Nikolai Gogol

Dead Souls

Мёртвые души

The production based on the eponymous poem by Nikolai Gogol is executed in the genre of a "gallopade" – a swift and dizzying ballroom dance that reflects the chaos and loss of moral bearings in society.

The action, focused on the formation of the main character, Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, starting from his childhood and ending with his journey through the Russian provinces, is performed by the brilliant acting duo, awarded the "Crystal Turandot" prize – Maria Aronova and Vladislav Gandrabura.

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Actors

Maria Aronova

Vladislav Gandrabura

Crew

Stage version, idea and staging

Vladimir Ivanov

Stage & Costume design

Maksim Obrezkov

Music by

Vyzcheslav Zhukov

Lighting designer

Aleksandr Matveev

Make up

Olga Kalyavina

Film Director

Valerii Spirin

About

“The gallopade was flying at full tilt: the postmaster’s wife, the police captain, the lady with the blue feather, the lady with the white feather, the Georgian prince Chipkhaykhilidzev, the official from Petersburg, the official from Moscow, the Frenchman Kuku, Perkhunovsky, Berebendovsky—all had risen and were sweeping along” (N.V. Gogol. “Dead Souls”).

Gallopade (from the French galopade) – a ballroom dance in a fast tempo, first mentioned in Russia in “Rules for Noble Social Dances” in 1825. The description of the gallopade in Gogol’s poem creates a sense of life rushing in an incredible whirlwind, having lost its reliable point of support.

Vladimir Ivanov, director: Originally our play was called “Gallopade,” but we settled on the more traditional “Dead Souls.” Gallopade is a special kind of dance where a gentleman and a lady, embracing each other, leap forward together. In this phrase, in this definition, lies the meaning and quintessence of the idea for our play, which will become a hymn to acting, to the Theater. This is the main thing, because Gogol is bottomless, he is an incredible author, and we understand that we can only show one side of him.

Awards

The "Crystal Turandot" Award ("Best Acting Duet", 2020/2021 theatrical season).
The Moscow Komsomolets Theatre Award for the 2020/21 season in three categories: "Best Play. Large-Scale Production", "Best Set Designer", and "Acting Duet" (Maria Aronova and Vladislav Gandrabura).