THE PERFORMANCE “TO FORGET HEROSTRAT” BEAT A RECORD
Support A1+!The Dramatic theatre after Hrachya Ghaplanyan celebrates the 30th anniversary of the performance “To Forget Herostrat” staged on Grigori Gorin’s play of the same name. The performance will be presented for the 240th time at the Dramatic theatre on May 13.
According to actor Levon Mutafyan this is a record index as no play was staged so long on the Armenian stage as this one. “This is unprecedented phenomenon taking into consideration the crisis and stagnancy of 70s when people were afraid to make free decisions and were not encouraged to do such things, and there was severe censorship. The performance “To Forget Herostat” was about evil and its eternity and was an attempt to remind of reality and time.” Then censorship prohibited to speak openly, and all of a sudden young actor Ghandikyan threw down the gauntlet to theatretical world and staged the play as his diploma work,” noted Levon Marutyan.
According to witnesses, they were disappointed by the performance staged in Moscow as it was traditional, there were no new feelings, passions in it and it resembled the original play. The Armenian version of the play is more striking with its aesthetic principles; allegories, symbols and implication which resulted in warm acceptance by the audience. According to Armen Ghandikyan our theatres lack the deep sense, implication and we go to simplicity.
In Armen Ghandikyan’s words the performance leads its second life with new artistic personnel though the Vladimir Mseryan still embodies the main character, Herostrat.
The performance was presented in many cities of the world and was warmly accepted by the audience. Even when Gorin saw it he was surprised, “What a wonderful performance, did I really write it? I didn’t think I would become the author of such a great play,” recalls Vladimir Mseryan. The latter also called on the Armenian youth to attend theatres more frequently and to see perfect performances.
