The Poetics of Romantic Theater by M. I. Tsvetaeva („Fedra“, „Ariadne“). The Interpretations on the Modern Stage

This research is devoted to the study of the theatrical period (1924-1927) in the work of M. I. Tsvetaeva, which remains poorly investigated and insufficiently researched, especially from the point of view of theatrical performances. During this period, the poet creates tragedies on the ancient plot, which were based on the myth of Phaedra and Ariadne. Using the myth of heroines, already established in the history of literature, she, thus, applied the installed circle of mythologies, images and motives in her works. However, until the end of the twentieth century, the tragedies„ Ariadne“ (1924) and „Phaedra“ (1927) did not find their theatrical embodiment; and for the first time, one of them— „Phaedra“ — was staged by Roman Viktyuk in Taganka Theatre in 1988, displaying a new look at her creations. The point was to trace the work by Viktyuk, as well as by the other modern directors, who later turned to tragedies, based on the myth of Phaedra or Ariadne, with Tsvetaeva's text, highlighting certain motives and images. Thanks to them, it became possible to identify exactly, how the literary plot acquires theatrical embodiment in modern productions.