Latvia’s cultural elite turned out on February 27th for the premiere of “Bolderāja” at the Mikhail Chekhov Riga Russian Theatre. Among those in attendance were Minister of Culture Agnese Lāce with her husband Pauls, Ojārs Rubenis and his wife Vija, educator Ieva Adamss with her partner Vladimirs, Gunta Līdaka from the Ministry of Culture’s media policy department, director Andrejs Ēķis with his wife Daina and singer Samanta Tīna with her mother. Too spotted at the event were actor Kaspars Dumburs with his wife, journalist couple Krēvics and Verhoustinskis, and equestrian champion Rihards Snikus.
The new production, a comedic melodrama set in two acts, centers around a wedding that unravels into a whirlwind of emotion. According to a description of Bolderāja, “Beneath the splendor of the celebration, the past and present collide – long-held grievances, unanswered questions, and feelings that seemed to have remained in the past are revealed. While the newlyweds look to the future with hope, the guests use the rare gathering to settle scores.”
Director Elmārs Seņkovs explained, “A comedic landscape is created where the characters decide to resolve their long-standing problems on a festive day. Bolderāja is a random place; it could happen in any neighborhood in Riga or Latvia. It was critical for us to look at how the characters are able to seize responsibility and act, or whether they will live with indifference and remain silent if This proves easier.”
Playwright Justīne Kļava added, “The emphasis is on the fact that, in principle, any resident of Riga, regardless of their social status or ethnicity, could identify with the people seen in this play and recognize themselves. The structure of the characters represents a constellation of all possible layers of society.”
