Viewing Cancún at the Mikhail Chekhov Rīga Russian Theatre

On a pleasantly warm Saturday night, seniors of the Uniting Care Social Center went to the Mikhail Chekhov Rīga Russian Theatre to see Cancún, a play by famous contemporary playwright Jordi Galcerán.

‘I had not been to the theater in a long time,’ Irina admits, ‘and this night brought a lot of joy and cheer. The play got intriguing as soon as the curtain rose. The big bright moon above the stage seemed to mesmerize not only the characters of the play, but also us in the audience.’

The auditorium was full of people, and a festive mood prevailed. One of the Foundation’s clients reminisced about coming to the theater to visit a friend, a lighting assistant, and he got to catch a glimpse behind the curtains.

‘The theater looks a lot different now, after the renovation, some beautiful work has been done in the auditorium, truly tasteful. I haven’t been to the theater much lately, so I am very pleased with each opportunity,’ says Vitaly.

The plot of the play revolves around two married couples who have arrived at a lavish Cancún resort in Mexico to vacation. Galcerán’s play unravels complexities in the relationship of the couples, we see reflection upon past experiences, the funny and the tragic, and the heavy burden of choices.

‘The play is relevant because it is about everyday life, trivial events, and it makes you wonder. What you see onstage can be interpreted in many ways, you can draw your own conclusions about what happened in reality and which part were mere fantasies aroused by the moon. We kept talking about it for several days, I even looked up reviews online. I was curious to compare my impressions with those of others,’ Tamara tells.

For seniors of the Social Center, a visit to the theater means not only the enjoyment of a performance, but also the pleasure of communicating with other members of the audience, discussing the experience, and sharing their emotions. Ladies admit that a night out is a wonderful opportunity to put on their favorite dresses, bring out their fanciest jewelry, and enjoy their dressed-up reflections in the large mirrors of the theater foyer.

Clients of the Social Center are impressed not only with the production quality and the actors’ impressive performances, but also with the stage design. The performance was rather modern, and it presented a great opportunity to discuss the motifs and meanings highlighted in the Catalan playwright’s play by director Sergey Golomazov.

We are eagerly looking forward to future events with the seniors of our Social Center!