Review: National Theatre's "Don Juan" lacks a clear directorial concept
The Latvian National Theatre has staged Molière's play "Don Juan" under Bulgarian director Aleksandar Morfov. The reviewer finds the director's concept unclear, leaving even the actors seemingly unsure of what they are playing.
The Latvian National Theatre in Riga has staged "Don Juan, or The Stone Guest", a play by the French dramatist Molière. The director is Bulgarian theatre maker Aleksandar Morfov, who has previously made four productions in Latvia. A reviewer for the news site Diena concludes that the production is not fully convincing, locating the main problem in the unclear articulation of the director's concept.
A familiar template in a new place
The reviewer notes that abroad Morfov often creates new versions of existing productions. His "Don Juan" was first staged at the Ivan Vazov National Theatre in Sofia in 2004, and in the reviewer's view the twenty-two-year gap shows in the structure. Waves represented with strips of fabric, "coming alive" statues and fencers are, he says, nothing new on stage.
Set designer Mārtiņš Vilkārsis has created a neutral yet atmospheric space whose walls also serve as screens for a video artist's work. Together with Oskars Pauliņš's lighting and Jolanta Rimkute's costumes, this forms a visually appealing whole. Composer Aleksandrs Tomass Matjussons combines original music with quotations chosen by the director, while live musicians and vocal numbers are integrated only occasionally.
Actors and roles
Gundars Grasbergs plays Don Juan and Ivars Kļavinskis plays Sganarelle. The reviewer stresses that the actors have not become true kindred spirits of Morfov, unlike Artūrs Skrastiņš, on whom the director could rely in his productions at the Dailes Theatre. In the first act, which employs a large ensemble, he finds a lack of overarching purpose, while in the second act the tone shifts to drama as Don Juan searches for a justification of his existence. The reviewer doubts that what appears on stage expresses the ultimate freedom the director has spoken of. Among the supporting cast he singles out Madara Reijere as Elvira and Charlotte, and Kaspars Aniņš as Pierrot.
Performance details
"Don Juan" runs at the National Theatre from 7 November to 13 December. Tickets sold through the Biļešu paradīze network cost 21 to 45 euros.
