Tonight the recently renovated Lansing Porter Moore Theater will celebrate its re-opening by hosting the Maly Drama Theatre company of St. Petersburg. Wednesday's showing of "Gaudeamus" will be the first of five performances scheduled to take place this week.
Marga Rahmann, associate director of the Hopkins Center, said an important factor in the decision to host this production was the desire to open the theater by spotlighting "a beacon of the arts." This internationally-lauded theater company is noted for its contemporaneity and thus, like the Moore theater, it too looks forward.
Dartmouth is one of five communities fortunate enough to be visited by the Maly Drama Theatre company during its American tour this fall. The tour began on Oct.19 in Chicago, and has since proceeded to the University of Iowa, the Brooklyn Academy of Music's Next Wave Festival, and after a week's sojourn at Dartmouth, the tour will end at the Gammage Center for the Performing Arts in Tempe, Ariz.
"Gaudeamus" is a brilliant examination of the lives of military conscripts who are exploited in the Red Army prior to the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The play is based on Sergei Kaledin's novel, "Construction Battalion," which was banned by the Gorbachev government. In order to escape the oppression and drudgeries so typical of Army life in an era of deep-seeded persecution, the conscripts engage in sexual fantasy, heavy drinking and other corrupt acts.
The New York Times described "Gaudeamus" as a portrayal of "a corrupt, rotting world redeemed, however fleetingly, by fantasy." Critic Ben Brantley noted that the play is not unique in its choice of themes, but its presentation is to be hailed as singular and unprecedented.
"Gaudeamus" is a two-hour production comprised of 19 distinct scenes that mingle dialogue, dance, pantomime and a wide selection of music ranging from the Beatles to Beethoven. Critic Michael Coveney of The Observer stated that the "combustion of choreography, potent recorded music and sheer physical virtuosity" renders this piece as "unrivaled theatrical artistry."
The play is enacted by both Maly company actors and students attending the Academy of Theater Arts in St. Petersburg. A language barrier does indeed exist, but due to the usage of supertitles, audiences can still understand the storyline. Natalia Morse, a native Russian now residing in Vermont who viewed some of the company's earlier productions in Russia, said the actors are "young in their spirit and soul," which is why audiences continue to be captivated by their dynamism.
The play is charged with the energy and brilliance of Lev Dodin, who was appointed artistic director of the company in 1983. Dodin's artistic ingenuity stems from the influence of instructor Boris Zon while attending St. Petersburg's Theater Institute, who himself was a former pupil of Konstantin Stanislavsky, the founder of Method acting and the man who launched the era of the great director in modern theater.
Dodin is tenacious in his effort to communicate what he calls the "hidden history" of Russia which hitherto has only been acknowledged by the intelligentsia. Dodin's decision to perform abroad, made possible by producer David Eden, reflects his belief that "theater that is spiritual, that makes you believe there is an ideal in life, is universal."
Dodin's artistic flair is equaled by Eden's unique ability to package cultural products, making "Gaudeamus" an unrivaled masterpiece that promises to leave a lasting impression upon audiences this week.
Director of the Hop Lewis Crickard said, after seeing the show in New York, he believes that "audiences will leave with visual images that will last a lifetime and with amazement that such themes can be presented in such an enjoyable context." Crickard lauds "Gaudeamus" as a truly "stunning production."
Professors of comperative literature, dance, drama, government, music and Russian have invited Maly performers to interact with students during class hours in a more intimate setting, thus reaping the benefits of the company's presence even more. Rehearsals in the theater will be open to observation by all students.
Discussion groups are scheduled throughout the week, addressing topics relating to the Maly Drama Theatre company, the breakup of Russia and the role of theater in Russian society.
"Gaudeamus" is a rare cultural experience that should not be missed. Tickets are now on sale in the Hopkins Center Box Office for $15 for College students and $25 for the general public.
