The New Riga Theatre faced a sudden turn when Director Uldis Tirons announced the cancellation of the Gogolis production titled Nature Morte, featuring Chulpan Khamatova. Delphi Culture reported on the development.
The adaptation, drawn from Nikolai Gogol’s The Old Nobles, was scheduled to debut on February 28 but information about the cancellation emerged one day before the premiere.
Tirons explained that the move came after the message being conveyed through the show proved to be incorrect.
He stated that the team had worked with an idea that ultimately did not fit the intended direction for a long period, and that presenting the play in Ukrainian had been a rushed decision.
According to the director, the broader vision for the production drifted from its original goal, a realization he acknowledged only after it was too late to prevent the misalignment.
Additional performances were planned on March 1, 2, 3, 4, 30, and 31, and on April 1 and 2. Ticket refunds would be issued to attendees. Alongside Khamatova, Latvian actors Gundars Abolins and Kaspars Znotins were also part of the ensemble.
One theater insider described the outcome as a creative failure, noting that such misses can occur in the arts just as they do in life.