about the production
The conflict of generations and status in Gorky’s Smug Citizens is in Polak's interpretation mainly the declaration of status. Although the main, young characters’ revolt against set rules and so called authorities, they do not resolve anything. They are only more impulsive, dynamic mirrors of their older copies. Other characters with their small tragedies, simple feelings and wisdom are in Polak's version as deep as the main ones, revealing their own inner feelings and the essential roots of human being. In the Astorka stage production there is no main character or the only conspicious performance. Each character or figure is "acted out" with the extraordinary depth and all together absolutely harmonize.
creators
directed by Roman Polák
translation: Ján Ferenčík
adaptation: Roman Polák
script editing: Barbara Gindlová
music : Anton Popovič
choreography: Miroslava Kovářová
costumes: Simona Vachálková
stage design: Bára Křístková, Markéta Oslzlá
cast:
Bessemenov: Ľudovít Moravčík, Akulina: Zora Kolínska, Peter: Matej Landl, Tatiana: Marta Sládečková, Nil: Vladimír Hajdu, Perčichin: Peter Šimun, Poľa: Danica Jurčová / Zuzana Moravcová, Jelena: Jana Kolesárová / Slávka Halčáková, Teterev: Boris Farkaš, Šiškin: Juraj Kemka, Cvetajevová: Lucia Lužinská
director
Roman Polák (1957) belongs to the group of the most remarkable directors in Slovakia He has permanently worked for the Astorka theatre, however, his production has been presented on other stages as well, e.g. along with other theatres in Bratislava also in Brno and Prague. His stage productions received the critical acclaim in Chicago ("Macbeth"), at the Edinburgh Festival (La Dispute, Marivaux, 1992) where he received the Guardian Critics Award. The stage production The Forest which he had staged with the Astorka actors and was performed also at Divadelna Nitra '97, was awarded three of seven awards of Dosky '97 (Stage Boards '97 – annual theatre award contest): Prize for the Best Stage Production, Prize for the Best Director and the Best Stage Design.