himself as a sentient grandson who embarked on the path of correction.
He writes about a successful marriage, a well-paid job as an architect, and how dearly he loves his grandmother. At some point, he even decided to hire special people to impersonate Mauricio's grandson and his wife. Señor Balboa (the main character) wanted his wife to be finally convinced that her grandson was an intelligent person, leading a good lifestyle. But the carefully planned performance failed. Balboa did not anticipate such circumstances. A real grandson comes to the house of the elderly and begins to demand money. The old woman gets sick, she is disappointed and overwhelmed. All illusions were destroyed in an instant. She realized that a completely different person wrote to her.
A lot of interesting things happen throughout the entire play, there is more than one storyline in it that captures the reader no less.
This play teaches a person not to make such rash sacrifices for the sake of the imaginary peace of loved ones. All adventures are revealed sooner or later, and everything that was once a secret is revealed at the most inopportune moment in the most ridiculous and unpleasant way.
Picture or drawing by Alejandro Cason - Trees die while standing
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In 1949, in hot Spain, playwright Alejandro Casona wrote the play "Trees die while standing"... In 2016, in cold Moscow, the play was staged by director Yuri Ioffe on the stage of the famous Theater on Malaya Bronnaya.
The performance turned out to be beautiful, lyrical, sunny-hot, passionate, funny and sad at the same time. The fictional history is closely intertwined with the real one, deeply putting roots in it, and it is no longer possible to separate them. The lie in this story is like a lifeline that was thrown to a drowning man, but the truth is like a lumberjack's saw, with which a still powerful tree is mercilessly cut down on the living.
Actors play very easily - as they breathe. The emotional images they create fill the audience's hearts with a sweet tremor of empathy, make them respond internally, rejoice and grieve for the heroes together with the actors.
I want this story to end well. The whole performance, without hesitation for a minute, is waiting for a happy ending. But it won't. Truth, with a cynical grin and in dirty boots, an uninvited guest pounds on the door with his fist: “Didn't you wait? And I came, open it! "... The truth in this performance looks like a criminal jumping out of a dark doorway with brass knuckles and inflicting a fatal blow.
And yet - this performance is about faith, hope and love.
About the selfless power of love. The need to hide tears, even when hope is taken away.
And believe in the best, no matter what.
A little about the plot.
I'm in and 
The action takes place in one small Spanish town, and begins within the walls of one small theater. Due to the fact that the theater artists have much more free time than the audience, they gather in a kind of creative team that renders good deeds to the population of this town - the firm "Ariel". It is necessary, for example, for someone to be known as a well-aimed hunter - please! A well-aimed bullet of the ordered and disguised actor will hit the ferocious boar, and the glory will go to the customer. If a petty thief snatches a plump purse or a string of pearls from a gaping signora, he will not have time to look around, as an equally dexterous but righteous hand will pull the prey out of his pocket. The stolen goods will be returned to the owner, but the thief will receive a very unpleasant letter, after which, you see, he will repent of his deed.
The announcement of the services of the firm of good deeds is given in the local newspaper. Services are provided both on a paid and free basis. The main thing is to do a good deed! The actors have a lot of work.
One fine day, two people come here at the same time - a pretty young girl and an elderly gentleman. Both are sad and anxious. The girl Martha is quickly helped to find a job and shelter. And here is a request for help from Senor Balboa of a very unusual and delicate nature. Once upon a time, he lost his son and daughter-in-law, and a little grandson remained in their arms with his wife, who, despite all the generous love that his grandfather and grandmother gave him, with age turned into an uncontrollable young man, for which was expelled by his grandfather from his home. But with the departure of the unlucky Mauricio, the sun left their house. Senora Balboa, although she did not blame her husband for anything, fell into apathy. To save his wife, the lord decides to write letters on behalf of his grandson. As the water revived a wilted flower, so the first letter instantly brought the lord back to life. In the second letter, the grandson informed her that he had repented of what he had done, in the third he said that he had moved to Canada, in the fourth that he was studying to be an architect, fell in love, got married, etc.
The fictional grandson delighted the elderly senora with fictional successes, but at the same time gave fullness of life and real happiness. The real grandson, according to the information received by the lord, became a criminal in Canada. 
As a matter of fact, now I am only retelling the prelude to the main act.
And it is like this - the real grandson decided to pay a visit to the family he had long forgotten. From Canada to Spain, he sails on a steamer that suddenly wrecks. To save the sick heart of his beloved wife from the sad news - “Ariel” received an order for a fictional grandson.
