The Vakhtangov Theatre presents the grandiose "War and Peace"

Nearly five hours of stage performance, separated by two intermissions, fly by unnoticed, drawing the audience into a whirlwind of great events and personal stories. Director Tuminas deliberately avoids everyday details and ornate sets. Set designer Adomas Jacovskis created a minimalist, almost monochrome space dominated by shades of gray. This outward simplicity allows the focus to be on the essentials—the acting and Tolstoy's words.

The director's concept shifts the emphasis from military battles to family stories—those of the Rostovs, Bolkonskys, Kuragins, and Drubetskoys. War is presented here not as the roar of cannons, but as an ominous backdrop, reminiscent of the comet of 1812, invading the refined world of aristocratic salons and destroying it to the ground. Tuminas explores the "circus of consciousness," the sudden psychological upheavals and emotional turmoil of characters at a turning point in history.

The production stands out for its superb acting. Vakhtangov Theatre stars Sergei Makovetsky, Irina Kupchenko, Evgeny Knyazev, and Lyudmila Maksakova, along with their younger colleagues, create multilayered and complex characters. Their performances are full of inner tension and emotional expressiveness, allowing us to see familiar characters in a new light. Pierre Bezukhov, played by Pavel Popov, turns out to be an awkward truth-seeker with inner strength, while Prince Andrei (played by Viktor Dobronravov or Yuri Polyak) becomes a tragic figure with an inextricable combination of heroism and profound sadness.

Anzhelika Kholina's choreography and Giedrius Puskunigis's music play a key role in the production, uniting it into a unified score. The actors' movements evoke a gentle waltz of peace, then the abrupt movements of war. Music permeates the action, serving as a lyrical commentary or a harbinger of imminent catastrophe. Rimas Tuminas's "War and Peace" is not an attempt to cram all four volumes of the novel into a single evening, but rather the creation of a unique theatrical interpretation of Tolstoy's world. The production was highly acclaimed by critics and audiences, receiving a special jury prize at the Golden Mask (2023) and other theater awards. This is a performance about memory, the fragility of human life in the face of history, and how even in the darkest times, people continue to love, search for meaning, and hope. It is an intelligent, stylish, and emotionally charged theatrical experience that will linger in the memory. Tickets for the play "War and Peace" at the Vakhtangov Theatre can be purchased on our website.