Two «Storms» of 1907. Maria Savina and Ekaterina Roshchina-Insarova as Katerina (Alexandrinsky Theatre, Theatre of the Literary and Artistic Circle)

In the 20th century, the turning point for the "new Ostrovsky" and, consequently, the new stage tradition is considered to be V. E. Meyerhold's production of "The Storm" at the Alexandrinsky Theatre (1916). However, as is known, any discovery is always preceded by periods of search and accumulation. At the beginning of the 20th century, the actor's theater was in its own way seeking new qualities in Ostrovsky's plays. In a certain sense, the searches of the actor's and directing theaters ran parallel. Thus, in 1907, "The Storm" by Ostrovsky was revived simultaneously on two capital stages — at the Alexandrinsky and Suvorin Theaters. Both productions were staged in the "actor's tradition." The main heroine was played by M. G. Savina on the oldest stage, and by E. N. Roshchina-Insarova, the future Meyerhold's Katerina, at the Suvorin Theater. Here, there is a comparison of not only two different Katerinas but also two different actresses and two theaters — the last quarter of the 19th century, epitomized by Savina, and the new theater of the 20th century, of which Roshchina-Insarova would become the heroine. A reconstruction of the roles based on reviews has been conducted, implying a historical-critical approach and contextual analysis. By the end of the research, it becomes clear that Savina did not act in the "tradition" of Ostrovsky. The "canonical," that is, primarily domestic image of Katerina was contrasted by the actress with an extremely individualized interpretation. Essentially, she played her own "Turgenev girl": the psychological nuance, internal movement in the diversity and reflection of feelings — a special Savinian psychology that made the actress the heroine of history. The new Roshchina-Insarova sharply broke with tradition. The modernist quality that was noted by critics in Katerina-Roshchina-Insarova was musicality and pictoriality as a stylistic dominant of the image. However, by 1907, it was clear that individual artistic content was in demand, but what was needed was not just a role, but a "whole" performance — a directorial concept. Roshchina-Insarova managed to become the modernist heroine of such a concept — in Meyerhold's "The Storm." Through the course of the research, it becomes apparent that the modernist individuality of Roshchina-Insarova (which remains a problematic aspect of theatrical history to this day) can shed light on the directorial work of 1916: here, there is a conjunction of Meyerhold's concept and the individual artistic content of Roshchina-Insarova.

The Storm, Ostrovsky, Savina, Roshchina-Insarova, Meyerhold, theatrical traditionalism, modernism, Alexandrinsky Theatre, Suvorinsky Theatre, dramatic action