The Suicide

Nikolai Erdman’s dramatic and creepily amusing play The Suicide was written in 1928 and it had a very difficult fate. Literary critics and interpreters recognised the play as  talented written and highly relevant. So it's no surprise that at the time it appeared, it was banned by the highest political authorities. 

In the play, a young, unemployed man, Semyon, believes that his problems could be solved if he learned to play the tuba. However, his plan fails and he starts to contemplate suicide.

Meanwhile his neighbour, Alexander Petrovich, decides to make money from Semyon’s misery by exploiting his intended suicide to several bidders. These bidders planned to exploit Semyon’s death to the furtherance of their own individual cause. From this point on, Semyon finds himself being manipulated by various people representing the business world, the arts, the workers, the romance, etc. During the play, each character reveals the worst side of their personality causing the humorous effect. 

As a critic stated

The Suicide directed by Gabrielė Tuminaitė starts as a vaudeville but quickly turns into a farce which does not crystallise with ease and hence becomes a tragedy. Not every master is capable of expressing the tragedy hidden under the marginality and humour of farcical situations.

Gabrielė Tuminaitė, the director

“During rehearsals, we came to realize the relevance and theatricality of the play, we discovered unexpected implications within the text. Also while reading the play in its original language, its rhythm and form itself are very surprising in themselves. It was a great joy for our renewed team to work with this theatrical piece.”

Additional information:

Tobacco products are used on stage during the performance.

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Festivals, tours, awards:

2015 – 6th Professional Tamulevičiūtė Theatre Festival in Varėna (Lithuania) – a prize for best actor in a leading role to Daumantas Ciunis, a special prize to Agnė Šataitė.

2015 – 31st Lithuanian Professional Theatre Festival Acting for farmers in Rokiškis (Lithuania).

2015 – 25th International Theatre Festival Baltiyskiy dom in St Petersburg (Russia).

2017 – Daning Theatre (Shanghai), Cangjiang Theatre (Xiamen), Meng Minwei University Concert Hall (Beijing), Shandong Grand Thetre (Jinan).