The grandson of Mauricio must come to visit them from Canada with his wife Isabella - by all means!
Good deeds agency gets down to business with enthusiasm.
And here the fantastic plot begins to take on the features of reality. The action moves into the Balboa house, where the fun begins! Everything in the house is tumbling, everything is filled with the joy of waiting, everyone is waiting for the long-awaited arrival of the prodigal grandson. Linen is changed from linen to linen, and the aromas of his favorite nut cake as a child rush from the kitchen.
How good as a grandmother Anna Antonenko-Lukonina(People's Artist of Russia)! She is that powerful tree, on the branches of which birds build nests, and the shadow gives coolness to the tired traveler. The elderly senora is so overwhelmed with love, her happiness is so immeasurable and boundless that our viewers get a generous portion of it. 
Finally, Mauricio's grandson arrives with Isabella. The first minutes of meeting with a keen heart, she notices that "The eyes are not the same!", but the "grandson" actor is brilliant in acting, and Isabella wins over with her spontaneity and sincerity. Memories begin, the grandson, to the delight of his grandmother, remembers everything to the smallest detail, skillfully juggles with details and plays on feelings, he also remembers the rosewood branch outside the window, and how many sons the housekeeper Henoveva has, and childhood tastes, and other pleasant details. A festive atmosphere reigns in the house, everyone is in high spirits, jokes and music sound. 
How selflessly the actors play - both literally and figuratively! How gracefully they act out all the mise-en-scenes, find a way out of an awkward situation, smooth out rough edges.
How beautiful everything is - the artists, the clothes, the decorations, the murmuring play of the Spanish guitar, a huge cake in the shape of a ship, a spectacular exit with a colorful jug of raisin liqueur and an indescribably beautiful dance of Senora Balboa with a fan in her hands, full of passion and revived life!
Mauricio (Andrey Rogozhin) is convincing and damn charming.
Isabel (Svetlana Pervushina) - pure, honest and charming.
The tandem of the housekeeper turned out to be very funny and very Spanish. Henovevs (Lyudmila Khmelnitskaya) and the maid Felice (Tatiana Oshurkova).
Senor Balboa (Victor Lakirev) organically appears in the form of a devoted romantic husband. 
The actors feel so good in this hospitable house that they involuntarily feel like real relatives. Communicating and helping their grandmother is not a burden for them, but a joy. Yes, and Senora Balboa herself, with her wise advice, helps Mauricio and Isabella to look at each other with new eyes. 
Seven days fly by unnoticed, and now the moment of departure comes, the suitcases are packed, the right words are looked for to comfort the grandmother. But the truth is in the face of a hideous bastard grandson (Dmitry Tsursky) ends all this delightful comedy. And already Senora Balboa herself is hiding a burning murderous understanding of the situation from the young people she loved and with magnificent proud dignity ... continues the game. 
The blood was real
- Don't call me Isabella: my name is Martha.
- We must forget about our real names - otherwise we can get confused.
- But nobody sees us!
- It does not matter.
This dialogue took place at the beginning of the second act between Martha and the director of the office of working miracles.
So the actors of the Baltic House, it seems, for the duration of the performance forgot their real names, their origins, their habits (which, as you know, altera natura), in order to reincarnate in the Spaniards, passionately singing Bésame mucho, passionately loving and exorbitant in everyone feeling.
If I try to find a succinct word for each of the characters in the play, I will no doubt describe the director with the word “charisma”. The very thing that bewitches in a person who at first glance is inconspicuous and ordinary, and that makes you believe every word when they say an outright lie. Having achieved mastery in the field of creating illusions, he lost the habit of experiencing genuine delusions. His personality has become the totality of all the roles that have ever been played, and the main aspiration in life is the improvement of his skills.
Elena's secretary is an impeccable position. The small role is more than compensated for by the brightness of her appearances on stage. It is she, and not her ingenious companion, who creates the mysterious elegance of their work to save people from the abyss of despair - after all, she does it with prudence and admirable calm, knowing for sure that vanity and compassion have never saved anyone.
Martha is the embodiment of sincerity. She knows how to pass through her heart equally suffering, like happiness, and every feeling she gets out without pretense. She is an exceptional tact. Just remember: in response to
the director's question about whether she is happy with the end of their fleeting performance - which she cannot be happy with, because for her it was not a performance, - Martha answers, albeit with bitterness in her voice: "I am very pleased." And in another episode, she remarkably elegantly hints to the director about the lack of sincerity: "It's not difficult to lie when such a good example."
