In the atmosphere of top secrecy, on the stage "Under Roof" of the Mossovet theatre, the first public run-throughs of "The Gamblers" took place. It is the third production of Oleg Menshikov's Theatrical Company 814. "We don't put any tickets on sale", solemnly announced the cashier. And mysteriously smiled at the request to specify where it is possible to buy a ticket. Theatrical Company itself offers for booking on the Internet only the tickets for its previous production – "Kitchen", though the official date of the first night of "The Gamblers" has been settled already – January 15. Nevertheless, the "Vechernyaya Moskva" reporter was lucky to fall within those who were the first to see the probable hit of the coming year.
Oleg Menshikov has already played the leading part in Gogol's "Gamblers" in London production. And today he granted the right to be the first and play the part of Ikharev to other actor – a talented, but so far known as a bright master of episode Alexandr Usov. Menshikov himself plays Uteshitelny, the leader of sharpers gang.
Uteshitelny swindles selflessly, subtly and inspiredly. He is fascinating and passionate. Charming and brave. But, probably, not only the "rich" part made Menshikov turn to Gogol's play once again. Seems (or looms?), Menshikov intended to "disclose" our modern Russian reality? Is it possible that the social sense has risen in him? Of course, Menshikov avoids straightforward hints and "allusions". But the performance displaying the wave of total swindling, voluntarily or not calls up to our times – the era of gambling and gamblers – fortune and money hunters. The whole first scene, when Usov's Ikharev explains the reasons of his fatal card-sharping passion, sounds "humanly" familiar. His hopes for enrichment are clear, as they say, for every simple heart. By the way, Usov plays excellently. Perhaps, it is his first role that displays him as a serious dramatic actor.
The production is solved as a joke, merry vaudeville in the decorations of sugary, popular, pictorial Dikanka (scene-painter Alexandr Popov) with wattle-fence, customary sun-flowers, earthenware pots, wooden carts, total poverty and coziness. "Pretty girls" play musical instruments, forelocked guys walk about in ragged shirts and trousers. Ukrainian dialect sounds comically – the scene with Zamukhryshkin is played half in Ukrainian. It is impossible to understand anything, except separate words. But it is funny. On the whole, if take a narrow look, all this merry performance displays a rather scary picture. The picture of devilry and snouts. It is Gogol.
If a man resorts to swindling, he inevitably will find himself in the devil's company. And the devils, as you know, drag you to hell. This is the moral. That's why one of the characters of the swindling gang – Glov, junior – is interpreted here exactly as the devil. Fidgety, sneaky, constantly leaping, jumping – as if spinning around his tail. It is he who swindled Ikharev is to stay with in the end, when he starts to call "justice" ardently: "Justice, justice!" Ikharev groans. And the devil reasonably objects: what justice do you call if you yourself are swindler and cheat?
Menshikov, performing the story in light, almost vaudeville form, with merry tunes (which he partly composed himself), slightly banters at the viewer. As if inviting to game, gives him a playing card instead of a ticket. Invites the volunteers from the audience to have a shot of vodka with a pickle. The public approvingly drinks, probably, disposing itself to a beautiful tale or lofty illusions. Nothing of the kind. It was performed what it was performed.