Reviews about the performance "Misery" with Dobrovolskaya and Spivakovsky are ambiguous, as befits a good production. Unlike the movie, the theater is a more personal story, and the viewer is either immersed in what is happening on the stage or wonders: "What is happening here?" The play, written from the book of Stephen King, can not be boring. This is a thriller with elements of comedy, where there is a place for fear, and laughter, and even tenderness.
History of the performance
The plot is based on the psychological thriller of Stephen King. This performance is not new: the American playwright adapted it and the performance has long been on various stages in many countries of the world. This production is not the first scenario, it is based on a play created from the original book. The audience’s reviews of the Misery performance confirm that only the main plot remained from the original story, and the thriller turned into an action-packed drama with elements of comedy and a dark, frightening atmosphere.
The plot of the play
A popular American writer named Paul Sheldon published a series of works about a woman named Misery, in which he described her bitter fate. Books made him famous. Once Paul was driving, the car skidded and threw into a ditch, the driver was seriously injured. He was discovered by a local resident named Annie, a fan of his talent. She instantly recognized her idol, pulled him out of the car and took her home. A woman in the past worked as a nurse, so she decided not to send Sheldon to the hospital, but to treat herself. Initially, Paul decided that a merciful fan did this out of love for him, but soon her behavior began to seem strange. The writer understands that in Annie's house he is no longer a guest, but a prisoner. Judging by the reviews of the Misery performance with Dobrovolskaya and Spivakovsky, the actors brilliantly managed to reproduce the atmosphere of horror and hopelessness.
Performance audience
The ideal viewer is a fan of Stephen King's books, who appreciates the sharpness of the plot, the frightening atmosphere prevailing on stage, as well as the black humor. The age category includes theatergoers from about 25 to 45 years old. Positive feedback about the performance of "Misery" is given precisely by such spectators.
As a rule, the majority of the theater audience consists of spectators aged 45 years and older. However, this production is intended for a younger audience familiar with the works of Stephen King. The play was staged in a special manner, which is seriously different from the usual performances, so fans of the classics are unlikely to like it. Audience reviews of the Misery performance with Dobrovolskaya and Spivakovsky confirm that it’s best to go to the theater after reading a book or watching a movie. Fans of Chekhov and Ostrovsky will not be able to appreciate this exciting psychological thriller, where the scenery and costumes of the characters are gloomy.
Brief review of the performance "Misery"
"Misery" is a performance of two actors, only Daniil Spivakovsky in the role of Paul Sheldon and Yevgeny Dobrovolskaya in the role of crazy Annie fan are present on the stage. In the original plot of King, there are other characters, but in the play they decided to do without them in order to more clearly highlight the characters of the main characters. Talented, experienced actors have become so accustomed to their roles that they seem to have been born to them.
An important role in the performance is played by excellent lighting. In this gloomy setting, a dim light bulb or a bright spotlight that shines directly in the faces of the actors allows you to recreate the desired atmosphere of horror. The scenery on the stage is more like the basement of a crazy woman than her living room, but on the whole they look very organic. So that the actors did not have to break into a cry, they put microphones on them. Some phrases are pronounced in a hoarse, ominous whisper, but the quietest sound is perfectly heard even in the last rows. According to reviews of the Misery performance with Dobrovolskaya and Spivakovsky, it becomes clear that they managed to embody the spirit of Stephen King on stage.
In general, the performance turned out to be emotional, vibrant and exciting. The plot repeats the original story, but the characters differ in character and style, so even those who read the book will be interested to see the new version.
The performance was staged by the touring Contemporary Theater of Entreprise. Each production on a new stage in a new city requires artists of the highest level of skill, since all the time it is necessary to use different equipment. Despite this, reviews of the performance of Misery with Dobrovolskaya and Spivakovsky confirm: the actors and technical staff coped with the task perfectly.