For the second year in a row, the Makhtumkuli National Musical and Drama Theater opens the theater season with the play "Pursat" ("The Moment"). This year, the play was awarded the Grand Prix at the Second International Theater Festival of the TURKSOY countries. Member of the jury Zhanysh Kulumbetov noted that the play "The Moment" brought an innovation to the performing arts – such performances had not been staged before.
Indeed, if earlier creative teams staged performances about Makhtumkuli based on the poet's biographical data, then the young Director Mekan Dzhumabayev turned to Makhtumkuli's poetry. Moreover, experts from the Institute of Manuscripts were invited to the rehearsals, as well as cinematographer Rahimberdy Annagulliev, the author of the films "Istarin" and "Atalar ve ogullar", and behind–the-scenes meetings were held during the preparation for the performance. Thus, the play "The Moment" somewhat resembles a scientific and poetic treatise on the philosophy of Makhtumkuli's work.
"Who am I? What is my purpose?", - the poet thinks about his mission, and at the same time, he is sure that it was not by chance that he found himself in this in an imperfect world, but in order to improve it.
– We wanted to convey to the viewer the poet's knowledge of himself, - he shares Mekan Dzhumabaev, and they used mysticism, metaphor, and symbolism. The text of the play is written in poetry by Makhtumkuli, every detail in the set design symbolizes one or another nuance of the poet's characterization. The black and white color of the curtains is night and day, by the way, by the end of the performance, there is more white in the curtains, which means waiting for a bright future. The background of the scene consists of manuscripts of poetry Makhtumkuli. The poet himself performs barefoot on stage. Hardly Makhtumkuli, Coming from a prosperous, intelligent family, he walked without shoes during his lifetime, but in the play it is also a metaphor that emphasizes the openness of his poetic thoughts.
I consider it a great success that actor Dovlet Berdyev was chosen for the role. Makhtumkuli. I was satisfied with everything about him – his appearance, the timbre of his voice, his posture, the way he "lives" on stage, and with what grip he took on this role. We often argued with him on stage, but no matter how trite it may sound, truth is born in arguments.
– At the time when I was offered the role of Makhtumkuli in the play "Mig,– Dovlet comments, –I had other plans. But I 'm an artist first and foremost, and I just couldn't resist the offer that all actors dream of.
Before working on the image of Makhtumkuli, I thought that the most difficult role in my work was Majnun from the play "Love and Suffering". After that performance, I was devastated for several months. Majnun's suffering did not leave me for a long time. In the Mig, everything was different, but much more difficult. It is impossible to fully recognize Makhtumkuli , he is like the universe. Sometimes it seemed that we had taken up an unbearable burden. The rehearsals were stormy: we argued, defended our opinions.
In one place, tears flowed down my face from the excess of feelings. "Why are you crying? – The director got angry. "I don't need tears here." He started playing this piece instead of me, and he started crying himself.
The end of the play, when Makhtumkuli walks along the parapet in the dark, led many to indignation – why risk the actor's life, the theater is not a circus. But the director and I wanted to demonstrate once again that every step in Makhtumkuli's life was made like a knife's edge. It was a moment between life and death.
Many viewers came to the play "Mig" again. Indeed, you need to watch this production several times to understand all the ideas of the director. Did the Thinker become more understandable after this performance? Most likely, he became even more mysterious.
