OKT > Performances > THE MASTER AND MARGARITA

Co-producers:

THEOREM Association supported by the
Culture 2000 programme of the European Union;

AVIGNON Festival, France.

The performance is based on the novel “The Master and Margarita” by Mikhail Bulgakov (1891–1940) written in 1929–40, though the text uncorrupted by censorship was first published as late as 1967 in Paris.
The stylistics of the performance is reminiscent of the “dream in a dream” principle: a mystery of life and death, recognition and oblivion, love and despair is all taking place in the mind of the protagonist Ivan Bezdomny who has found himself at a mental institution. In a certain sense this character embodies Bulgakov himself or, to be more exact, a symbolic figure of the Writer who together with his work, or for the sake of his work and his truth, like Christ, has to experience all kinds of spiritual metamorphoses ranging from humiliation, defilement and madness to saintliness. A parallel theme of self-sacrificing love (Margarita’s deal with Satan), the destructive activity of Woland (the evil spirit) and his retinue revealing the imperfection of the human nature – a polyphonic garland of these themes is concentrated on the main idea of the performance: is creative work really a spiritual value for the sake of which a whole life can be sacrificed? Manuscripts don’t burn, but their author has to burn in this fire to earn immortality for his work.
Sigitas Parulskis

Oskaras Korsunovas: In the finale, when the lights go down, the “thunder” of rustling paper sheets should be heard. The audience did not hear it, as a burst of thunderous applause filled the hall. The actors had more than ten curtain calls. I experienced this as a greatest miracle in my entire artistic career, as a meeting of the material particularly dear to me, and the most important festival. I’m very happy.

“Distinct and inspired acting without any decorative “props” dominates unconditionally, and the space is perfectly adapted for it – there are as many signs as is needed to convey the time of the story told, the spirit of the 20’s. When at the beginning you see a flag-like purple tablecloth laid on the table, covering the actors who will soon let the pages of the novel travel from hand to hand – you think for yourself that this immediately obvious talent, this virtuosity will hinder the development of the theatrical narration. However, as soon as the theatre grinding machine starts turning, this impression dissipates and the action moves on, floated by voices and gestures, which not for a single moment deviate from elegance and good taste. It is evident how valuable for us this young man is, who sees theatre as an inflammatory action requiring the highest physical and mental devotion, having discarded the outdated psychological sphere. And it is so rare that we are eager to be the first to stress it.”
Jean-Pierre Léonardini. Devilish Appetite at the Theatre’s Table // L’Humanité, 21. 07. 2000

“The greatest discovery of the THEOREM program – Oskaras Korsunovas’ performance after “The Master and Margarita” by Bulgakov – does not have anything in common with European politics. The Lithuanian director, 31, well known in Poland for his dramatizations of the Oberiuts, staged Bulgakov’s novel as a dream of patients of a mental asylum. They dream of Satan’s visits to Moscow and events that happened in Jerusalem two thousand years ago. The action is set on the stage reminiscent of an old community centre hall with a piano, an obligatory palm and a cleaning lady who washes the floor and grumbles at the actors. The genius of the dramatization is based on the simplicity of the concept: Behemoth walks barefoot and sprinkles water around, the Master is buried under the ashes of his own manuscript, while Margarita’s flight turns into a love act. The performance contains a lot of burlesque means – e.g. the feast directed according to the principles of shadow theatre; however, the overall tonality of the performance is dark. At the end of the performance the Master and Margarita die and do not return to life between the Paradise and Hell, like Bulgakov conceived it. There is no house surrounded with trees, with fire cracking in the fireplace. Azazello, sipping vodka, completes the last ritual of ablution and ties the stiffening jaws together. Korsunovas knows more than Bulgakov who died 70 years ago. Perhaps manuscripts don’t burn, but people’s bodies burn like safety matches.”
Roman Pawlowski. A Messenger Has Arrived // Gazeta Wyborcza, 22. 07. 2000

“It is an extremely simple theatrical machine that spurs the performance and the audience on through space and time. Polysemous and polyphonic, this superbly danced performance hallucinates, and the hallucination space is full of demons and miracles, starting with the actors, who are young and beautiful, like devils.
Wonderful theatre! Let’s repeat: wonderful is "The Master and Margarita" offered to us by the young Lithuanian director Oskaras Korsunovas and his fifteen fantastic actors.
Everything takes place around a big round table (oh, these round bureaucratic tables!). The table revolves, and in its centre a black hole is gaping. Small chairs, also revolving, a piano (and an excellent pianist) – this is the stage space (the young set designer Juratė Paulekaite). Everything revolves around this central hole, from which the characters emerge or are pulled into it. Besides, the space is expanded by the miraculous play with mirrors containing the elements of the Chinese shadow theatre. Nightmare? Reality?"
Daniele Carraz. ”The Master and Margarita” – The Theatre of Miracles // La Provence, 2000. 07. 21

“15 actors, who rave, jump, turn around, create havoc and volcanic tricks for three hours. 15 real rope walkers.”
Michel Cournot. A Noisy Production of “The Master and Margarita” // Le Monde, 2000. 07. 22