On the eve of the 35th anniversary of independence of Turkmenistan, the results of the «Garaşsyzlyk ganatym, Watanym – seždegähim» theatre festival were summed up in Ashgabat which became a truly great gift for both theatre enthusiasts and the participants themselves, who were given the opportunity to realise their bold creative ideas.
One of the prize winners of the competition program was the production of «Türkmen soltany» directed by Ata Gullarov, representing the State drama theatre of the Mary velayat named after Kemine.
The Mary theatre collective is traditionally renowned for its unique originality and special approach to stage performance. This new work is not just a drama, but a true one-man show, where only one performer is on stage throughout the entire play, masterfully embodying the images of Sultan Jalaleddin and his main opponent, Genghis han.
All these complex roles were taken on by the young actor Gerchek Orazmuhammedov, whose constant transformation from defender to attacker kept the audience in constant suspense.
The plot is based on the dramatic story of the conquest of Urgench, the capital of the Horezmshah state, whose ruler fought stubbornly and bravely against the army of Genghis han. When the great conqueror challenged the Sultan, he accepted the fight without hesitation, and in the course of a fierce military clash, the vanguard of the Mongol army was completely routed.
Later, Genghis han caught up with the Sultan at the Indus river and destroyed the remnants of his army. The family of the ruler perished, but he himself made the legendary leap into the water on horseback and left for India. According to legend, the great conqueror sincerely admired the fearlessness of his young enemy and said to his sons: «This is the kind of son a father should have».
The complex material, collected bit by bit from historical reports, was processed by the author of the dramatic basis, Govshutgeldi Danatarov. The director put it through his own paces, after which the text found its vivid interpretation in the visual design of production designer Merdan Akmammedov, who was awarded a special prize «For the best work of the artist».
The performance turned out to be incredibly touching and was highly praised by the creative competition committee. For his vibrant portrayal of complex characters, young actor Gerchek Orazmuhammedov was awarded a certificate of honor from the Ministry of culture of Turkmenistan and commemorative gifts from the Central Council of the Youth organisation of Turkmenistan named after Magtymguly.
As the artistic director and director of the production, Ata Gullarov, noted, this was an extremely complex and experimental project for such a major competition. Despite only one actor being involved, the painstaking work on details, text, and sets took about six months, presenting the audience with a profound work about the courage of ancestors whose roots go back centuries.
The premieres of the play were a success on the home stage of Mary theatre, and there is no doubt that this production will take pride of place in its permanent repertoire.
