A very simple story. “A very simple story” (M. Lado) The performance is a very simple story content

“A Very Simple Story” is a parable about the current, everyday life of two village families.
Briefly the plot is this. The daughter of a wealthy peasant discovers that she is pregnant by a neighbor's boy, a poor man and the son of a drunkard. The girl's father insists on an abortion, but then animals from the barnyard (they are portrayed by disguised actors) intervene - Horse, Rooster, Dog, Cow and Pig. They save the girl from a moral crime.
The phenomenon of the play lies in the unusual lightness and sentimentality of everyday history.
At the same time, the action takes place in a barn, where domestic animals act along with people, who see their surroundings in their own way, reflect on the events taking place in their own way, and become witnesses to strange human relationships. “A Very Simple Story” shows our life without embellishment, without varnish.
The story told by Maria Lado is even too simple. They love in it, play the harmonica, talk about life, think about death. People, horses, pigs - all together.
A simple, almost biblical story about the spiritual bitterness of people and the pure, righteous world of nature. About the fact that animals are closer to the commandments of Christ than people. This story, in which, in addition to people, animals and even angels surprisingly become characters, is a hymn to the highest and brightest human feelings: love, fidelity, kindness, mercy.
“Beasts are ready to die for people who themselves have become beasts,” is the moral of a simple Ukrainian theatrical fable.
... Yesterday I watched this performance again. This time we went with the children, which I am incredibly happy about! Words of one young lady: “I never thought that theater was so great!!! I even wondered where to go next time, to the cinema or to the theater? Most likely I'll go to the theater! Cinema is not even close!!!”
Amazing acting! I especially want to mention Sergei Borodinov, who played the neighbor and the owner, Valery Kondratyev.

I finally understood what catharsis is. This is when you watch a performance not to note the merits of the text or the shortcomings of the production, to evaluate the acting or the originality of the scenery. This is when you merge with what is happening on stage, as if you are participating in it, when, against your will, such emotions burst out of your soul that you did not expect at all. And after that it becomes a little hard to watch, and it’s impossible to tear yourself away.

The play “A Very Simple Story” by Maria Lado, staged by the Astrakhan Drama Theater, evoked approximately these feelings in me.

The story is really simple. Country life. Two families. One is of good quality, prosperous. At the head is a strong rural worker - the Owner (Daniyar Kurbangaleev). Another... No longer a family at all: a drunken father and a son, whose life is largely determined by the “reputation” of his father. The owner openly despises the Neighbor (Valery Shtepin), who secretly climbs into his barn and steals the moonshine that he brewed with his own labor, and for any reason (even if this reason is a news release!) he shoots down whatever the world is worth.

But here's the problem. Children of two fathers love each other. And they fell in love, as happens, to the point that the girl became pregnant. Neighbor's son Alyosha (Nikolai Smirnov) wants to get married. And the girl, of course, doesn’t mind. But the Boss just can’t agree to let his daughter Dasha (Anastasia Krasnoshchekova) marry the son of the unlucky drunken Neighbor. It's a shame! That’s why people decide to send Dasha for an abortion.

This is where the fun begins. After all, the heroes of the play are not only people, but also animals: Pig, Cow, Horse, Dog, Rooster. They all become involved in what is happening. Moreover, it is the animals who intervene in the process and successfully resolve the situation.

In the play, the animals communicate with each other, and they will not understand what people are talking about, what kind of abortion this is and why you need to go to the city for this. Each animal has its own destiny, its own world, its own “horizon”. This is understandable, because animals in a work of art are not animals in the literal sense, but living beings endowed with human feelings. In many ways, they are more honest and noble than the people around them.

The pig (Violetta Vlasenko), who is undoubtedly the central figure of the play, has seen nothing in life except a stable. He doesn’t know what a river and a meadow, grass and sand are. But he dreams of finding out. She also dreams of gaining wings and flying! The pig is sincerely perplexed why people need any money if they cannot buy wings with it.

And just when the dream is ready to come true, and it seems that she, the Pig, will finally be taken for a walk, she dies under the Master’s knife...

A piercing cry somewhere behind the stage, a stunned Dog Sturdy, who saw THIS with his own eyes, a previously swaggering Rooster, but instantly shrunken in horror... And above all this a sad melody, which became the leitmotif of the performance: “In the moonlight, the snow turns silver...”

After this, everything seems to turn upside down, everything becomes different: both the animal characters and the audience. It’s as if it wasn’t a pig that was slaughtered, but the very dream of happiness...

