"Mademoiselle Nitoush" Vakhtangova: an ageless story of eternal love

Only ten years ago, on the stage of the Theater. Vakhtangov began to play the operetta of Florimont Hervé "Mademoiselle Nitouche." The next reading of this story by the famous Moscow collective proved once again that an easy genre is a rather difficult thing. "Mademoiselle Nitush" by Vakhtangov can be compared to a very delicate cream cake. Enough of just one awkward movement of his hands - and all his delicate elegance will forever be destroyed, and from a rough touch all the roses and leaves will immediately turn into an unsympathetic mess.

Boring quality factor

Vladimir Ivanov, who staged countless performances at the famous stage, always tried to be distinguished by a special quality factor and quality. "Mademoiselle Nitusch" Vakhtangov - a sight of good quality, although, perhaps, a bit boring for those who do not like long gatherings in the theater, because the duration of the action is almost four hours. But the time spent in the hall can not be considered wasted, because an unusual love story unfolds right before the audience: to the stage, prima donna, music, choirmaster and the young lieutenant.

What are you talking about?

Who has forgotten the intrigue of this operetta, we will recall. This is the classic plot of the French sitcom. A beautiful girl from a boarding school of noble maidens named Denise long cherishes the dream of a theater. Once, secretly from a strict boss, she manages to get into the local variety show at the operetta premiere, authored by a monastic singing teacher.

It is there, according to all the rules of the genre, she gets to know her love in the person of Lieutenant Shamplatro. To this happy and changing meeting in the life of the girl, a debut on the stage is added: it replaces the local prima donna that sprang up on the ground of jealousy. The result of this story is universal happiness and three weddings in the finale of the play.

An animated legend

The play "Mademoiselle Nitouche" is probably one of the most musical and elegant works performed on the stage of the Vakhtangov Theater. The operetta of Florimont Herve about the young pupil of the boarding house, bursting with all her might on the stage, where she will replace the capricious prima donna and fall in love with the Guardsman, is a real legend in these walls. After the war, in this performance, Lyudmila Tselikovskaya herself was brilliant: beautiful and incendiary. Until now, the spectators of a very old age recall with what pleasure they absorbed every movement of her hands, every turn of the head, the sound of her voice ...

"Mademoiselle" or "Madame"?

But in the new reading "mademoiselle", most likely, you can call "Madame": the actress playing her role is not very young, and she has plenty of tediousness and a little inhibited tempo-rhythm. Despite the fact that the actress, who plays Denise at first, is really talented (everyone knows it well, it's Nonna Grishaeva), it is this role that is not the most successful for her. Later it was replaced by Olga Nemogai, but even with her sweetness and youth, a beautiful Georgian woman from the TV version - Iya Ninidze is before her eyes.

In this production, with all the diligence of the director, actors and other stage workers, everything was too much: too much innocence, too much bitchiness, too much tearfulness, too much stupidity.

And yet: it is a great pity that, for all the shortcomings, the light and interesting play "Mademoiselle Nituş" is practically devoid of author's music. Indeed, it's strange: in Herve's operetta, Herve's music itself is almost not heard, but there is a lot of music by unknown French composers. This is somewhat strange and, unfortunately, all the charm and general mood of history is lost. But ... This is a director's decision, which you can not argue with.

"Mademoiselle Nitush" Vakhtangov was decided to play in pure genre (this is a very commendable decision of the director). But in this case, the whole set of vaudeville stamps was needed, which the actors (except Aronovy) lacked. Indeed, for almost four hours it is quite difficult to fall flat on the ground, hide behind portraits, fall into faints, portray passionate love ... Undoubtedly, Vakhtangov actors perfectly master the techniques of the light (and in fact - very difficult) genre. But the duration of the performance a little smudges their skills.

Let him only say to me: "You are more beautiful than any dream ..."

If in the television version the boss of the boarding house looks like a woman who is very modest and secretly in love with maestro Celestin, then the operetta "Mademoiselle Nitush" by Vakhtangov shows her completely different. The actress, who has been playing it for several years, has just cosmic energy. She is good at every step on the stage: and when her jokes are somewhat vulgar, and even when she just silently stands on the stage. It's her, actress Maria Aronova.

The way she showed the head of the boarding house "Heavenly Swallows" - touching and whispering, expansive and impeccable, - will make laugh at the top of even the most rigorous spectator. She has a completely unique comic gift. And the image created by it, gives additional bonuses - an immense backside, a hare bite, a red bun. It is Maria Aronova in a position to amuse spectators with those tricks with which unsuccessfully try to squeeze out even a semblance of a smile her partners on the stage.

Impressions from what I saw

Quite differently you can see and feel the play "Mademoiselle Nitouche". Reviews about him are also very different. Some admire the inexpressible play of talented actors - Alexei Zavyalov (now deceased, unfortunately), Vladimir Simonov, Victor Dobronravov, Olga Nemogai, Lidia Velezheva, Alexander Oleshko ...

Others are sure that the work of Vladimir Ivanov is like a respectable and respectable lady, who for some reason suddenly found herself in a house of tolerance and, without understanding the rules of behavior in him, behaves (just in case) much freer and more free-spirited than the inhabitants who live here for a long time. This category of viewers believes that the actresses are too wagging behind, the actors have too horse laughter, they are all too pukachnye eyes and loudly screaming.

And yet the play "Mademoiselle Nitouche", tickets for which you can buy even without leaving home, through the Internet, is very kind, funny and musical. Even after his single viewing, every spectator instantly revives his belief in something bright, spiritual and warm.