Theatre Lounge: Rainy Theater in St. Petersburg

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Petersburg has been considered the center of theatrical life in Russia since the beginning of the 18th century, because the first theater - the Opera House - appeared here under Peter I.

And although it did not last long, in subsequent reigns, theatrical art became more and more firmly part of the life of the townspeople. Amazing foreign troupes worked here for hire - from Germany, Italy, France, England.

And under Empress Elizaveta Petrovna, her own - professional - Russian theater was opened. In addition to the court, and then state, private theaters have always functioned in the northern capital, quite small in size. The Theater of Rains in St. Petersburg is one of these.

Founding History

The Rainy Theater was founded on April 7, 1990. According to one version, its name is associated with the rainy weather of St. Petersburg. According to another, and many people think so, by the name of the first performance, which becamethe visiting card of the theatre. But more on that later.

Among the first actors of the Rainy Theater of St. Petersburg were Alexander Ivanov, Yulia Akhmedshina, Denis Aksenov, Alexander Klemantovich, Alexander Makov, Sam Petrov and others.

A cozy theater is located in a small semi-basement on the very bank of one of the famous rivers, not far from the no less famous Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, which was the temple of the Izmailovsky regiment in the 19th century. Address of the Theater of Rains in St. Petersburg: Fontanka embankment, house 130.

Business card

Let's return to the calling card of the Rainy Theatre, tickets in St. Petersburg for a performance of which are very difficult to get, especially if it is on its own stage. This is the play "Rain Seller".

The production is based on the play of the same name by the American writer Richard Nash. The first show took place at the end of May 1992. As planned by the directors, it turned out to be a lyrical comedy lasting 2 hours 40 minutes and one intermission.

The plot is based on the life of the family of an American farmer named Curry. Against the backdrop of nature dying from the heat, dramatic events are unfolding between family members, family problems are brewing, which they cannot resolve on their own. How will they get out of such difficult circumstances? With your head held high, of course! After all, in comedy everything always ends well and there is always a place for merry laughter. Let sometimes with tears in his eyes.

Gone for centuries…

There was once such a performance in the Rains Theater - "Go!", based on the play by N. Sadur. Whoever put on Sadur's plays often had the audience yawning and leaving after half an hour. But not with "Go!" There are only three characters, and there are so many emotions that the car will not take away!

S. Petrov, A. Makov and Yu. Akhmedshina skillfully reveal such a painful and difficult at all times the theme of human loneliness and the theme of empathy, the theme of an accident that changes our fate, and the theme of self-knowledge, the eternal questions of human values. The images played by the actors are very familiar and at the same time unfamiliar to each of us, sometimes vague, as if ghostly. With their help, both the characters and the audience rethink reality as the plot develops, changing their value orientations.

It is not known how in other theaters, but in the Theater of Rains, undoubtedly, no one remained indifferent and left after the performance with tears in their eyes and a load of thoughts for the future long hours, or even days. And it is very sad that this theater production is a thing of the past…

According to Chekhov

The repertoire of the Theater of Rains includes three performances based on the works of A. P. Chekhov - "Three Sisters", "The Seagull" and "Uncle Vanya".

The Rainy Theater comedy "The Seagull" is the story of an amazingly talented and very lonely person and artist, about faith and love, and, of course, about the meaning of life. The images are fragile and fuzzy, at any moment the image that appears in the imagination of the viewer can shatter to smithereens.

The roles are played by the most brilliant actors of the theater thatis a good foundation for creating quality classics on the modern scene.

But the play "Uncle Vanya" is quite pessimistic, it makes you return to such complex philosophical problems as a midlife crisis, disappointment in life and love, lack of desire to live and act. But not everything is as hopeless as it seems. In the course of action and comprehension, the belief is revived that all bad things someday end, and the trials given by life only temper a person and make him rethink life.

Children's session

The first and, perhaps, the most famous children's performance at the Theater of Rains in St. Petersburg was "The Snow Queen" based on the play by Schwartz. Unfortunately, it has already been archived.

It was a very soulful performance that made you think about love and respect, devotion and friendship, honesty and betrayal, meanness and cowardice, courage and courage of heroes familiar to everyone since childhood. Not only young spectators, but also the adult generation came to the performance with pleasure, returning during the action to childhood and a fairy tale.

Makes you think

The second equally successful performance was "Rag Doll". However, this performance is already for family viewing, as people of different generations perceive it in their own way, thinking about problems in life, ways to solve them, about human values, about everything that there is not enough time to think about in the bustle of modern life.

Except "Ragdolls", now on the stage of the Theater of Rains with no less success are "Wild" by G. H. Andersen, "O'Once" by O. Henry and a completely new production, which is only a year old, "Really, we will always be?"

According to numerous reviews, the Theater of Rains in St. Petersburg is a place that simply needs to be visited. As a result of viewing, the majority comes out with a feeling of incredible shock and admiration! And with lots to think about.