CONFESSION

The international theatre festival of the North Caucasus, Black Sea and Caspian littoral countries was held for the first time in the history of Dagestani theatre in Makhachkala from 22-29 September, Azerbaijan was represented at the forum by the Rustam Ibrahimbayov Theatre.

The Makhachkala audience took some time to assess the artistic features and the level of professionalism of all those involved in the performance of the Ibrus theatre called, "The Last Battle of Ivan Bunin", principally the writer and director of the performance, Rustam Ibrahimbayov, who based the play on Banin's work, and actors Fuad Poladov, Mehriban Zaki and Malak Abbaszada, who presented their new theatrical masterpiece to the audience. It was a theatre version of the platonic affair between the great Russian writer, Bunin, and the French writer of Azerbaijani descent - Umm el Banu (Banin).

A compatriot well-known in a foreign land

The play was still being rehearsed when the theatre was invited to the international theatre festival. Rehearsals coincided with the gathering of the troupe ahead of the festival, and the first premiere was staged in Dagestan. The history of the relationship between a Nobel Prize winner and an obstinate Muslim woman whom he always called "the black rose of the heavenly gardens of Allah" was transformed into a two-hour performance by the author. The interesting plot arouses a true interest in the life and personality of our famous compatriot. It is very accessible. While it is true that the life and activity of the world famous Bunin have been deeply researched (we all remember Aleksey Uchitel's film, "The Diary of His Wife") Banin's personality and activity are only now becoming known to her countrymen. Thanks to Rustam Ibrahimbayov, who took great pains to have her works published in Russian, Umm el Banu will become known in Russia as well. Although the play, which is based on the facts of Banin's life, is called "The Last Battle of Ivan Bunin", in fact our compatriot is the main character. For the playwright, this is a point of fundamental importance, because a stage version of this period in her life is a way of promoting her. A photo exhibition of the life and work of the writer was part of this idea. According to the translator of her works, Ulviya Axundova, the theatre organized the exhibition in the foyer of Makhachkala's Maksim Gorkiy Russian Drama Theatre. During the interval, it was impossible to see the photos of Umm el Banu as there were so many spectators trying to find out more about the oriental woman who became a European writer.

There is no need to talk further about the interest of Makhachkala spectators and guests in the works of our well-known countrywoman. But it is annoying that there is such little interest in her at home. Although two of her novels have already been published here in two languages - Azerbaijani and Russian - and will be published again soon, many of our countrymen still do not know anything about this part of our cultural heritage.

Onto the event itself

So the festival got under way. The theatre was packed for the performance. Not everyone could get in because, apart from spectators with tickets, there were many guests from other regions of Russia and students of Makhachkala's universities. In order not to upset anyone, "those without tickets" were allowed to sit on the stairs in the hall. As soon as everyone had taken their seats, the action started. Mehriban Zaki and Fuad Poladov employed an open theatre device as the rule of the game in a dialogue between the stage and the audience. When the actress pointed a stick at the actor who was sitting in the hall, trying to involve him in the game, and suggested that the audience imagine that this was Ivan Bunin, adding "similarity is not obligatory", the audience gave them rapturous applause. But it is amazing that, as soon as Poladov changed his white jacket for the dark coat of his character, he seemed to don the fate and character of a man who was opening an unknown page of his life to the Russians, according to Russian theatre critic Natalya Staroselskaya.

The psychological duel between a man and a woman of very difficult characters, concluding in a situation where the relationship is on the verge of collapse, lasts only two hours. Each of the characters has their own secret which no other can reach. Although it is quite obvious that both have something more than friendly feelings for each other; he is in love. She captivates him with her oriental origin, unpredictable nature and inscrutability. He cannot understand why this woman keeps him at a distance, although she clearly seems to be in love with him. His long experience of both lengthy affairs and short adventures has taught him to expect a different situation in the development of a relationship, a different stereotype of women's behaviour and a different type of women's character. Banin attracts him like a magnet and, at the same time, pushes him away with her obstinacy and unpredictable reactions to any of his words. Bunin cannot understand what she wants. But does she herself understand this? Does the beautiful Muslim woman love that ageing, handsome man? She does. In that case, why does the affair remain platonic? Perhaps she spares the feelings of his wife, whom she deeply respects and feels sorry for. Maybe the image of her first love for Andre Massarini (her Andrey Bolkonskiy) is so perfect in her fantasy that no-one, not even the literary genius Bunin, can compete with him?

