Guest Performance of the Daugavpils Theatre

14+
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes (in two acts)
Language: Russian
Premiere: April 27, 2023

Venue: Chekhov Theatre Arkade (19 Vaļņu Street, entrance from Gleznotāju Street)

They say that a word can both revive and kill. In the same way, an apparently harmless joke can turn an entire family’s life upside down. Now, in order for life to return to its usual course, the protagonist will have to deal with problems between fathers and children, marriage, and the challenges of different generations living together.

After a cheerful evening at a café, Busygin and Silva miss the last train and find themselves out on the street late at night. There is only one solution — to resort to a trick. Why not play the return of the prodigal son? Busygin claims to be the illegitimate son of the owner of the house, but the careless joke soon turns against the impostor himself. Looking for shelter for just one night, within a few days he gains something far more valuable - a family. Now he must decide: to run away and forget everything, or to risk it all, follow his feelings, and hope for forgiveness.

“The Eldet Son” is one of the five full-length plays by playwright Alexander Vampilov (1937–1972). In his works, he masterfully portrays the complex and contradictory nature of human beings, intertwining tragedy with comedy and finding deeper meaning in everyday life. Because of this, he is often compared to Anton Chekhov and regarded as one of the most outstanding playwrights of the 20th century.

“In Alexander Vampilov’s Soviet-era play The Elder Son, the Daugavpils Theatre finds material for finely crafted characters and relationships. The strength of the production lies in the fact that the directors and actors do not try to prove anything; they do not transform the play but trust it — and in this case, that has proven to be the right choice. The performance combines precision with a certain naivety characteristic of the era it portrays.”
Theatre critic Atis Rozentāls (“A Close-Up Test”, Diena.lv, 25.06.2023)

“Spēlmaņu nakts 2023” (Latvian Theatre Awards) nominations:

·         Actor of the Year – Miroslav Blakunov

·         Supporting Actor of the Year – Mikhail Samodakhov

Director: Edgars Māliņš
Production Director: Oļegs Šapošņikovs
Set Designer: Egils Viļumovs
Costume Designer: Gatis Timofejevs
Lighting Designer: Sergejs Vasiļjevs

Cast:
Mikhail Samodakhov, Miroslav Blakunov, Vladislav Vasiļjevs, Artjoms Afanasjevs, Kristina Tiško, Jevgeņijs Mihailovs, Aleksandra Koguce