A Сhamber Сase or an Attempt at Renewal? The Babylonian Lawyer Based on the Play by Anatoly Marienhof at Kamerny Theatre

The article deals with the production of Anatoly Marienhof’s play The Babylonian Lawyer at the Moscow Chamber Theatre (1924) — a performance that has not previously been the subject of theatre studies research. Basing on the archival materials (the director’s copy of the play, reviews of the production, sketches by the Stenberg brothers and Konstantin Medunetsky, and the memoirs of Marienhof it is reconstructed the reviewers’ polemic surrounding the production, characterizing the merits and weaknesses of the performance. The broader context is also examined: the play's inclusion in the theatre's repertoire policy. The play, commissioned by Tairov, was conceived as a contemporary anti-religious farce with a biblical plot. However, following censorship interventions and internal conflict within the troupe, the production was entrusted to Vladimir Sokolov. To a considerable extent, the play was written to be a benefit performance for the writer’s wife Anna Nikritina, who performed the role of the maid Zera. Critics’ reception markedly divided: some reviewers denounced Marienhof for derivative and anachronistic writing, while others praised the director’s work and the actors’ achievements. Favorable reviews pointed out a revitalization of the theatre and an appeal to a younger audience in the new production. Ultimately, the production was not performed in subsequent seasons and remained a fleeting episode — a “chamber affair”, the last “laugh for its own sake” in the history of the Moscow Chamber Theatre. For Marienhof this play constituted a significant transition in his move toward dramaturgy, one that would decisively shape his creative trajectory.The research contributes to the history of 1920s theatre and Marienhof’s creative biography.