Banin, played by Mehriban Zaki, constantly puts forward some new demand to the imperfect male character of the writer and always makes him do something that she thinks befits the behaviour of a real man. Of course, she will never forget Andre who, although he was a commissar, was of noble origin, was a brave, handsome man, a great intellectual and gallant gentleman, capable of real actions, ready to neglect everything and throw everything at her feet: his heart, career and life. She will love him all her life. It is he who she talks about as she reprimands her cousin Gulnar (the accurate creation of the character of the eccentric and frivolous cousin, played by Malak Abbaszada, was especially noted by the members of the festival jury) who first turned up at Banin's flat in Paris after she had run away with Andre to Russia, despite all obstacles (it did not last very long). This caused a lengthy estrangement of the sisters. In essence, Banin, having been married for a short time, sacrificed herself in order to save her father from a Soviet prison. For this reason, she remained unhappy for the rest of her life. She could not love anyone, because she loved Andre. Mehriban Zaki played the terrible melancholy and dissatisfaction which were fixed in her subconsciousness and which would not let her go. Her character herself does not really realize what she wants from this capricious old man, spoilt by the attention of women. She only wants him to be different and to be able to do something for her - like a knight for his beloved. 

Suddenly something childish awakens in her and with the insistance typical of a mistrustful girl, whom her ageing, beloved invites to travel with him in Italy (which means that their relationship will change), she suddenly, harshly, demands: "Show me the ticket."

He cannot envisage a bigger insult than the insult of mistrust. With minimum expression, Fuad Poladov played this scene as if his heart had been cut open and brutally removed. Pain, outrage, indignation and disappoinment were reflected in the face of a man cruelly and terribly betrayed at that moment. "Take the ticket!" he threw the ticket at her feet, stifled by unfair mistrust. And the love they were striving for as salvation fails. She only touches him with her wing and flies away, leaving behind the sharp taste of absence - a sad story of a man and a woman who needed this ennobled deception called "love".

Does Banin have any other choice? In distant France, enveloped in the ideals of world culture, she could easily neglect her Azerbaijani roots and accept the Russian features attributed to her. Does it matter in a foreign land who is who and who comes from where? The French do not care. But it is important to her - to be Azerbaijani, no one else. It is very important for the author of the play to stress his character's patriotic love of her roots, the land which she remembers and loves and the people she feels sorry for. This is the power and difference of her character - a basis that helps you feel solid ground beneath your feet. Banin only manages to survive in this way. In contrast, there is the dualistic role of her cousin Gulnar. An absolutely different fate - a different character and a different outlook from a woman convinced from early childhood that she was born only for love. She does not need any of Banin's moral flouncing. She does not need to search for the meaning of life or the means to survive in another country, such as finding herself a job. Why so much fuss and talk? A job? Is she a man? It is men who have to work and rejoice that the woman allows them to lay all their wealth and money at her feet. It is also a means of survival. Malak Abbaszada played this character brilliantly - this one-day butterfly who changes men like hats for her suits. She is happy to enjoy her life! The actress does not belittle the good features of her character. These are her good nature and the naive simplicity, which almost borders on the foolish, of a person whose brain is not overloaded with intellect. Abbaszada's Gulnar may not be that smart, but she has natural enthusiasm and a woman's practicality. She is simple and sincere in her feelings and affection, especially for Banin - the only member of her family that she likes, and the only one she feels affection for and wants to help, with her ideas of women's wellbeing and happiness.

Special style

During the discussions that were held the day after the premiere - 27 September, the jury which included leading Russian critics noted the special style of Rustam Ibrahimbayov's production and the playing of the actors.

It was stressed that his theatre is completely different from many post-Soviet theatres. Preserving the best traditions of Azerbaijani and Russian theatre, he managed to become a modern theatre without using outlandish methods to play with the audience or provocative devices to hide the director's shortcomings. Theatre theorists and actors believe that Ibrus is a universal model of theatre which unites two cultures - the oriental and European. Their merger has yielded a new and astonishing form - the actors are able to exist in three dimensions at once - the past, the present and the future. This was especially noticeable in the work of Mehriban Zaki, who starred as Banin. Some of the jurors said that the performances of such a theatre should be used as a manual for arts universities. Others were surprised that there is a theatre that remains interesting to its audience, while avoiding commercialization. They proposed that the bilingual theatre, with all the consequences that follow, should be studied and researched as a phenomenon in modern arts. You may have a different view. But it is pleasing that the theatre was recognized as one of the most interesting phenomena in this type of art.

Thus, the performance brought to the festival was one of the best. It became a sensation. The diploma and special gifts presented to the participants are not just a tribute to the tradition of Caucasian hospitality, but also recognition of skill and professionalism.