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William Wicherley
The Country Wife
Comedy in two acts
Translated from English - Raisa Pomerantseva
Director - Tatiana Kazakova
Décor - Alexander Orlov
Costume designer – Olga Savarenskaya
Composer – Igor Rogalev
Lighting designer - Eugene Ganzburg
Literary consultant –Igor Stupnikov
When in 1675 the play “The Country Wife” by William Wicherley was first staged in London’s famous Drury Lane theatre, its straightforwardness in man-woman relationship representation shocked even post renaissance public with their loose morals.
Ever since the comedy has had the trail of indelicacy and scandalousness. In the 1930-s ceremonious and decorous English Parliament suggested that the play’s staging be prohibited as insulting public virtue. Nevertheless, staggering viewers’ interest winded down all censorial barriers. And nowadays, “The Country Wife” is performed with great enjoyment and delight. It is so witty and amusing. It is full of naturalness, love of life and sensuality, its story is so intricate and entertaining.
… Hiding behind the screen of rumours about his impotence, which had been deliberately set afloat, the first dandy and society lion Horner managed to multiply his clandestine love affairs considerably. In search of dainty pleasures, noblewomen threw themselves into his arms. Those ladies weren’t burdened with the ideas of honour and fidelity. Only a naïve and simple-hearted provincial Margery loved him in earnest. She had to resort to so many various tricks to get over all the traps her jealous husband had set in the way of her feeling. However, does anyone need true and pure love?
For all that simplicity and ingenuity of the intrigue, for all that chain of tricks, lies, disguise, inconceivable coincidence, buffoon and farcical scenes there is an attempt to answer eternal questions about happiness, love and convenience.
The Akimov theatre’s production is the only production of “The Country Wife” in Russia.
Cast: Arthur Vakha, Mikhail Razumovsky, Sergei Kuznetsov, Boris Ulitin, Irina Mazurkevich, Valeria Kiseleva, Natalia Andreeva, Andrei Tolshyn, Yury Orlov, Nikolai Smirnov, Natalia Tkachenko, Elena Rufanova, Natalia Shostak, Alexander Vasilyev, Irina Sotikova, Aleksey Makreckii, Olesya Bereznaya, Tatiana Polonskaya, Mikhail Slivnikov, Vitalii Kuklin and Vitalii Isakov.
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