Bilbao is a bizarre combination of clumsiness with nobility and fearlessness. With what confidence this brave man tells us that he would do his old deed, desperate but just, over and over again! And with what rigor he rebuffs Mauricio, and under the threat of a knife assuring that the house will not be sold ...
Senora Eugenia is wisdom. You expect to see a touching senile naivety and boundless delight from just one long-awaited meeting: dear granddaughters, well, finally arrived - well, now grandmother is happy! No matter how it is. The author of the play Cason and the performer of the role of Piletskaya showed us
deepest feminine insight (the winged "when spouses sleep in different beds is immoral!" it is to see the happiness of others "). The decision not to tell the “kids” anything that their whole idea has been revealed is not only a wise decision, but an eminently humane decision that justifies comparison with a tough tree.
Finally, the real Mauricio. In two words, brute force. Every time he appeared on the stage, I wanted to move to the back rows - such a lively, tangible threat emanated from him. Fearing right up to the last scene that “native blood” will nevertheless turn out to be more dear to the senora than spiritual kinship with two lovely, strangers, you breathe out with relief in the finale, when she claims with noble fury that there is no blood in him.
~
A delightful, light-filled storyline - the rapprochement of Mauricio and Isabella.
Two Rubicons are quite clearly visible, marking a turning point in their relationship to each other. And the first is the question of the blood on the hand. What amazement Mauricio comes to learn that it was not lipstick, but real blood! What is not pronounced, but follows in parentheses: it means that her feelings were real, which means that her ardent kiss was not an overkill of an unrepentant actress, but an impulse of her soul. After all, he himself, Mauricio, had until this moment been absorbed exclusively by the idea - the whole business of bringing Senora Eugenia to life for him was nothing more than a riddle for the mind, a useful stimulus, a short unforgettable adventure - which is so opposite to Martha's feelings, because she is carried away by destinies themselves.
The second point is Martha's question about her eye color. What are the eyes of the Mona Lisa? Anyone has seen this picture - and anyone is able to recreate it in their imagination without making any special efforts.
What kind of eyes does Siren have? Mythological character, beautiful in its mystery; remember him, and lines of forgotten poems and legends will immediately rush through your head, almost against your will. Needless to say, the questions were impeccably chosen. And he answers both immediately, even if he finds it difficult to convey the exact color in both cases ... And what kind of eyes do I have?
If we were in the heroes' place, we would surely have heard a thunderclap. From her side - a cry: well, notice me, I'm here, I'm near!
On his part - regret that, absorbed in the performance, he was inattentive to the one that deserved the most attention.
When this line moves towards the inevitable outcome and Mauricio and Isabella are left alone, the whole auditorium seems to stop breathing. Feeling - peeping through the keyhole. And what exact, true words were found in Mauricio to apologize for his imaginary indifference. I'm used to the sound of your breathing. And at that moment it was dearer than all words about love.
~
In concluding this review, I want to recall a valuable lesson given to Martha at the beginning of the second act. Art is created in the head, not in the heart. This, of course, is only part of the truth.
To become art, any idea, no matter how brilliant, must necessarily pass through the heart - and only then, examined with a sharp eye of common sense and cleaned to shine, win the hearts of millions - or at least two dedicated to the secret (after all, it is she, an incomprehensible and beautiful secret, hearty fervor, and not the number of admirers, distinguishes craft from art). Therefore, before meeting with Martha, all the noble activity of the director was rather a craft, even if it works miracles, but only thanks to Marta, a sincere and deep soul, he learned art.
The idea that art is impossible without the work of a cold mind was proved by the directors themselves at the end of the performance.
Could Senora Eugenia recognize Mauricio as her son? No.
But could she ask the two people who created a fairy tale for her to stay and continue this fairy tale further? And most importantly, would she be happy herself, already knowing the truth? ..
In one small Spanish town at the theater, the company "Ariel" operates. Employees of the company are engaged in an unusual business: they bring people to their homes ... happiness! An elderly senora lives in the same city, passionately in love with her only grandson. For 20 years now, she has been busy only with correspondence with him - in her thoughts he appears as a brilliant young man. Skilled actors are ready to give their grandmother three happy days in the company of their beloved grandson and his young wife. But an unexpected coincidence of circumstances changes the course of the planned events ... In the tragicomic production of Yuri Ioffe, an intriguing plot engages the viewer in a playful and philosophical conversation about truth and lies, about existence on a fine line between reality and fiction. Is it possible to live your whole life in pretense and how to measure the value of true truth if it can destroy other people's dreams? The creators of the play are pondering whether the theater can bring true happiness.
