The play 'Life is Beautiful' by author Nikolai Erdman, adapted and directed by renowned director Aleksandr Morfov, will have three premieres-on the 10th, 15th and 16th of April at the Macedonian National Theater (MNT).
Actors from the ensemble of the Macedonian National Theater have been engaged for the play, plus Tanja Kocovska from Skopje's Theater for Children and Youth. MNT's director Dejan Projkovski announced that after the successful realization of the play 'The Master and Margarita', directed by Ivan Popovski, and the musical 'Chicago', directed by Natasa Poplavska, the theater will reach its peak with Morfov's play. He announced it as a play which will make audiences cry and laugh at the same time.
The famous Bulgarian director says that the process of preparing a play is most important.
"For me, there is nothing more important than making the process creative so we can feel surprised and fell good too. Working on this play with the ensemble made this happen, and in a beautiful way too. Of course, we have fears, and we try to accomplish what we have imagined in order to really reach the audience.
The main character Semyon Semyonich Podsekalnikov will be played by actor Nikola Ristanovski. He said that it is hard to speak about a play which has not premiered yet.
"People have not seen it yet, so that is why I feel I have not played it yet. It is sort of the same as talking about a baby that hasn't been born yet. I feel fear, excitement and joy at the same time. I guess my colleagues feel the same way.", Ristanovski said.
The main female role of Maria Lukianovna will be played by Nikolina Kujaca. According to her, it is difficult to work with what Morfov demands as a personal aesthetic.
"This will be an attempt for every actor to try to control his energy on scene over the course of three and a half hours", Kujaca said.
Zvezdana Angelovska, who is playing the character Serafima Ilyinichna, said that working with Morfov is special, because he is aware that he is dealing with live matter and with the sould of the actors.
The rest of the characters are played by: Alexander Petrovich Kalabushkin - Sasko Kocev, Margarita Ivanovna - Tanja Kocovska, Aristarkh Dominikovich Grand-Skubik - Emil Ruben, Viktor Abramovich -Gorast Cvetkovski, Sergey Alexandrovich - Slavisa Kajevski, Nikifor Pugacov - Nikola Acevski, Alexey Stakhanov - Aleksandar Gjorgjioski, Kleopatra Maximovna - Arna Sijak, Raisa Filippovna - Tina Trpkoska, Father Yelpidy - Aleksandar Mikic, Fedya Petunin - Nikola Stefanov and a few others.
Nikola Toromanov is in charge of the set, while Marija pupucevska is in charge of costumes. The choreographer is Inga Krasovska.
Viktor Ruben is the executive producer, while the main playwright and translator for the adaptation is Zagorka Pop-Antoska- Andovska, Nikola Kimovski is the assistant director.