The Forest (play)

The Forest
Written by Aleksander Ostrovsky
Date premiered 1 November 1871
Place premiered Alexandrinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg
Original language Russian
Genre Social somedy

The Forest (Les, Лес) is a play by Alexander Ostrovsky written in 1870 and first published in the January 1871 issue of Otechestvennye Zapiski magazine. It was premiered in Saint Petersburg’s Alexandrinsky Theatre on November 1, 1871, as a benefice for actor Fyodor Burdin. In Moscow's Maly Theatre it was performed on November 26, 1871.[1]

History

Ostrovsky started writing The Forest in the last days of summer 1870 in his Shchelykovo estate. "The end of it is near but I don't think it would be worthwhile to try and have it staged this season," he informed his friend actor Fyodor Burdin in a letter dated November 4. Initially The Forest was conceived as a family comedy but gradually the satirical line in it strengthened with Nestchastlivtsev (originally a marginal character) becoming the main hero.[1]

Like many previous Ostrovsky's plays, this one has been tried out at informal recitals in friends' literary parties. The first of such readings took place in brother Mikhail Ostrovsky's home and enjoyed immense success. Inspired by this initial reaction and following his brother’s advice, soon after its publication Ostrovsky nominated the play for the prestigious Uvarov’s Prize but hasn't got it: "it's satire having proved too much for the jury".[2] This decision has been criticized by Pavel Annenkov who wrote: “Alexander Nikolayevich has been refused the Prize. Such was the decision of those walking suit-cases stuffed with quasi-scientific nonsense who sit in the [Academy’s] Department of the Russian literature, having... not a drop of taste, of a poetical feeling, not a trace of understanding of masterful arrangements in literature,” he wrote in a letter to Mikhail Ostrovsky.[3]

On May 14, 1871 the play got the approval of the Theatre and Literature committee. It was premiered in Saint Petersburg's Alexandrinsky Theatre as a benefice for Fyodor Burdin who played Neschastlivtsev. It also featured Maria Tchitau (as Gurmyzhskaya), Ye.Struyskaya the 2nd (Aksyusha), P.P. Pronsky (Milonov), P.S.Stepanov (Bodayev). Ostrovsky was not in a position to contreol the process personally, tried to do it by means of letters addressed to Burdin. After the premier the latter informed the author that the "play has been received very warmly" but that his personal absence did a lot of harm to the quality of the production."[4] In reality things were quite different. The play flopped dismally, due, first and foremost to the inadequacy of Burdin who, according to one reviewer, "had not a modicum of a tragic actor in him."[5] Tchitau's performance (as Gurmyzhskaya) was found wanting too, in fact, only two actors, Zubrov (as Schastlivtsev) and Vasilyev the 2nd (Vosmibratov) have been mentioned by reviewers in the positive light.

In Moscow The Forest was performed on November 26, 1871, as a benefice for S.P.Akimova (who played Ulita). It also featured N.M.Medvedeva (Gurmyzhskaya), G.N.Fedotova (Aksyusha), I.V.Samarin (Milonov), V.I.Zhivokini (Bodayev), P.M.Sadovsky (Vosmibratov, Neschastlivstev), S.V.Shuysky (Schastivtsev).[1]

Reception

Critics of the conservative camp reviewed the play negatively. V.P.Burenin saw The Forest as having no relevance whatsoever, arguing that the play was lacking serious content and was built upon the accidental sets of events and characters.[6] Nikolai Strakhov, a Slavophile critic, had similar reservations, seeing the play as having no social significance and criticizing it’s humour as "Shchedrinian" and "low-brow" type.[1]

The play, on the other hand, was greeted warmly by the democratic press. It was praised by Nikolai Nekrasov (who called it 'brilliant') and Ivan Turgenev: in a personal letter the latter told Ostrovsky that he thought the character of 'a tragic' [actor Neschastlivtsev] to be one of his very best.[7] Several years later Aleksey Pleshcheev, reviewing the Moscow Artist Club's production of The Forest expressed indignation at the fact that such masterpiece was being ignored by the 'official' Russian theatre.[8] Positively ecstatic about the play was the actor Prov Sadovsky who made a personal request for his son Mikhail to feature in the role of the gymnasium student Bulanov which he did at the Moscow premier on November 26, 1871.[9]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Les (Forest)". The Complete A.N.Ostrovsky in 10 Volumes. Vol. 6. Plays, 1871-1873. Moscow, Khudozhestvennaya literatura. 1960. Retrieved 2012-03-01.
  2. ↑ E.S.Kulyabko. A.N.Ostrovsky and the Academy of Science. The Academy's Herald / Vestnik Akademii nauk SSSR. 1948. #4, p. 56
  3. ↑ The Unpublished Letters to A.N.Ostrovsky. 1832, p.683
  4. ↑ A.N.Ostrovsky and F.A.Burdin. The Unpublished letters. Moscow-Petersburg, 1923, pp. 149-150.
  5. ↑ Vsemirnaya Illustratsia (The World Illustrated, 1871, #150, p.315)
  6. ↑ Sankt-Peterburgskye Vedomosti, 1871, #76.
  7. ↑ The Complete I.S.Turgenev, 1958, vol. 12, p. 459.
  8. ↑ Molva (The Talk), 1880, #62
  9. ↑ The Culture of Theatre, 1921. #2, p.61