But a miracle! In the second act, the Pig returns to the stage. Returns in the form of an angel with the wings that she dreamed of when she was alive.

Only children and animals are able to see such angels. But by some miracle, the Neighbor, who was not dry from drinking, began to see and hear angels and animals. Or maybe he’s not as lost as everyone thinks? Or a lost person, but at heart a bright and kind person? After all, he is the only one who does not want an abortion, but wants the birth of a child, preferably a “girl.” Because she will be more compassionate. But pity and kindness are so lacking in our world. And he drinks because he was never able to calmly survive the death of his beloved wife. And the Master hates him largely because once upon a time “Verka married him, she chose him!” She chose an impractical Owner, behind whom she was like behind a stone wall. I chose Neighbor. Not with the mind, but with the heart.

So, now the Pig no longer asks the Dog about life, but she herself explains to the animals what was previously incomprehensible to them. Including about the impending abortion. And what people considered the best way out of the current situation, animals consider savagery and barbarism. And they want to prevent this.

All the animals, except for the noisy but cowardly Rooster, are ready to give their lives for the life of a little man. Because that’s the way it is in Heaven: in order for a new person to be born and find a guardian angel, someone must go to Heaven. Who? It would be better to find out about this by watching the performance.

You won't see anything like this in movies or TV series! The actors give it their all! They sing songs and play the accordion. And the roles are performed in such a way that you begin to believe in what is happening, no longer distinguishing the truth of art from the truth of life.

Very difficult questions are posed in “A Very Simple Story”... And this play is not about animals at all (in the finale they disappear completely), and not about angels. About people. Perhaps it’s about the fact that there is something kind and good in every person. And even if for the awakening of all this in human souls someone will have to suffer or even give their life, but the world will become cleaner and brighter from this.

It’s not for nothing that the Neighbor says in response to his son’s reproaches: “Yes, if anyone had paid for my insignificant life, I would have died, and I would have given the money to Alyosha... I, an old fool, have nothing more.” Here's a drunk for you!

Wait for the next release of the play, put everything aside, take your relatives, friends and acquaintances, and go to the theater! Everyone will cry and laugh, regardless of gender and age.

• A simple story in 2 acts based on the play by M. Lado
• Director: Igor Cherkashin
• Scenographer - Vladimir Korolev
• Costume designer - Zhanna Verizhnikova
• Duration – 2 hours 20 minutes. with intermission

The performance is a parable that tells about the thin line between good and evil, about the dangerous proximity of love and death. About the fact that people are sometimes more cruel to each other than animals. Animals, on the contrary, are capable of self-sacrifice for the sake of those who are dear to them. Even if it is the future child of the owner’s daughter...

Viewer reviews

• Thank you, Elena.
  I hope this is exactly the case.
  Because the page about the performance on the theater's website is the essence of the program. Failure to indicate the directors in the program is, at a minimum, a violation of copyright.
  Best regards, Vladimir./Vladimir/
• Good afternoon, colleagues!
  Congratulations, the site is good!!!
  But why are the directors not indicated in the annotations for the performance? I hope it's just forgetfulness.
  Stage designer of the play "A Simple Story" M. Lado
  Vladimir Korolev./ Vladimir /
• Good afternoon
  It's not really forgetfulness. The site is still under construction. More materials are being added...

