Alexander Ostrovsky

The Forest

Лес

At a crossroads of forest paths in the heart of Russia, two provincial actors cross paths: the comedian Schastlivtsev and the tragedian Neschastlivtsev. Their journey leads them to "Penki"—the estate of the wealthy landowner Gurmyzhskaya, where moral confusion reigns like a dark, tangled forest. Here, young men marry older women for money, dowry-less maidens drown themselves for love, everyone lies, and no one finds happiness.

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Actors

Raisa Pavlovna Gurmyzhskaya, a very wealthy landowner

Anna Ardova

Aksyusha, her distant relative

Kira Nasonova

Vosmibratov, a timber merchant

Vitaliy Lenskiy

Pyotr, his sony

Ilya Nikulin

Bulanov, a young man who left high school before graduating

Yaroslav Leonov

Neschastlivtsev, a traveling player

Vyacheslav Kovalyov

Schastlivtsev, a traveling player

Sergey Udovik

Ulita, the housekeeper

Darya Poverennova

Karp, Gurmyzhskaya's footman

Sergey Rubeko

Terenka, a boy

Oleg Sapiro

Crew

Stage Director

Egor Peregudov

Stage & Costume design

Vladimir Arefiev

Lighting designer

Andrey Abramov

Music by

Sergei Filippov

Video designer

Viktor Vasilyev

About

Having worked with the elements of wind, water, and fire in his previous productions, Yegor Peregudov, Artistic Director of the Mayakovsky Theatre, explores a new element in Ostrovsky's play. The forest is long gone. No stumps, no sawdust remain. One natural force has displaced another, leaving humanity in a state of anxious instability and utter helplessness. The world has literally slipped from under their feet, leaving people with nothing to hold onto—except, perhaps, the chance to create an illusion of another reality.

The actors Schastlivtsev and Neschastlivtsev—penniless and homeless—arrive at a wealthy estate and, against all logic, compel everyone to become their true selves. If you cannot choose between left or right, then break the very system of choice itself. Be mad: create a reality where you no longer have to choose the lesser of two evils.