The original title of the play is «God resists the proud» which is a verse from the Bible (James 4:6) that continues with a phrase «But gives grace to the humble». Known for his keen insight into the psychology of the Russian people, Alexander Ostrovsky wrote this comedy about those “humble” and kind people and their manners during Russian svyatki (Christmastide). Ostrovsky reproduces the merry atmosphere of the old Russian folk carnival, svyatki with its old songs, fortune telling, jokes, frosty windows, laughter, bears with tambourines, balalaika strumming – all the childhood memories of the playwright.
«Poverty is No Vice» premiered in Moscow's Maly Theatre more than 150 years ago on January 25, 1854 and coincided with the famous French actress Rachel Felix’s shows. «It was difficult not to compare the two performances – the contrast was too obvious, and the audience of Maly Theatre was thus broken into two hostile camps,» wrote Vladimir Lakshin (Lakshin, Vladimir (1982). "Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky", Iskusstvo, Moscow. Life in Art series.) One part of the audience was against the representation of rather “rough” Russian manners, as Ostrovsky managed to combine the “sublime with the comic”. The playwright moved to the stage the forgotten, at that time, especially in the rich Moscow houses, the atmosphere of the Russian Carnival with its dancing, songs and rituals.
Today, no one thinks of these traditions as being rough or coarse. Quite the contrary, they bewitch by their poetry and beauty. «Poverty is No Vice» was presented at many
national theatre festivals, and is especially loved by the audience at Christmas.
Performance Director – Alexander Korshunov
Scenography – Olga Korshunova
Lighting Designer – Elena Drevaleva
Sound Design – Alexei Kotov
Choirmaster – Galina Guseva
Choreographer – Alexei Leschinskiy
Dance Teacher – Pavel Kazmiruk
Assistant Director – Tatiana Egorova
Premiere – October 18th, 2006
100th performance – December 30th, 2011
Running Time: 3 hours
Suitable for 12+yrs
A comedy in 3 acts
The performance runs with one intermission
Roles and actors:
Gordei Karpich Tortsov, a rich merchant заслуженный артист России Dmitriy Koznov
Pelageya Egorovna, his wife заслуженная артистка России Tatyana Lebedeva
Lyubov Gordeevna, their daughter Lyubov Eshchenko Lidiya Milyuzina
Lyubim Karpich Tortsov, his broke brother Alexander Korshunov
African Savich Korshunov, a manufacturer заслуженный артист России Sergey Tezov
Mitya, Tortsov's steward Dmitry Safonov
Yasha Guslin, Tortsov's nephew Mikhail Fomenko Mikhail Martyanov
Grisha Razlyulyaev, a young merchant, the son of a wealthy father Sergey Potapov
Anna Ivanovna, a young widow Irina Zheryakova
Olga Zhevakina Mikhail Martyanov Stanislav Soshnikov Vladimir Alekseev Alexandra Ivanova Aksiniya Pustylnikova Mariya Dunaevskaya Екатерина Гревцева Алёна Ревнёва Максим Путинцев
Masha, Lyubov Gordeevna's friend Ekaterina Porubel Olga Abramova Alexandra Ivanova
Lisa, Lyubov Gordeevna's friend Mariya Kriventseva
Egorushka, a boy, a distant relative of Tortsov Алэн Салтыков
Arina, Lyubov Gordeevna's nanny заслуженная артистка России Zinaida Andreeva
Leader at Christmastide Maksim Khrustalyov Stanislav Soshnikov
The original title of the play is «God resists the proud» which is a verse from the Bible (James 4:6) that continues with a phrase «But gives grace to the humble». Known for his keen insight into the psychology of the Russian people, Alexander Ostrovsky wrote this comedy about those “humble” and kind people and their manners during Russian svyatki (Christmastide). Ostrovsky reproduces the merry atmosphere of the old Russian folk carnival, svyatki with its old songs, fortune telling, jokes, frosty windows, laughter, bears with tambourines, balalaika strumming – all the childhood memories of the playwright.
«Poverty is No Vice» premiered in Moscow's Maly Theatre more than 150 years ago on January 25, 1854 and coincided with the famous French actress Rachel Felix’s shows. «It was difficult not to compare the two performances – the contrast was too obvious, and the audience of Maly Theatre was thus broken into two hostile camps,» wrote Vladimir Lakshin (Lakshin, Vladimir (1982). "Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky", Iskusstvo, Moscow. Life in Art series.) One part of the audience was against the representation of rather “rough” Russian manners, as Ostrovsky managed to combine the “sublime with the comic”. The playwright moved to the stage the forgotten, at that time, especially in the rich Moscow houses, the atmosphere of the Russian Carnival with its dancing, songs and rituals.
Today, no one thinks of these traditions as being rough or coarse. Quite the contrary, they bewitch by their poetry and beauty. «Poverty is No Vice» was presented at many
national theatre festivals, and is especially loved by the audience at Christmas.
Performance Director – Alexander Korshunov
Scenography – Olga Korshunova
Lighting Designer – Elena Drevaleva
Sound Design – Alexei Kotov
Choirmaster – Galina Guseva
Choreographer – Alexei Leschinskiy
Dance Teacher – Pavel Kazmiruk
Assistant Director – Tatiana Egorova
Premiere – October 18th, 2006
100th performance – December 30th, 2011
Running Time: 3 hours
Suitable for 12+yrs
Roles and actors
Gordei Karpich Tortsov, a rich merchant заслуженный артист России Dmitriy Koznov
Pelageya Egorovna, his wife заслуженная артистка России Tatyana Lebedeva
Lyubov Gordeevna, their daughter Lyubov Eshchenko Lidiya Milyuzina
Lyubim Karpich Tortsov, his broke brother Alexander Korshunov
African Savich Korshunov, a manufacturer заслуженный артист России Sergey Tezov
Mitya, Tortsov's steward Dmitry Safonov
Yasha Guslin, Tortsov's nephew Mikhail Fomenko Mikhail Martyanov
Grisha Razlyulyaev, a young merchant, the son of a wealthy father Sergey Potapov
Anna Ivanovna, a young widow Irina Zheryakova
Olga Zhevakina Mikhail Martyanov Stanislav Soshnikov Vladimir Alekseev Alexandra Ivanova Aksiniya Pustylnikova Mariya Dunaevskaya Екатерина Гревцева Алёна Ревнёва Максим Путинцев
Masha, Lyubov Gordeevna's friend Ekaterina Porubel Olga Abramova Alexandra Ivanova
Lisa, Lyubov Gordeevna's friend Mariya Kriventseva
Egorushka, a boy, a distant relative of Tortsov Алэн Салтыков
Arina, Lyubov Gordeevna's nanny заслуженная артистка России Zinaida Andreeva
Leader at Christmastide Maksim Khrustalyov Stanislav Soshnikov