The Death of Tarelkin

Alexander Vasilyevich Sukhovo-Kobylin's play «The Death of Tarelkin» was written by him as a result of a severe psychological trauma (accusation of murder in the case of the Frenchwoman Simone Demanche), which divided the author's life into «before» and «after». The play is the third part of his dramatic trilogy «Pictures of the Past» united by one plot. But it was allowed to be staged at the theatre only 30 years after it was written, in 1899.

The plot of the story is detective in nature: a petty official Tarelkin, tormented by creditors, holds a grudge against his boss Varravin because he was forgotten and unaccounted for when sharing a bribe. Tarelkin decides to take revenge on his patron and steals his personal correspondence, perhaps describing his corruption schemes, or perhaps defaming his honour, or simply ridiculing what is forbidden for a top official to laugh at. Tarelkin plans to blackmail Varravina with it. He fakes his own death, pretending to be another Silych Kopylov. Varravin, trying by any means to find his letters from the deceased, resorts to disguise, pretending to be a retired captain Polutatarinov. However, at the moment of the search, the chief realises that his subordinate is alive: Kopylov is Tarelkin in disguise; hence he has the letters.

The stage space of the performance is a world of play, paradox, broken laws of logic and black humour, a space where in order to turn into another person you only need to put on glasses, change your clothes and start limping.

The Death of Tarelkin is a mystical farce in which the director, together with the actors, explores the theme of deception as the absurd basis of power over others.