Petru Vutkareu
The idea belongs to the theater’s artistic director Vera Marianczyk: to stage a comedy with many female characters. Petru Vutkerau, artistic director of the National Theater “E. Ionesco”, responded to the proposal and found a suitable material by Canadian author Michel Tremblay about 15 women. It is the author’s best-known play. Thus, for the first time, the Chekhov Theater had a play with exclusively female roles.
The music was written by Marian Styrca, one of the most sought-after theater composers, artistic director of the S. Lunkevich National Philharmonic. The costume designer is Inga Botnariuc, who serves at the theater “Fără Nume”, the scenographer is Anja Cebotar from the theater “E. Ionesco”.
Petru Vutcăreu: “The main thing is to get the audience “hooked” on theater!”
“The play seemed a very good find for the theater, actresses and director – explains the choice of Petru Vutkerau. – In texts I am always interested and attracted by the presence of favorable game scores, in which the characters in the course of the play are revealed deeper, richer, more interesting. That is, characters who are comedic at first glance suddenly start talking about serious things. We discover that women are not so simple, behind each “mask” there is a complex fate with its problems. And, most importantly – each has a hidden dream, which is not mercantile, not selfish, but is connected with family, with children, with the future. Such revelations are revealed that the comedy becomes sad, I would define it that way”.
Despite the fact that the play was written in 1965 about Canada, most of the problems, themes and issues raised are relevant to our society as well. Especially when it comes to envy, one of the most destructive human qualities.
…The ladies call themselves sisters, they are neighbors, relatives, they meet every day, almost a family relationship. But suddenly one of them wins a big prize…How will the others behave?
For Petru Vutkerau, music is the soul of the play, it helps to reveal its atmosphere. “And I am happy to collaborate with Marian Styrcea, because he has a very fine sense of theater, has staged several performances with him. Sometimes the music suggests a ‘key’ to the stage that I can’t find.”
According to many experts, colleagues and actors, Petru Vutcareu is one of the best directors not only in Moldova. That’s why it became interesting to know his opinion about what is a quality theater product. “The play should resonate with the expectations of the spectator, our task is not to disappoint him. And, if the viewer before this or that production has not been in the theater at all, the main thing is to “hook” him so that he wanted to return there. That “hooked” on the theater so that he could not live without it!”
So far only the preliminary estimate of the performance is known – 300 thousand lei, the theater management expects to pay it off by spring. “We could have paid off “The Beautiful Sisters” faster, – says the director of the theater Theodore Gladii. – But the whole New Year’s holiday period will be “The Nutcracker”, and it is physically impossible to include the premiere in the repertoire”.
Tickets for the premiere range from 200 to 400 lei, which is more expensive than for a repertory performance. And until the premiere is played a certain number of times, the price is not reduced. And for the performances, which are played for many years, tickets cost 150, 200 lei. Each play has its own payback time. For example, comedies pay off quickly, because they are in demand among the audience. The plays that carry a serious meaning are sold slower. But the theater can’t just put on comedies to entertain the audience….
There is a nuance of the theater economy. In the small hall are “Besy”, which do not earn a lot, as the number of seats is small. But even though tickets are not cheap – 300-500 lei, they sell out very quickly.
