Long Ago

The first play by Gladkov—heroic comedy in verse “Once Upon a Time” (alt. title “Pets of Glory”)—based on episodes from the biography of the heroine of the Patriotic War of 1812, the famous “cavalry maiden” Nadezhda Durova—was staged in the besieged Leningrad in the autumn of 1941 and brought the author an immediate and wide success (the 1943 production at the Central Theatre of the Red Army was awarded the State Prize). The play combines high patriotic fervor, historical accuracy, lively depiction of characters (both fictional and real), sharp stage action, and heartfelt lyricism; it’s full of easily recognizable reminiscences (in particular, with the image of the dashing hussar-poet Denis Davydov—the embodiment of Russian boldness, breadth of soul, and talent), which made it one of the most repertory works of the domestic theatre. Translated into many languages around the world, it served as the basis for the popular musical comedy “The Blue Hussar” (composer N. Rakhmanov), the film script by Gladkov himself, with the participation of director E. Ryazanov, “The Hussar Ballad” (1962).

Director: Alexey Popov

Characters and performers:
Azarov, a retired major — Konovalov Nikolay;
Shura Azarova, his niece — Dobrzhnanskaya Lyubov;
Dmitry Rzhevsky, a hussar ensign — Pestovsky L.;
Ivan, the valet, former Azarov’s orderly — Ratomsky Vladimir;
Governor — Lesovoy Boris;
Nurin, Count — Khodursky Antonius;
Field Marshal Kutuzov — Khokhlov Alexander;
Balmashov, general-adjutant — Rumyantsev Boris;
David Vasilyev, hussar colonel — Neronov Nikolay;
Hussars: Popov Andrey, Gluzsky Mikhail, Mayorov Mikhail, etc.;
Cousins of Shura Azarova: Pastukhova Maria, Malko Olga, etc.;
Explanatory text — Tereshin Igor.