Play Review: The Dream of a Ridiculous Man

This afternoon, I got all dressed up to go to my first play in St. Petersburg, The Dream of a Ridiculous Man by Fyodor Dostoyevsky - a short story about a man who is about to commit suicide, but has a dream that changes his mind. I wasn't sure what to expect, because I wasn't familiar with Dostoyevsky and had only ever seen one other one-man show (a comedy). The actor in the show is a very famous Russian film and stage actor named Leonid Mozgovoy, and I knew it was gonna be cool to see such a famous person's work, but I really had no idea what I was in for.

Instead of being taken to a theater, we were led to an old apartment building, just like all the other buildings in the city. We were quietly led up five floors to the top and were greeted by an intensely-spirited woman dressed as a maid, who took our parkas and sat us in a tiny candle-lit room. Chairs lined almost the whole circumference, and it was clear that this would not be a normal theater experience. I quickly grabbed a seat next to a set piece of an old trunk and the maid came in just a few seconds later to inform us that the play was starting. As she said this, I felt a strange presence next to me. Someone was in the trunk. The maid suddenly disappeared out the door, blowing out the candles and leaving the audience in pitch black. The trunk next to me opened, and out popped Mozgovoy. 

Mozgovoy was very impressive. Not only did he memorize the whole story, but he was one of the best actors I've ever seen. He fearlessly interacted with the audience, touching our arms and staring into our eyes, and he embodied the character so well. He held a candle through the whole performance and you could see wax that had dripped all over his hands, and he was so spontaneous in such as small space. The show was reminiscent of a haunted house, with glow-in-the-dark props, two-way mirrors, and maniacal laughter from behind closed doors. After the show, Mozgovoy posed for a photograph with all of the students that came. It was a surreal theater experience that I will never forget!