  P.S. Photo galleries for performances are now being prepared / Elena /

• We just returned home from the theater. Emotions are overwhelming. We still can’t leave with our daughter. It so happened that this story is very close to us (In the sense that before the birth of our baby, we lost two grandfathers), and we watched the actions taking place on stage with special feelings and experiences. Many thanks to everyone who contributed to the production of this performance./ Lyudmila /
• We were at the show yesterday!! Many thanks to the actors!! This game is just great! wonderful production!!! :o) / Julia /
• I watched the premiere of the play in March 2006. The “old soldier who does not know the words of love” had tears in his eyes! Amazing story, the memories still excite me! / nsg /
• I really liked the real acting at 5+. Some would say, I believe it. And the site is really better and more convenient than that of other theaters (that’s why it’s for youth). / Sergey /
• It was wonderful! Thank you Ivan /
• This is the only performance in the last 10 years in all the theaters of the city when I cried during the action.
  wonderful production and work!/ Stella /
• Amazing performance. I saw a lot of photographs from similar productions in other theaters - not the same. In the Rostov interpretation, everything is much more allegorical and closer to a parable, and it tears at the soul much more naturally. Separately, I would like to note the amazing performance of Khanzharov (owner), Vorobyov (rooster), Volobuev (Krepysh). But what impressed everyone most with his performance was Mateshov, who brilliantly played the neighbor. Well, Melentyeva is traditionally good: one of the most promising theater actresses. But the respected Lobanova, Merinov and especially Blinova play mechanically, hauntedly, without giving their roles due strength. But this in no way detracts from the merits of the production: it is perfectly understood by teenagers of 13-14 years old, mature and elderly. And most importantly: the play will teach young people something, and will once again give older people a reason to think about the frailty of existence. One of the best performances of ROAMT, along with “Squat” and “Little Demon”. Bravo! / Alexey /
• The performance is one of the favorites in Molodezhny! I’ve been there 5 times. I took all my friends and relatives to see it, and I enjoyed going myself. It’s a shame that performances of this quality are no longer staged in your theater. I really don’t like Lelyanova’s productions: a willful interpretation of classical works. The performances are only sustained by the amazing acting. I go to the Youth Theater less and less, because I’m tired of seeing the same thing on stage. I want real classic productions! / Anastasia /
• This is the fourth time I have attended the play “A Very Simple Story.” Once again I am in awe... This is something incredible, really! You can watch it dozens of times! The acting is amazing! And along with the plot..mmm..tears cannot be avoided. And everything that they talk about, that they discuss... everything is so vital and seemingly simple, but at the same time incredibly complex, and you understand that we think so little about some important things...
  It's really better to see once than to hear a hundred times. Although in this case you can see it a hundred times...
  Something incredible.../ Polina /
• Five years later, I couldn’t deny myself the pleasure of watching the performance again. The plot is still exciting, and also in the second act there is a lump in the throat... Bravo, Molodezhny! You are the best!/nsg/
• Guys, I’m our colleague, I’m an artist from Estonia, I also play in the youth theater Impromptu, the theater is located in Jõhvi, come to us with a play. A very simple story. / Ivan /
• yesterday -11/17/12 I watched the play with my son, for the second time. I was overwhelmed with emotions, a wonderful performance, the actors were all just smart!!! Thank you. If there were more performances like this, maybe the world would become kinder. My son repeated several times today, “I felt sorry for the pig.”/ OLGURA /
• The most extraordinary production I have ever seen. And, perhaps, the best! / Alexander /
• Thanks to all the actors and a deep bow/ I saw the play in June, I’ll definitely go again./ olgura /
• This is the first performance at which I could not contain myself, tears flowed naturally, the theme was right on point. BRAVO! I admire you./ Tatyana /
• I AM SHOCKED BY THE PLAYING OF THE ACTORS AND THE PRODUCTION OF THE THEATER TO THE DEPTH OF my SOUL. I AM VERY GLAD THAT WE HAVE SUCH ARTISTS IN ROSTOVY, DIRECTORS WHO ARE ABLE TO DO THEIR CREATIVE WORK AT THE LEVEL OF WORLD STARS.
  THANK THEM SO MUCH! KEEP IT UP! WELL DONE!/ IGOR KAMENSK /
• Incredible! A truly wonderful production. The acting (of all the actors, without exception) is amazing. It seems like these roles were made for them. Realistic. You become completely immersed in the plot and worry about everything that happens. Not an ounce of boredom. Everything is so exciting that time flies by. I think it’s wonderful that at this performance you can laugh and cry at moments. THANK YOU! =)/ Katyusha /
• Tell me, can you attend this performance with a child of 6 years old (the poster says that he is 16+), are there any scenes “for adults”?
  I watched “Toys” with my child (it’s not for children either), I understood it in my own way, but I liked it, I read the reviews here, I also wanted to go)) / Masha /
• On September 26, 2013, the actors worked on location in the village of Peschanokopsky. I accompanied the students of Razvilensky school No. 10 (grades 11, 10, 9, 8) and was really looking forward to the children’s responses. There was no one who remained indifferent. Immediately after the performance they called their family and friends, wanting to share what they had seen. Everyone was delighted. “This is a must see!” - they said. And I jumped out like a bullet, ashamed that they would see my tears. Then the morning of the next day came and the first thought about what he saw. Then meetings with colleagues and the desire to share a vivid impression. Sometimes, at performances in other theaters, I caught myself thinking that unnecessary shouting and unnecessary pretense irritated me. But here you don’t even notice the acting, they talk to you, they sincerely tell you a “very simple story,” forcing you to look at yourself and yourself with different eyes. on those who are nearby... / Olga Aleksandrovna Sokolova /
• Once upon a time I did not miss a single premiere of the Youth Theater and took my son to all the performances. My son grew up, the theater became known as the Youth Theater, and I moved away from my favorite theater. But today, many years later... This piercing performance! He makes you cry and laugh. And wonderful actors, they still work in their theater: Vorobyov, Khanzharov, Filatov, Lobanova, Lysenkova...
  What ALL the creators of this simple and heartbreaking story did, everything that happened on stage is truly high art. Thank you! I’m proud of Youth... / Elena /

ATTENTION! The deadline for booking tickets for all performances of the Taganka Actors' Theater is 30 minutes!

