Comedy Theatre. Akimova: repertoire, photos, reviews

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

In the city center, on Nevsky Prospekt, there is a building of one of the best theaters in St. Petersburg, which shows comedy performances. They are known not only throughout Russia, but also far beyond its borders. Both the building and the theater itself boast a rich history that has seen many ups and downs. All these circumstances have created traditions and brought up more than one generation of talented actors.

Start

Back in 1904, it was decided to build a trading house almost in the center of Nevsky Prospekt. Two Eliseev brothers became its owners. Soon their store was active on the ground floor. However, it did not bring the expected profit, so part of the premises began to be rented out.

Wishers were found quickly. The empty second floor was occupied by a young acting studio. The place just met the needs of the theater: the city center, additional advertising at the expense of neighbors. Very quickly, the actors found their niche. Their repertoire mainly consisted of comedy works. People went to performances with pleasure, because there were no worthy analogues in St. Petersburg at that time. But the success did not last long. The revolution made its adjustments.

Soviet times

After the FirstWorld War II, the stage of satire gets not only the second floor, but the entire center. The main creative backbone was assembled back in 1925. And the building was handed over to art in 1929. A short period of take-off began.

The theater was directed by Gutman, who put on the new stage the first performance called "Sharp". The performance was a hit with the local audience. After a couple of years, they decided to combine Satire with Comedy. This is how the Theater of Satire and Comedy of Leningrad appeared. The actress Granovskaya became its head. This largely determined the further development of the theater venue.

The actress has been a leader in the theater for many years. Vaudevilles, comedies and other productions were made to suit her tastes and for her. At the same time, the budding Leonid Utyosov also worked there.

Six years of the future Comedy Theatre. Akimov existed with a stable troupe. But over time, the actors began to leave. The reason was the unwillingness of the leadership to transfer the main roles to young talents. And along with this, the interest of the audience, who were already tired of the same faces, fell.

Akimov

When the theater fell on dark days, and even the city government planned to close it, a new opportunity arose. By 1935, the site was dubbed "the worst" in Leningrad. Fundamental changes were needed. It was decided to appoint a new leader. A very active theatrical artist Akimov became the head. He was just starting to try himself as a director, nevertheless, he was not afraid of responsibility and agreed.

Akimov had a year to restore and revive the theater. With his arrival, such changes began that no one expected. Granovskaya left the theater, as did Utyosov. New blood poured into him from the Experiment Studio. Thanks to Akimov, "Satire and Comedy" has acquired a new face.

Nikolai Pavlovich finds a kindred spirit in the playwright Schwartz, with whom they stage real masterpieces. The emphasis was on novelty. Schwartz wrote plays that are now proud of the Comedy Theater. Akimova - "Dragon", as well as "Shadow".

But the changes didn't stop there. Akimov begins work with translator Lozinsky. Very soon, productions based on the works of Shakespeare, Lope de Vega, Sheridan and Priestley will appear in the repertoire.

Akimov took personal part in the creation of scenery, and left the freedom of creativity for the actors. They were free to interpret the images of world-famous characters on their own.

The fame of the new theater, young actors, interesting performances spread throughout the vast territory of the Soviet Union. "Satire and Comedy" received the honorary title of one of the best cultural institutions in the country.

War

When the war came, the stage was not closed. For some time, the team lived with their families just in a bomb shelter under the Bolshoi Drama Theater, where they showed new performances. And in 1941 they had to leave Leningrad and move to Ashgabat.

In this city, not only did they not stop playing, but they also showed as many as 16 new performances to local audiences.

Peacetime has come

After the war, Akimov was removed from his post because he staged plays by foreign playwrights. Immediately, the theater began to fall apart. From 1949 to 1956, Nikolai Petrovich was not in the place of the director, and the site fell into complete decline. It was returned in 1956 and everything came alive again.

Akimov died in 1968, during a tour while in Moscow.

After

When Nikolai Petrovich died, the theater was transferred from one director to another. The directors changed very often, and only Golikov managed to stay in 1970. Under him, the site got its current name - the Academic Comedy Theater. Akimova.

After Golikov, Fomenko began to manage the stage, then there was Astrakhan, and now Kazakova has become the head.

For a long time Comedy Theatre. Akimova was under repair. In 2008, for the first time in the sixty years of its existence, builders were invited, who thoroughly worked on both the facade and the interior.

A new chapter in the life of the theater has opened with the play "Shadow", once written by Schwartz.

Comedy Theatre. Akimov: repertoire

The creative team has remained true to the traditions and is trying to create new productions based on the works of the best comedians and writers from around the world. Both new, modern comedies and immortal works of long-dead literary giants come to life on stage.

The most popular among them are:

• "The Importance of Being Earnest" byshort story by Oscar Wilde.
• The Gossips of Windsor by William Shakespeare.
• Modern production of "Harold and Maude" by Colin Higgins.
• The Scarlet Flower by Sergei Aksakov.
• "Cunning Widow" and "Lovers" by Carlo Goldoni.
• Makropulos Remedy by Karel Capek.
• "The cat that walked by itself" by the famous writer Rudyard Kipling.
• "The Tricks of Dorothy Dot" by Somerset Maugham, famous for his plays.
• Extremely social comedy "Ghosts" by screenwriter Eduardo de Filippo.
• "Shadow" by Evgeny Schwartz.

Comedy Theatre. Akimov. Visitor reviews

Theatrical critics rated the activities of the modern theater as "excellent". They express their enthusiasm for the performances of the actors, as well as new interesting foreign and domestic plays.

Musical Comedy Theatre. Akimova is famous for his original adaptations of well-known scripts. The main focus is on comedies and satirical dramas. Spectators note that they like the actors, and the performances themselves are of a high level.

Nevertheless, among the positive reviews, there are also very negative ones - about the poorly carried out repairs, the lack of an exhaust hood and the smell throughout the stalls from the neighboring pancake shop.

Some complain that the scenery for the productions themselves could be richer. At the same time, othersthey assure that this is how a performance, not oversaturated with tinsel, should look like. After all, this allows you to focus on the acting, on the main idea of the production and not be distracted by the painted bushes in order to see them in more detail.

Those who often go to performances love the Comedy Theater. Akimov, and also read most of the staged works, get a lot of pleasure from a non-standard approach to the presentation of classical material.

How to get there, where to call?

The theater starts its work at 11.30 am and ends with the end of the last performance. You can get to it using the metro, stopping either at the Gostiny Dvor station or on Nevsky Prospekt. Walk a little closer from Gostiny Dvor, only 253 meters, and from Nevsky Prospekt - 638.

It is impossible not to recognize the Comedy Theater. Akimov. Photos of him are specially presented in the article. In addition, the theater has its own official website, where they post news and detailed information about upcoming performances. In addition to a brief description, the viewer is invited to look at the cast.

You can easily find the Comedy Theater. Akimov. Its address is unusually simple: Nevsky Prospekt, house 56. The large building, which is illuminated by lights, is hard to get through. The name is written on it in large letters.

To find out more about the schedule for the coming days, call the cashier. Phone: 312 45 55 or 571 62 29. You can also ask about the cost there,as well as availability. It is possible to book a ticket in advance.

The box office is open from the beginning of the opening of the theater until 15.00. Then they close for lunch. Work continues from 16.00 to 19.30.