The performance of the play "Magtymguly in Love", which is being staged at the Magtymguly National Music and Drama Theater based on the play by the People’s Writer of Turkmenistan, Govshutgeldi Danatarov, inevitably attracts attention. The four ages of Magtymguly, in which the poet will appear in front of the audience in the play, are a unique case in the performing arts. 

In his play, Govshutgeldi Danatarov reflected the most significant events from the biography of the great poet, including his childhood years. But how did the director solve the task of selecting four actors to play the different ages of Magtymguly? Should they resemble the canonical portrait of the poet and each other? We asked these questions to the director, the Honored Art Worker of Turkmenistan, Aynazar Batyrov.

"No, external resemblance was not taken into account," explains the director. "Because once the actor enters the character, he involuntarily becomes similar to his character. The selection was based on the actor's character and temperament. For instance, Musa Shikhliev, who plays the young Magtymguly, was chosen for his ability to quickly grasp what the director wanted to see in him."

- The play is called "Magtymguly in Love", so the period in which Magtymguly falls in love with Mengli is dominant, isn't it?

- Love, especially on stage, is the key to revealing any character. Its loss burns the heart of everyone, particularly someone as sensitive as Magtymguly. Therefore, the sincere empathy of the audience towards the poet is most expected during this period of his life. 

- How was the selection of the actor for the role of young Magtymguly carried out?

- Finding an actor to play the role of young Magtymguly was not a problem. In the opera "Gally arkach aynam khovi", staged at our theater, Kadyr Esenov lyrically performed the role of Magtymguly in love. He is familiar with the image of the poet - someone in love and having lost love.

As for the role of the young Magtymguly, who is searching for his brothers lost on the roads of the Silk Road caravan route, we entrusted it to Akhmet Amandurdyev. He has a tragic actor's repertoire, so he will perform the role of Magtymguly in search of his brothers and the events that occur with greater expressiveness. By the way, Akhmet was a prize winner in the category of "Best Male Role" at the international theater festival in Baku in 2023.

- And who among the actors concludes the age cycle in the play "Magtymguly in Love"?

- In his mature age, Magtymguly asks his father for permission to visit the tombs of saints Nesimi and Mansur. In other words, the action of the play returns to the dream that Magtymguly had in his childhood. We chose Yagmyr Gurbannazarov for this role. This actor has been fortunate enough to play the great poet so many times that he is called the "professional Magtymguly" in the theater. The actor's noble facial features and slender figure contribute to this.

In conclusion, I would like to note that if the play had more than ten age roles for Magtymguly, we would have easily found their embodiment on stage because the poet is loved by all Turkmen people, including actors. We are putting the finishing touches on rehearsals, and very soon the audience will be able to see the play "Magtymguly in Love".