Film and theater director Konstantin Bogomolov explains why he frequently returns to Soviet drama in his creative process. The remarks came through RIA News. He treats Soviet plays as a vast, untapped continent that has not yet been fully mastered by modern theatre. These works, he notes, echo everyday life from the past while also carrying enduring truths that resonate across eras.
“We engage with authors like Racine and Corneille, with texts from ancient Greece, and with works forged under specific historical and aesthetic conditions. They are so beautiful that it hardly matters that our conversation centers on swords instead of guns,” he observes. The point, he adds, is not antiquarian nostalgia but the way these texts illuminate universal themes.
The director believes this approach can be equally fruitful when applied to Soviet drama. He argues that Soviet plays speak to love, personal growth, and responsibility, themes that continue to feel relevant. In his view, such repertoire offers a fertile ground for reimagining classic questions in a way that speaks to today’s audiences without sacrificing historical texture.
However, Bogomolov notes a selective stance toward current fare. He tends to step away from contemporary plays, criticizing the perceived quality and choosing not to lean into productions that foreground social issues at the expense of artistry. He emphasizes that theatre remains an art form that can engage with reality, but it should do so in a more intricate manner than some strands of modern Russian drama allow.
In 2023, Bogomolov talked about a gradual familiarization of audiences with his work. He recalled the early days of his theatre when premieres would trigger mass departures from the venue, a reaction that surprised and intrigued him. He observed that such negative feedback actually sparked curiosity, drawing more people to explore his unique theatrical voice.
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