Just ten years ago on the stage of the theater. Vakhtangov began to play the operetta of Florimon Herve, Mademoiselle Nitouche. Another reading of this story by the renowned Moscow team once again proved that the easy genre is a rather difficult thing. Vakhtangov's Mademoiselle Nitush can be compared to a very delicate cream cake. Enough of just one awkward hand movement - and all his fragile grace will be destroyed forever, and from a rough touch all the roses and leaves will immediately turn into an unsympathetic mess.
Boring quality factor
Vladimir Ivanov, who directed countless performances on the famous stage, always tried to be distinguished by special quality and quality. Mademoiselle Nitush by Vakhtangov is a benign sight, although perhaps a little boring for those who do not like lengthy 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 in front of the audience: to the stage, diva, music, choirmaster and a young lieutenant.
What is it about
We will recall who forgot the intrigue of this operetta. This is a classic plot of a French sitcom. A pupil-beauty of the boarding house of noble maidens named Denise has long cherished the dream of a theater. Once, secretly from a strict boss, she manages to penetrate the local variety show at the premiere of an opera, the author of which is a monastery teacher of singing.
It was there, by all the rules of the genre, that she met her love in the person of Lieutenant Champlatro. To this happy and ever-changing girl’s meeting, a debut on the stage is added: she replaces the local diva, who squeaked with jealousy. The result of this story is universal happiness and three weddings in the final of the play.
The revived legend
The play "Mademoiselle Nitusch" is probably one of the most musical and elegant works played on the stage of the Vakhtangov Theater. The flamingo of Florimon Herve about a young pupil of the boarding house who is eager for the stage, where she will replace the capricious diva and fall in love with the guardsman, is a true legend in these walls. After all, after the war, Lyudmila Tselikovskaya herself shone in this performance - beautiful and incendiary. Until now, viewers of a very advanced age recall with what pleasure they absorbed every movement of her hands, every turn of her head, the sound of her voice ...
Mademoiselle or Madame?
But in the new reading, “Mademoiselle”, most likely, can be called “Madame”: the actress playing her role is not very young, and she has plenty of tedium and a little inhibited tempo. Despite the fact that the actress, initially playing Denise, is really talented (everyone knows her well, this is Nonna Grishaeva), this role is not the most successful for her. Later, she was replaced by Olga Nemogai, but even with her good looks and youth, the beautiful Georgian woman from the television version - Iya Ninidze, stands 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 dullness.
And one more thing: it is unfortunate that for all the shortcomings, the light and interesting performance of Mademoiselle Nitusch is practically devoid of author's music. Indeed, it is strange: in Herve's operetta the music of Herve himself hardly sounds, but there is a lot of music by unknown French composers. This is somewhat strange and, unfortunately, all the charm and general mood of the story is lost. But ... This is a director’s decision that you can’t argue with.
Vakhtangov's Mademoiselle Nitush was decided to play in the pure genre (this is a very commendable decision by the director). But in this case, the whole set of vaudeville stamps was needed, which the actors (with the exception of Aronova) did not have enough. And indeed, for almost four hours it’s rather difficult to fall out of the blue, hide behind curtains, faint, portray passionate love ... Undoubtedly, Vakhtang actors perfectly master the techniques of the easy (and in fact quite difficult) genre. But the duration of the performance a little lubricates their skill.
Let him just say to me: “You are more beautiful than any dream ...”
If in the television version the boss of the guesthouse looks like a sophisticated, very modest and secretly in love with maestro Celesten woman, then the operetta “Mademoiselle Nitusch” by Vakhtangov shows her completely different. The actress, who has been playing her for several years, has simply cosmic energy. She is good at her every appearance on the stage: both when her jokes are somewhat vulgar, and even when she just silently stands on the stage. This is she, actress Maria Aronova.
The way she showed the head of the Sky Swallows guesthouse - touching and whispering, expansive and bespectacled - will make even the most strict spectator laugh. She has a completely unique comic gift. And the image created by her gives additional bonuses - an immense ass, a cleft bite, a red bundle. It is Maria Aronova who is able to make the audience laugh with those tricks that her stage partners unsuccessfully try to squeeze out at least a semblance of a smile.
Impressions from what he saw
You can see and feel the play “Mademoiselle Nitouche” in completely different ways. Reviews about him are also very different. Some admire the indescribable game of talented actors - Alexei Zavyalov (now deceased, unfortunately), Vladimir Simonov, Viktor Dobronravov, Olga Nemogai, Lydia Velezheva, Alexander Oleshko ...
Others are sure that the work of Vladimir Ivanov is similar to a respected decent woman who, for some reason, was suddenly in a house of tolerance and, not understanding the rules of behavior in it, behaves (just in case) much freer and more free than the inhabitants living here for a long time. This category of viewers believes that the actresses wag too backwards, the actors have too horse laughs, they are all too puffy eyes and scream loudly.
Nevertheless, the play “Mademoiselle Nitouche”, tickets for which can be purchased even without leaving home, via the Internet, is very kind, funny and musical. Even after its only viewing, each spectator instantly revives the belief in something bright, sincere and warm.