The performance of "No. 13D" at the A.P. Chekhov Moscow Art Theatre is a real source of joy and positive emotions for the entire summer season.

To create the comedy performance, director Vladimir Mashkov chose Ray Cooney's play "Out of Order", which is a real firework of absurdity, where each new plot twist causes the audience to burst into fits of laughter. The original production under the name "No. 13" was presented on the stage of the A.P. Chekhov Moscow Art Theatre in 2001. In 2014, Mashkov decided to refresh the production by adding elements that would be familiar and understandable to the Moscow audience.

The plot revolves around the prime minister's assistant, who decides to spend the evening with his secretary at a hotel. However, their plans are disrupted by the unexpected appearance of a corpse in the room, which sets off a series of comic and unpredictable events. Attempts to hide the body lead to the appearance of new characters, each of whom adds their own contribution to the general chaos. Leonid Timtsunik plays the role of the revived corpse, who performs incredible acrobatic stunts and amazes the audience with his talent. He also acted as a choreographer for other actors in the play. Timtsunik is known for his work in the pantomime genre, both as a director and as a performer, and he studied martial arts from a young age. In 2014, after the premiere of the updated play "№13D", he was awarded the Oleg Tabakov Prize for his unique ability to express tragedy through comedic plasticity.

The cast of the play deserves special attention. Igor Vernik brilliantly embodies the image of the confused assistant to the Prime Minister, and Ksenia Teplova copes well with the role of the resourceful secretary. Each actor accurately conveys his character, creating a vivid image thanks to Kuni's text and Mashkov's grotesque direction.

The scenery and costumes in the play "№13D" deserve special mention. The hotel room is designed with attention to detail, creating an atmosphere of luxury and tension; the set design by Alexander Borovsky includes the signature red check. The costumes of the characters emphasize their characters and social status, adding visual expressiveness to the production. The play also features a second curtain with a seagull for humorous scenes, and the hotel manager sports a Scottish skirt.

Mashkov's production follows all the canons of a remake: it is more intense and dynamic compared to the original. The pace of the story does not allow the audience to get bored for a minute - the chaos intensifies with every second, comic situations follow one after another. Each element of the play works to create a unified atmosphere and emphasizes the director's idea.

At the end, the audience will find an unexpected plot twist with a hint of politics: Mashkov decided to include a bit of topical satire in his work. The play has become one of the most popular at the Moscow Art Theatre; tickets for it are sold out long before the show, which confirms its success on the Russian stage. Mashkov's interpretation of "No. 13D" has become a real calling card of the Chekhov Theatre, despite the fact that English plays are rarely popular with the Russian public. Buy tickets for the play "№13D" right now!