Family life is a delicate and unpredictable affair. Especially if outsiders interfere in this system. This is about the play "Two Husbands for the Price of One," reviews of which are completely mixed. Frankly speaking: the production plot is not food for the mind, and there are no ornate logical constructions here. The essence of the performance is in the game of actors who are selected very well. Many of them are familiar to viewers on television series of different times. This is a comedy, however, its finale leads to certain thoughts.
Storyline: The Beginning
The play "Two husbands for the price of one" begins quite routinely: a married couple talking at an evening dinner. Elena (that’s the name of his wife) is trying to distract her husband Vitali from viewing gadgets, but this succeeds with varying success. During the discussion of household chores, it turns out that their 13-year-old daughter is on an excursion in another city. Accordingly, the parents were left alone. And what else becomes clear is the fact that the length of family life is about 14 years. According to psychologists, this is one of the crisis ages of marriage, which accounts for the majority of divorces.
The evening routine is diluted by neighbor Sergei, who for some time now has become an almost integral part of the "family interior." He is single, and therefore often enjoys the hospitality of his neighbors, taking pleasure in both easy communication and Elena’s culinary experiences. By the way, in this moment you should not look for vulgar subtext - it is not here. Friendly communication - and nothing more.
So, there is a leisurely conversation about everything and about nothing ...
The plot of intrigue
One way or another, the conversation concerns family life, since Elena is interested in Sergey’s views on this issue. As it turned out, they are rather frivolous: the neighbor claims that he sees no reason to tie the knot, as sooner or later he will turn into a routine. At the same time, he transparently hints at the relationship established between Elena and Vitaly: between them there are no more vivid feelings, an explosion of emotions and passionate manifestations of love.
Spouses are forced to agree that the feelings that once became the reason for their decision to be together remained in the past. Everyone lives in parallel reality. The discussion of this issue becomes lively and interesting, clearly going beyond the usual conversation over evening tea.
Trying to understand when the fall into boring everyday life occurred, all three decide that the fault is the habit of being together, which leads to predictability. An interesting thought occurs to Sergey. He offers the spouses to live a day as if they are completely strangers.
A bet is made: whoever is the first to not withstand such a relationship, he loses. Judging by the reviews, “Two husbands for the price of one” is not just a sitcom. This is an opportunity to take a closer look at the situation in the context of habits that replace genuine relationships with their imitation.
Actors and roles
"Two husbands for the price of one" was staged by director of the Optimistic Theater Dmitry Burkhankin. He invited actors whose names are familiar to a wide audience: Tatyana Orlova, who shares the role of Aunt Nina with Galina Konshina; Alexander Yakin and Dmitry Belotserkovsky play the role of Vitaly; Ekaterina Volkova together with Lyudmila Kharitonova (Volkova) create the image of Elena; Irina Sirotinskaya and Valeria Yakovleva appear in the role of Svetlana; Eugene Pekker and Kirill Malov go on stage as Sergei's neighbor.
Let's talk in detail about the cast of "Two Husbands for the Price of One" and start with its female part. The driving force of this performance is Aunt Nina - we’ll start from her.
Supporting actress
Tatyana Orlova cannot be called an actress, whose career was successful. Rather, the opposite. Her external data were far from the established canons, and therefore she was often compared with Inna Churikova. However, if the Churikov-Panfilov tandem allowed the actress to improve in the profession, then Orlova did not have such a support - she was never married. After graduating from the theater university, Tatyana was accepted into the Mayakovsky Theater.
Its director Andrei Goncharov did not find for her the main or at least significant roles in the repertoire. Orlova's destiny was minor characters. In the 90s it was not up to the theater, and the actors survived as best they could: Tatyana, for example, earned money by participating in “skits”. And at the same time, her first cinematic experience took place. However, it can not be called significant - she got the "passing" role. And so it went on until Tatyana Orlova came to the "Balzac" line.
Cinema drew attention to the actress with a non-standard appearance. And the films "Heat", "Parisians" and "Unexpected Joy" are proof of this. And then in 2007 a television film “Daddy's Daughters” was released, and Tatyana Orlova understood the meaning of the phrase “to be in trend”. Few in Russia there are spectators who have not seen the Voronins or the Cream. The main direction in which the actress is in demand is a comedy genre.
The work in "Two Husbands for the Price of One", according to reviews, is one of the successful roles of this plan: viewers note its similarity to Ranevskaya.
