“We present a play about youth and love” • Russia today

Posting in CHAT: Russia

Stage designer of the play “Roshchin.Live” Maria Rogozhina: “Introducing a play about youth and love” Scene of the play “Roshchin.Live” Maria Rogozhina: “Introducing a play about youth and love” Maria Rogozhina is a theater artist, worked on projects at the Theater on Taganka, Russian Army Theater, Academy of Cinematic and Theater Arts named after N.S. Mikhalkov, the Center for Contemporary Drama in Omsk, etc. And now she is preparing together with director Semyon Gorchakov; The performance at the National Music and Drama Theater of the Komi Republic called “Roshchin.Viva” is a musical and melodramatic performance based on Mikhail Roshchin’s play “Valentina and Valentina”, the author of the Komi text is poetess Anzhelika Elfimova. – Maria, how did you come to the theater, why did you decide to become a theater artist? – I come from a theatrical family, my dad worked at the Taganka Theater as an actor and director, so theater has always been in my life, as long as I can remember. My first education is in architecture, and it allows me to do many things, not just architecture. This gives a very good basis. And now I’m getting a second higher education at the Theater Institute. B. Shchukin at the directing department. – Why on the director’s stage? “I’m interested in moving on, creating the whole performance, and not just the artistic part. By the way, Semyon Gorchakov and I study with the same master, Andrei Yuryevich Levitsky. Semyon has now graduated from college, and I am still studying. – What did you dream of as a child? Have you ever thought that you would work in the theater? – Yes, I always understood that sooner or later life would lead me there. – What played a decisive role in your decision to become an artist and continue in this direction? — It all started when director Roman Chaliapin invited me to work on the play “Ruslanov” at the Russian Army Theater, so there was no turning point. – And let’s say you drew a sketch and suddenly – during the production process the director needs to change something, how do you feel about what you think – do you strictly adhere to the original plan or can you change something during the work, an experiment? – The idea of ​​an action is always born in interaction with the director; During this interaction, some things may change. In this case, all that is important is that any changes do not affect the core concept that supports the plan. Within the framework of this concept, you can, of course, change something, add, delete – this is understandable, this is a work process, this always happens, but the concept itself must be preserved, these are the ideas, themes, that’s all. why are you doing this, for the idea itself. – What concept did you come up with for our activities? – In the play “Roshchin.Viva” we use the theme of seeing off. Wires are a sign of the times. You know, when you look at the sky in the city, everything is covered with electric wires. Wires are here not only as a physical object, but also as a symbol of the transfer of energy – in people, families, destinies, connections between generations. Our activities are not tied to a specific period of time. And although this play was written in the 70s, it is, of course, very modern. The theme of love and youth is always relevant. It seems to me that Semyon Gorchakov, the director of the play, came up with a very interesting story, there is lightness in this story, it is interesting to process it. – Are there trends in modern scenography? – There are so many different trends now that it is very difficult to single out any specific trend. For me, for example, it is important that there is a clean space, that there is nothing superfluous, that nothing prevents the space from helping to create a story, and not vice versa, as if the story was adjusted to the space. . – Now many people believe that the viewer needs to be surprised and use a lot of different special effects, video screens and multimedia. What do you think about that? — In fact, it all depends on the tasks assigned and the material you are working on. But it seems to me that no special effects will ever replace the real and living: acting, sound, material and lighting. — Our theater is not Moscow. We live on the outskirts and our audience is not from the capital. She is used to serving it in the traditional form. If you’re planning a modern operation, do you need to make sure everything is modern? Corded phones are no longer in fashion. – This is precisely the connection between generations. We live in the apartments where our grandmothers and parents lived, and even if renovations have been done, there are still things that are expensive and we cannot throw them away. That is, in our time we still have some trace of generations, and this connects us. — When can you breathe out after a project—after submitting sketches, after the premiere? Or is there a strong feeling that something can be completed, corrected? – Always different. After the premiere, there is still a trace of emotions, but, on the other hand, you need to let the performance take its course, and it will always live completely differently than you expected, but it is still impossible to control it. -Previously, all sketches were made by artists by hand, but today, of course, everyone uses computer technology. Do you think there are any positive or negative aspects to this information about the creative process? Will this help or is it better to draw by hand? — In fact, the programs also allow you to draw by hand. This is just a tool that helps to more accurately convey reality. — Landscape designers also use such a technique as planning, do you use this? — Sometimes I use it, it depends on the scenography itself, if, for example, you need to check something technically, then the arrangement must be done in volume, before implementation. But now this can already be done in computer programs. – Is there a difference in the production process in the main city theaters and in the regional ones? — Different jobs, different approaches, different people, I can’t even divide it into the capital and not the capital. I can’t say which is more difficult or easier. Each theater has its own characteristics. – You performed in different cities, for example, in the city of Seversk near Tomsk, beyond the Urals. Are there differences in the way people think in different regions? Do you take this difference into account? — If we talk about the artistic decision, then, of course, I take it into account – first of all, I take into account the director’s decision and the material with which I work. But the peculiarities of the region are a kind of bonus that can also be used. – Some here believe that the classics translated into the national language of the region will not look very good, what do you think about this? – Well, why, it seems to me, on the contrary, it’s great that the plays are translated into the Komi language, that the works are expanding, their audience is expanding. On the contrary, it is very interesting when something collides. Mix the national language and classical material. Something new is always born from a collision; it seems to me that it is interesting when in our time everything is not generalized, but on the contrary, when the national language is used and developed. -Did you have time to see our city? – Yes, I managed to walk around Syktyvkar, it seems to me that it is somehow very cozy there, I really liked the streets with wooden houses, with wide courtyards, they sunk into my soul, they are beautiful. On December 9, the premiere of the play “Roshchin.Viva” will take place at the National Music and Drama Theater of the Komi Republic.