Solaris, the novel by the Pole Stanisław Herman Lem means what is called a cult book for the genre of fiction.

First of all, this is confirmed by the fact that it was translated into more than 40 languages ​​and sold in millions of copies. Its appearance in 1961 in a communist country, at a time when in other parts of the same camp socialist realism had not yet ended publicly, is likely to prompt yet another comparison of the varying degrees of freedom enjoyed by secular religion. Marx, Engels and Lenin allowed. This is no less true Solaris this happened after the same author had published (Lam’s debut in 1951) several other books completely loyal to the regime.

Secondly, the nature of the novel as a cult book Solaris this is confirmed by the fact that it became the starting point for three cinematic transpositions. Two of which were made in the Soviet Union. The first dates back to 1968, was directed by Lidia Isimbaeva and Boris Nirenburg and was extremely faithful to the book. The second, of incomparable celebrity even today, belongs to the great director Andrei Tarkovsky. Initially, the film was supposed to have an international cast. The film hit the market in 1972 and was meant to be more of an export production. This happened after Tarkovsky was told by the censors Rivet when she was asked to grant him a visa to broadcast the masterpiece Rublev. At the time, it was said that Tarkovsky turned to the genre of fiction in order to give free voice to humanistic ideas, otherwise it is very difficult, if not impossible, to say otherwise. Perhaps, this is why Tarkovsky allowed a number of liberties with the letter and even with the spirit of the novel, a fact that could cause dissatisfaction on the part of its author. Tarkovsky did not completely ignore the demands of the genre, but he honestly admitted that he was more interested in the problems of the inner life. About spiritual life.

The third version of the film was released on the big screen in 2002, directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring the popular actor George Clooney.

Solaris it was also transformed into a dramatic script used in a recent premiere at the Bucharest Theater Excelsior Screenplay by David Greig. The screenwriter and playwright is known as a genre enthusiast, his most significant work in this regard was the play The cosmonaut’s last message to his girlfriend from the former Soviet Union. Presented here in 2010, on the stage of the National Theater in Cluj-Napoca, directed by Radu Afrim.

Dramatic scenario Solaris it was translated into Romanian by the young and talented novelist Andriy Dosa and was staged at the Theater named after Excelsior by an extremely young team led by director and reliable hand Bob Prikop. Since I did not have access to the text, I do not know if some interventions in the text, especially regarding the change of gender of some characters (in Lema’s novel, Sartorius and Calvin were men, Calvin found his ex-wife on a planet located between the two Sori, or rather, her mental formation, etc.) belong to Greig or are the result of a collaboration between Andrey Dosa and Boba Prikop. In the performance of Excelsior Solaris, the planet that Hybarian says at one point in his video message has consciousness, CONSCIOUS, she seems more willing to build relationships and engage with people at a research station whose purpose was to make observations about another world. The planet has the power of conscience, it is lenient towards people who have done them not only good. Vice versa. Hence the warning about the state of planet Earth.

The theme of incompatibility, the inability of relations between beings from completely different worlds or civilizations is preserved as such. Besides, it is by no means new. It somehow also appears in the star eminescian, also occurs, for example, in some two parts (Undine and Intermezzo) by Jean Giraud. And the show does not deviate from the rules characteristic of the genre, hence a whole series of considerable difficulties that Boba Prikop and his team had to overcome. Truly admirable, the director identified his capable collaborators first and foremost in the excellent set designer Oani Miku, who envisioned a visually striking stage set that is certainly impressively effective, if not exactly easy to manipulate.

On a relatively small stage, Oana Miku implanted a semi-circular decoration, the main purpose of which is to mark the contrast between inner and outer. The contrast between the human world and the relatively undefined world of the planet Solaris. So we have the research lab, and Dr. Kelvin’s lounge, and the space-star perspective, and the screen onto which the Hybarian messages are projected, or the experiments Rey undergoes, and the suggestion of water. The entire set of participants to create the entire visual package deserves to be admired. It is about the lighting designer Kosti Bachiu, about Les Ateliers Nomads who provided the design of the video and Justin Surpenela who made sure what was defined was correct cinematography. The famous aria is perfectly combined with the original music created by Eduardo Gabia Virgin caste FROM norm, the scene featuring Bellini’s wonderful music is one of the best in the entire show. Close to her is the one where Dr. Calvin, surrounded by a mental image of Ray, remembers his student years, the love between her and Ray.

Just like in Tarkovsky’s film, in a play with Excelsior the sentimental dimension plays a special role. As for the mentally retroactive relationship (however, the show establishes a useful hic et nunc) between Dr. Kelvin and Ray, about the initially tougher, then increasingly warmer relationship between Dr. Kelvin himself on the one hand, and Dr. Snow and Dr. Sartorius on the other. The last two are presented as people of duty, but you have a debt with clear terms. I highlight two more scenes here that caught my attention. This is a reference to the tragedy of Sartorius’s life and farewell. One-third done. About Ray’s return. The same and always seem to be different.

Solaris from Excelsior it is a spectacle of directorial and technical performances. But this is primarily one of the notable acting achievements. Thanks to an undeniably top-notch young cast, professionally managed by the director. Bobby Prikop is one of the few young directors who knows what it means to work with an actor. Read the whole article and comment on Contributors.ro