Staging N. Gubenko
Artist V. Arefiev
Music: S. Barber, B. Bartok, M. Brook, G. Mahler, J. Massenet, D. Shostakovich
Poems, zongs N. Gubenko

Assistant directors - N. Bondar, I. Yatsynina

The play “A Very Simple Story” is based on the play by the young Kyiv playwright Maria Lado.

The characters in this play are not only people, but also domestic animals - Horse, Cow, Rooster, Dog and even angels. The genre can be defined as a play-parable, tragicomedy. The author shows life through the eyes of animals - this unusual technique allows viewers to take a fresh look at seemingly familiar things.

Animals watch their owners with bewilderment, because, according to the author, the souls of animals are pure by nature, they are unknown to envy, greed, and betrayal.

The action takes place in the present day. The plot of the play is indeed “very simple.” Two young people, Dasha and Alyosha, love each other. They find out that they are about to have a child.

But their parents don't like each other. Dasha's father is a wealthy peasant, and Alexei's father is a poor man who has not found a place in the changed reality. Dasha's father demands that his daughter get rid of her unborn child. Animals who love their owners, having learned about this, decide to prevent the sin committed by people - to save the child, and for this everyone is ready to sacrifice themselves.

Behind the simple plot of the play there is a deep meaning: a man went against the laws of nature, and his soul became callous and hardened. Only people for their own benefit are capable of killing a person who has not yet been born.

The director of the play, Nikolai Gubenko, and the artist, Vladimir Arefiev, managed to reveal the philosophical, biblical content of this play-parable thanks to an innovative stage implementation, partly inspired by Chagall’s paintings. The zongs written by Nikolai Gubenko also help to convey the idea of ​​the performance to the viewer.

The most important thing is that, despite the tragic notes sounding in this performance, it turned out to be very bright and kind. Thanks to such works, faith in love, support, and warmth of relationships lives in people’s hearts even in the most difficult times.

The performance includes:

Duration:2 hours 15 minutes

Photo and video

The photo shows the entire troupe after the performance, in the bottom row are director Asya Nayfeld and composer
Mindia Khitarishvili, who wrote the music for the play.

Photos taken from photo report Tatiana Klimovich

There is a barn on stage, all the action, which lasts an hour and a half without a break, takes place here. Animals live and talk here, looking at their owners with respect and apprehension.

Curious, open to the world, enthusiastic and so dreaming of flying, Pig. A frisky dog ​​who constantly comes running here from the street, the pig asks him about everything: “What is a river? And what is swimming?...”
All the actors perform very well, but Pig is especially wonderful. It’s hard to believe that Lena Bulet-Baksan, who plays her, is not a professional actress and appeared on stage for the first time!

Here live a sedate Cow and an old, tired of life, Horse.

The boastful Rooster comes here from time to time and spouts amazingly funny nonsense. He is played by Dmitry Basin, for whom this is also his first role in the theater. Plays great!

The story is really simple: the owner’s daughter Dasha and the son of their neighbor, a disinterested man and a drunkard who yearns for his dead wife, Alyoshka, fell in love with each other and are even expecting a baby. Dasha's father is against it and demands that his future descendant get rid of it.

This story unfolds before the eyes of animals. Animals watch their owners with bewilderment, because, according to the author, the souls of animals are pure by nature, they are unknown to envy, greed, and betrayal.

So the owner takes Pig to slaughter, because his daughter needs to be taken to the city for an abortion, money is needed. And she, poor thing, thinks that the Master went out for a walk with her for the first time, as he used to walk with the dog Krepysh.

After death, Pig appears in the barn in the form of an Angel,
During her life she asked so many questions, but after becoming an Angel she knows almost everything

The pig found a way to save the unborn child and the love of Dasha and Alyosha.

I won’t tell the story to the end, come to the next performance and enjoy it. Moreover, I hide some phrases under spoilers so as not to reveal unexpected plot twists.