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The performance runs for nearly five hours, including two intermissions, and this period flies by unnoticed, drawing the audience into a whirlwind of significant historical events and personal dramas. Rimas Tuminas deliberately avoids detailed everyday life and lavish sets. Set designer Adomas Jacovskis created a minimalist space dominated by gray tones. This apparent simplicity allows the focus to be on the key elements—the actors' performances and Tolstoy's work.

The director's concept places the emphasis not on battle scenes, but on the family histories of the Rostovs, Bolkonskys, Kuragins, and Drubetskoys. War is presented here not as the sound of cannons, but as an ominous backdrop—the comet of 1812, invading the refined world of aristocratic salons and destroying it completely. Tuminas explores the "circus of consciousness," sudden psychological changes, and the characters' inner impulses against the backdrop of changing eras.

The production stands out for its outstanding cast. Stars of the Vakhtangov Theatre—Sergei Makovetsky, Irina Kupchenko, Evgeny Knyazev, and Lyudmila Maksakova—jointly with young actors create multilayered characters. Their performances, full of inner dynamism and expression, offer a fresh perspective on familiar characters. Pierre Bezukhov, played by Pavel Popov, is portrayed as an awkward seeker with inner strength, while Prince Andrei (Viktor Dobronravov / Yuri Polyak) emerges as a tragic figure whose heroism is inseparable from his misfortune.

Anzhelika Kholina's choreography and Giedrius Puskunigis's music play a key role in the production, transforming it into a coherent score. The actors' movements are reminiscent of a dance: from a smooth waltz of peace to the sharp plasticity of war. Music accompanies the action, serving as a lyrical commentary and a harbinger of inevitable catastrophe. Rimas Tuminas's production of "War and Peace" is more than just an attempt to cram four volumes of the novel into a single evening; it is the creation of a unique theatrical interpretation of Tolstoy's world. The production has been highly acclaimed by critics and audiences, receiving a special jury prize from the Golden Mask (2023) and other awards. This work is about memory and the fragility of human life in the face of history; about how even in the darkest times, people continue to love, search for meaning, and hope. It is an intelligent, stylish, and deeply emotional theatrical experience that will remain long in the audience's memory. Tickets for the play "War and Peace" can be purchased on our website.