The complex and rich group of symptoms of Platonov now the Maladype Theatre and Zoltán Balázs director open for viewers with respectful stubbornness, who are ready to play and think.

It is a well-known fact that Platonov is the last play between the complex works of Chekov, as its writer was not twenty when he wrote it, but he was dead for more than two decades when it was first published, and it important staging can be mentioned only from the second half of the XX. century. The fact, that Maladype Theatre that has stepped on seemingly unknown but in reality, well prepared roads, they have changed a lot in their brands, audience and actors too, and now from Leonce and Lena they have arrived to Chekov’s play, which he left for the after-ages without any title. It is an important message, but it is also a hard task for the viewers and the performers too.

First of all, I have to talk about the director and Judit Góczán, dramaturg’s exciting version of text. In the book it can be read on two hundred printed pages, in Platonov, which contains many later grown motifs and symbols of the four great Chekov-plays later, there are seemingly too many gossiping, over-spoken situations, and side roads, which wish for a sharp-eyed dramaturg. Not only because of its length, but it is an art on its own to cut and write Platonov on stage.

In this case they have regulated definitely that many times refreshed sea of text with good sense, which is mostly based on János Elbert’s translation. From the characters, who are mentioned by twenty names by Chekov, here remains just nine: the Voynitsevs’ farmer neighbours, the servants and other additional elements have totally disappeared or absorbed in other characters so that we can concentrate with all of our energy on the most important situations, which are outlined with punctual accuracy. From this point of view, Isaac Abramovich’s character has changed the most, who is, in the performance of Maladype, at least three others, he gets more texts from the still existed character of the original version, so that he can form a more detailed picture of the rich Jewish man’s arrogant son, who rebels against Platonov (for example Osip, who is not on the programme, is created again in Isaac’s character). The direction of cuts can be felt well: they successfully put the smaller and bigger planets, which are circling around the middle of the gloomy Platonov-universe, on a more predictable orbit.

In case of Chekov at the beginning of the first act they are playing chess, at the beginning of the second act we can hear the sounds of bowls, then they refer to card games – as the totally boring country life can be made more exciting by the game and the joy, which comes from it! On Zoltán Balázs’ stage the game becomes the idea, which orders the life: however not on the same way as in the case of Leonce and Lena’s optional episodes or Egg(s)Hell, which got completed by scales of improvisations. The real contribution by viewers is limited here only for one episode: during Isaac and Platonov’s pool game, we can vote by hand rising, for the one, who will win it according to us. The chance, the predictability, the planed nature (the meaningful question of “What is your play” always circles around in the air), the game, which it taken seriously and “serious” things, which are trivialized into game, for example love, marriage, property, values – Zoltán Balázs organises the evening around these topics.

The huge billiard table, which reigns the Arizóna Studio of Thália Theatre, around the four sides of which the viewers are sitting, helps him and – during the last third of the three and half hours long performance – prevents him too (set: Bea Molnár). The great numbers of pure light bulbs, which are hung above it, shine and turn pale understandingly and sensitively, as the scene needs it. The beige colour of the material, which covers the table with black frame is the same as the colour of the wooden floor, which covers the place of performance, and surrounded by the black podiums of the auditorium. As the cues push the shiny billiard balls accidentally or according to plans, the characters are pushed similarly to one another accidentally but even predictably on a little bit bigger “table”. The chosen surrounding and its obligated tools are playing continuously: the central piece of set becomes bed or dining table that way, the ball can become letter or clock and so on. The figure of Platonov, who is sentenced to death and stuck around with cues, is a wonderful picture: everybody takes revenge for their own offenses on the elevated main character. Then Sofia takes the cues with herself, one by one, and as a bizarre creature, which is covered by rigid spikes, she looks at the slowly collapsing body after the taking of the last cue.

Triletsky in his opening monologue tells us well understandably the rules of pool eight. It is interesting because Platonov frequent monologue formed sighs, which can be found in case of Chekov, are missing from the text, apart from this earlier one, there is not any other moment, when only one character is standing on the stage. There are remarkably many physical contacts, funny and violent pushing, seemingly lovely cuddling and seemingly angry indignations: so the game is going on endlessly with the human shaped balls. The game, the end of which, so the most diligent player, Platonov’s removal can be predicted anyway, but until then there are many sudden combinations and ideas of game can be tried out.

First round: Platonov and the women. The first one is Judit Kovács Ligeti’s general’s wife, who is graceful, Anna Petrovna, who tries to hide her fiery emotions behind her cold elegancy, aristocratic vibe. Then there is the laboured reborn of the once love affair from the university, the Sofia-story (Kamilla Fátyol): from the side of the man it is a gentleman’s hobby, but form the side of the woman it is a game, which is treated dead seriously, which ruins at least two marriages and a human life. The easiest victim is the always offended Grekova (Vica Kerekes, guest star), who is changing blush with crying, and hard to be taken seriously. The childish woman of fate would be Platonov’s wife: Sasha (Erika Tankó), who tolerates more her odd husband’s strange things, than it could be tolerable.

Second round: Platonov and the men. Ádám Tompa’s Triletsky does tricks and acrobatic things as an always cheerful master of games, all through the first part of the evening, just to let his place later to a Triletsky, who draws into the background, but observes everything carefully. Sergei’s, who is oppressed many times, as the general’s wife’s son, and as Sofia’s cheated husband, miniature tragedy Zoltán Lendváczky can express with all of his body. Zsolt Páll shows the respectable Jewish man, Abram Abramovich to be proud and miserable at the same time. His son, Isaac (Zénó Faragó) is angry not only with his father and Platonov, but with the whole world: his cold and sarcastic speech can push his figure flexibly from a comical one to the infernal one.

Ákos Orosz’s Platonov has a boyish charm, he is a funny man, who has not known anything about spleen, he pillories the others’ pettiness and narrow thinking with jokes of a clown. He does not ponder or philosophize, instead of it, he solves his problems from drive, with enthusiasm, and meanwhile he causes newer ones unnoticed to himself and the others. The women, who are always remarkably friendly to him, help engage his energies temporary and the men, who always become his enemies somehow. He is got stuck between women and men, and he watches their fights from higher and further. His loneliness grows cosmic in the middle of the pettiness, which overruns Platonov, as any climbing plants would do it.

Tamás Jászay, Revizoronline, 2010

(translated by: Veronika Fülöp)