A Comedy That Transcends Its Era
Beaumarchais wrote The Marriage of Figaro as a radical political comedy — a gleeful skewering of aristocratic privilege that so alarmed the establishment of its time that it was banned for years before finally reaching the stage. Mark Zakharov's production at Lenkom Theatre, which has been a cornerstone of the repertoire since its original staging, transforms that revolutionary energy into something both deeply entertaining and unexpectedly moving.
To call it simply a "comedy" would be accurate but inadequate. Zakharov's Figaro is a whirlwind of wit, music, physical comedy, and sudden emotional depth — a production that earns genuine laughter in the first act and genuine feeling in the last.
The Production Design
From the moment the curtain rises, the production announces itself visually. The set design creates a world of aristocratic excess — ornate, slightly overripe, beautiful in a way that implies decay just beneath the surface. Costumes are period-appropriate but heightened, with colour choices that signal character as clearly as any line of dialogue.
The choreography of scenes involving the full ensemble is particularly impressive. The production handles its large cast with the precision of clockwork, placing bodies in space with a geometry that always feels organic rather than mechanical. This is directing at its most technically accomplished.
The Ensemble at Work
What makes Lenkom's Figaro consistently extraordinary across multiple viewings and cast generations is the quality of ensemble playing. The production does not function through star turns alone — though the leading performances are excellent — but through the evident trust and rhythmic attunement of a company that has genuinely lived inside these roles.
The comedic timing throughout is exceptional. Great theatrical comedy requires an almost musical sense of rhythm: the pause before a punchline, the overlapping reaction, the perfectly calibrated double take. Lenkom's company delivers this with the ease of long practice. The laughs are not just earned but generously given.
Depth Within the Comedy
What elevates this production beyond mere entertainment is its treatment of the Countess. In many productions, she is a peripheral figure — dignified, sad, present mostly to receive sympathy. Here, her scenes carry genuine weight. The comedy of the surrounding action throws her situation into relief, and when the final act brings its unexpected resolution, the audience has been prepared emotionally for something that could easily have felt sentimental but instead lands as quietly profound.
This is characteristic Zakharov: never letting comic momentum become an excuse for emotional avoidance. The production makes you laugh, then makes you feel the cost of the world it is laughing at.
Music and Pacing
The production incorporates original music with considerable skill. Musical moments — songs, underscore, transitional pieces — are woven into the fabric of the evening rather than inserted as interruptions. The pacing overall is assured: brisk enough to maintain comic energy, spacious enough to allow the better character moments to breathe.
Running time is approximately two hours and forty minutes with one interval. The evening passes quickly.
Who Should See It
This production rewards both first-time visitors to Lenkom and those returning to a familiar favourite. If you know the play, Zakharov's interpretation offers constant small pleasures of emphasis and invention. If you do not, the production is accessible enough to function as a perfect introduction to both Beaumarchais and to what makes Lenkom's ensemble so admired.
Verdict
The Marriage of Figaro at Lenkom is theatrical comedy of the highest order: intelligent, warm, beautifully staged, and performed with the kind of collective skill that only comes from genuine ensemble commitment. It is precisely the kind of production that reminds you why theatre, at its best, is irreplaceable. Highly recommended.
| Element | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Direction | Masterful — inventive and precise |
| Ensemble Performance | Exceptional — rhythmically unified |
| Design & Staging | Rich and purposeful |
| Pacing | Consistently well-judged |
| Emotional Resonance | Genuine depth within the comedy |