However, one cannot fail to note the work of the actress in the film "The Red Queen", where she presented the character is far from unambiguous - both grotesque and dramatic.
Galina Konshina
This actress also acts as Aunt Nina in "Two Husbands for the Price of One." Reviews of her role picture are the most enthusiastic. Of course, Orlova and Konshina differ in approaches to portraying the character of the eccentric, but purposeful heroine, but this is also the value.
Galina Pavlovna also does not apply to actresses with an easy fate. Her talent was not immediately noticed, in addition, the ups and downs of her personal life sometimes knocked her off balance for a long time, which affected her career. However, today it is also in great demand. By the way, her comedic gift perfectly manifested itself in the genre of parody. Perhaps there was no such famous historical or political character that she would not portray in the grotesque style.
At the Moscow State Drama Theater "Involvement" Galina Konshina plays F. Ranevskaya in the same entreprise, which indicates that not all sides of her talent are shown in the cinema.
Elena's role
Judging by the reviews on “Two Husbands for the Price of One,” many viewers sought to see Ekaterina Volkova, who plays Elena in this performance.
She is known to viewers on the series "Voronin", which has been filming since 2009. The actress has a strong-willed character and is characterized by diverse interests. In particular, in 2006 she received a red diploma from the Academy of Budget and Treasury of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation. And this is only 3 years after the end of the VTU them. Shchepkina (also with honors).
Probably, many remembered the film "Montecristo", where Ekaterina Volkova received one of her first movie roles.
This diverse actress can be a producer, a host of the show, and a participant in the project "Dancing with the Stars."
Since 2014, Volkova plunged into the life of the theater, taking part in various productions.
In reviews of the play “Two Husbands for the Price of One,” the bulk of the audience gave the “palm” to Tatyana Orlova, next to which Volkova did not look too bright. Many noted that the actress "duplicates" the character from the Voronins.
Men's composition
In the play "Two husbands for the price of one", the actors representing male characters are also quite well known. For example, many are familiar with Alexander Yakin thanks to the series “Happy Together”, as well as the films “Hero of Our Time”, where he played the role of lieutenant Semin, “Eighties” and “Housing Question”.
The role of Vitaly’s husband requires a certain virtuosity of execution, since the onslaught of Aunt Nina practically does not allow objections. The character has to maneuver in every way, which, given the delicate situation, is difficult. In addition, everything needs to be done in such a way as to win the bet, and not to “hand over” to the aunt the piquant details of the intrigue, and even respect the courtesy of the librarian Svetlana.
Spectators with unflagging interest watched how the actors in "Two Husbands for the Price of One" will be able to get out of this situation. And I must say that both Yakin, and Belotserkovsky, and Eugene Pekker and Kirill Malov were at their best, showing the ability to convey intonation and gestures with many shades of the mood of the characters.
The picture "did not wait"
When going to the theater for “Two Husbands for the Price of One,” it must be borne in mind that the duration of the performance is about 2 hours with one intermission. During this time, each of the heroes will in every way try to maintain a "line of defense" against "superior enemy forces" in the face of the assertive aunt Nina. She will appear suddenly, and not alone, but with her daughter Svetlana, whom she will try to attach favorably. It is around this moment that the whole storyline will be built.
The play has a lot of humorous scenes, the scenery remains unchanged, is simple and does not distract attention. There is no psychologism and drama here, but there is a certain subtext that directs the viewer's thoughts towards the question of the correct building of family relations.
However, for some viewers the humor seemed flat, the plot was banal, and the performance was mediocre. But "taste and color ..."
Age category
The performance “Two husbands for the price of one” should not be attended by children under 16 years of age. The performance is designed for the viewer, able to understand some points relating to family life and pitfalls related to it. If we give more specific recommendations, then we can say that the production will interest young people from 20 years old and viewers of an older age category.
Visit to the Teatrium. Where can I see?
The next performance "Two husbands for the price of one" in the Theater on Serpukhovka under the direction of Teresa Durova will be held on March 21, 2019. The address of the cultural institution: Moscow, st. Pavlovskaya, 6. The nearest metro stations are Serpukhovskaya, Dobryninskaya, and Tula.
"Experienced" viewers recommend purchasing tickets for the 8th row and higher, so that visibility is better. The room is not too well adjusted ventilation.
In general, the room is cozy, and watching the performance will give you pleasure.