Andrey Moguchiy

The plot revolves around the rehearsal of the play “Excitement” in which Freindlikh is to play a famous American writer from New York. The actress and director have heated debates about the eccentric character. They discuss the process of creation, its mysterious mechanisms, the birth of a work of art in general. They also talk about the world around Alisa outside the theatre – her family, home, friends, interests and her beloved St. Petersburg. The film is meant to commemorate the great Russian actress’s 85th anniversary.

The protagonist of the novel is a woman. The main theme is freedom. At the very beginning of the play, Vera Pavlovna utters a text that becomes the manifesto of her life: “I want to be free, I do not want to be indebted to anyone, I do not want anyone to tell me: you must do this for me! I want to do only what I want. And let others do the same; I don’t want to demand anything from anyone, I don’t want to restrict freedom and I want to be free myself. ”

A filmed stage production by the Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theater, directed by Andrey Moguchiy and based on the novel by Yuri Olesha. Conceived as a theatrical cycle, the production is divided into episodes including Uprising and Iron Heart, combining drama, music and large-scale visual theatre.