Published on: 2026-10-12
Source: Moscow Government – Governments of Moscow –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
One of the most important premieres of this season at the Moscow State Theater “Lenkom of Mark Zakharov”, subordinate to the capital To the Department of Culture, — “The Elder Son, or Letters to a Son.” The plot is based on the play by Soviet playwright Alexander Vampilov “The Elder Son” and the epistolary book by People’s Artist of the USSR Yevgeny Leonov. The play is a tribute to the actor — this year marks the 100th anniversary of Leonov’s birth, who, among other things, played the lead role in the two-part television film by Vitaly Melnikov “The Elder Son.” In the modern production, an extraordinarily personal story about himself, his father, and parenthood is told by his son — People’s Artist of Russia Andrei Leonov.
Vampilov’s Play
Alexander Vampilov wrote his famous play in 1967. The action begins on a very cold autumn evening: two young men find themselves alone at an unfamiliar station—the last train has left, and they have nowhere to spend the night. And while the windows of the houses shine with inviting cozy light, the friends seriously fear catching pneumonia.
Out of desperation, they come up with a strange idea: to ask to stay overnight at the homes of strangers. This is how they end up in the house of musician Andrey Sarafanov, who lives with his son and daughter. Fearing being thrown out onto the street, one friend pretends that the other is the illegitimate son of the homeowner, and he gladly acknowledges the stranger as his own blood. However, as it will later turn out, this house will not be without drama: Sarafanov’s daughter Nina is about to get married and move forever to the other side of the country, and his son Vasya, tormented by unrequited love for a neighbor, is ready to do any foolishness.
“Basic, biblical truths need to be reminded,” says the director of the play, Vladimir Pankov. “We live in an era of total digitalization and fraud, and it seems that if you trust others, you will simply perish. Our play is about simple values, about what goodness, naivety, tenderness, awe and trust are. I say banal things, but that is precisely where the most important lies.”
In 1976, Vitaly Melnikov’s film “The Senior Son” was released, which won the Intervision Prize and the award for Best Screenplay at the 13th International Television Film Festival in Prague. Andrey Sarafanov was played by Yevgeny Leonov, and his suddenly found son Vladimir Busygin was played by Nikolai Karachentsov.
Yevgeny Pavlovich said that this role became his favorite and he dedicated it to his son Andrey. In his book “Letters to My Son,” he wrote about his hero:
“He turned out to be naive — the boys so easily played out the story with the eldest son. Who would believe such blatant nonsense? The first thing everyone sees and claims is that Sarafanov is a naive person. But to me, you see, it seems it’s not about naivety. The purity of his perceptions does not allow for the possibility of joking about fatherhood, love. After all, I think so too.”
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Humor, music, and decorations from childhood
Vladimir Pankov paid special attention to Yevgeny Leonov’s book, including three excerpts-letters in the production. They were entrusted to be read by very young actors, children, and this directorial move creates magic: it seems as if time is turning back and the viewer hears the voice of little Andrey, who is reading his father’s messages.
“Why exactly three letters? On the one hand, to avoid complicating this story, to not make it a completely underground authorial theatre that only we would understand. Above all, we wanted to preserve the plot of Vampilov’s play,” said the director.
The son-impostor, who eventually responds to Sarafanov with great love, is played by Ilya Khalmurzaev, and his companion is played in various ensembles by Stanislav Tikunov and Igor Konyakhin. The role of Sarafanov’s daughter Nina, who is unable to admit her own feelings for a long time, is shared by Alexandra Volkova and Svetlana Ilyukhina.
The touching, childishly naive humor in the play is provided by Sarafanov’s youngest son — Vasya (Alexander Fokin), hopelessly in love with the neighbor Natalia. The scene following the failed arson attempt is priceless — when the frightened Natalia asks if he really wanted to burn her, Vasya replies with chilling calmness: “Nothing came of it.”
Vladimir Pankov did not change the time setting — the story unfolds in the same 1960s. The era is evoked by the decorations created by Honored Artist of Russia Aleksey Kondratyev: a typical Soviet servante, sofa, carpet, interior details like a small bust of Lenin. But the central element of the decoration, a balcony with a metal grille, the artist created based on a personal memory:
“My parents and I lived on a high floor, and we had a large balcony. I would go out on it and admire the roofs and trees. It seemed to me that I was a deep-sea captain sailing across this Moscow sea, and the problems would drift away far, far away.”
True to his directorial style, Vladimir Pankov, the creator of the sound-drama genre, adds music to the play: the theater actors perform songs by VIA “Samotsvety” and “Vesyolye Rebyata,” paying tribute to the musical fashion of those years.
New Sarafan
The play became another thread that connects Andrey Leonov with his father. He is not just playing the same role that Yevgeny Pavlovich once did, but seems to engage in a dialogue with him, uttering the same words and understanding what his father felt in the role of Sarafanov. Moreover, this is also a response play: Leonov Sr. wrote letters about his life to his young son, and now, after some time has passed, the son also has something to tell one of his closest people.
Perhaps the most touching lines by Yevgeny Pavlovich, addressed to his son, are heard in the finale — and they are read by Leonov Jr. himself, surrounded by children:
“Maybe we are destined to appear in the same film. Or a play will bring us together on one stage. I will stand behind you like a living forest instead of a painted backdrop; like an old oak, I will spread my arms; like an eagle, I will spread my wings for you — fear nothing, son!”
A projection appears against the background of the scene — the familiar profile of Evgeny Pavlovich. The light goes out. Time turns once again, and in the coming darkness piercing children’s cries are heard: “Dad, dad!”
Tickets for the performance can be purchased through the service “MosBilet”.
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