THE MAD MAN'S DIARY
- Director: Levan Tsuladze
- Theatre:Theatre Factory 42
- Hosting Theatre :Theatre Factory 42
- Date:
- 1 September - 20:00 hr,
Nikolai Gogol
Directed by Levan Tsuladze
Costumes Designer – Nino Surguladze
Music Adapted by Zurab Gagloshvili
Assistant to Director – Tamar Pruidze
Duration: 90 minutes, without intermission
Cast:
Nika khrikuli | Zuka Papuashvili, Nika kuchava, Nika Gogidze, Duta Skhirtladze, Anuka grigolia, Ana Vasadze / Mariam Gvinianidze, Teona Kokrashvili
Premiered on: November, 2025
The Daliangshan Theatre Festival, China
About Performance:
Nikolai Gogol’s Diary of a Madman follows Aksenty Poprishchin, a low-ranking clerk who dreams of nobility and falls hopelessly in love with his director's daughter. Rejected by reality, he descends into delusion, believing he is Ferdinand VIII, the King of Spain. In madness, he finds an imagined freedom; while the brutal asylum exposes his tragic suffering, everything finally settles down in his head. He finds freedom—true freedom—in madness.
What does this modest "little man" symbolize for us today? How can someone like Poprishchin survive in a vast world bound by strict, unforgiving hierarchies? What is the path to true personal freedom? Can we accept our constraints and limitations while still daring to dream big, to dream differently?
Does a parallel freedom—a parallel reality—truly exist?
"...that gives the feeling that even there was ever another stage of
existence. Blending notes commedia dell'arte scenes of film noir,
Tsuladze's performance is the best modern
adaptation of a play by Gogol."
The Cultural OBSERVER, Romania
Last night, at the Jin Ying Grand Theatre, I experienced the Georgian production of Gogol’s Diary of a Madman. Strangely, it awakened something in me—a sense of the stage itself, of theatre in its most genuine form.
Diary of a Madman is thrilling on stage, yet it eschews high-tech gimmicks and spectacle for spectacle’s sake. Every technique employed is traditional, understated, and serves the actors and story directly. The set is minimal: a bed, a screen occupying half the stage, and a mirror. Its simplicity evokes the clean elegance of Chinese opera’s “one table, two chairs” and recalls productions like the Israeli play Requiem, where a sparse stage becomes alive through performance and emotion alone.
Ultimately, Diary of a Madman reminded me of a theatre experience I had long forgotten: the power of the stage itself. Every element—performance, set, lighting, sound—is deliberately aligned with the story and the characters, creating a rhythm and cohesion that transform the production into a unified artistic work. At times, I forgot about the props, lights, and effects; they became inseparable from the characters and their world. The result is a complete, immersive, and profoundly moving theatre experience—a reminder of what live theatre can achieve at its finest.
By Ruofeng, November 9, 2025 – Sichuan
A Classic Reimagined
This production adapts Nikolai Gogol’s classic short story. Through the mental collapse of low-level clerk Poprishchin, the play reflects contemporary existential dilemmas. On opening night, Gogol’s literary world was brought to life on stage in a striking and impactful form.
By Colorful Clouds Arts & Culture
November 2025, Sichuan, China
Founded in 2023 by the visionary Georgian director Levan Tsuladze, Theatre Studio 42 is an independent theater born to redefine the country's cultural landscape. Making our home in the industrial center of Didube—at the vibrant Tbilisi Factory complex on 114 Tsereteli Avenue—we believe that independent theater is not just a luxury, but a vital necessity integrated into the very social and economic fabric of Tbilisi.
Our venue features a unique 264-seat auditorium equipped for modern staging, flanked by a lively, interactive foyer complete with theatrical cafés and contemporary art galleries. We are a space where art lives before and after the curtain falls.
Though our journey is just beginning, our impact has been immediate. By the end of our third season, our repertoire has expanded to include 15 diverse productions, seamlessly crossing genres from classical adaptations and documentary theater to contemporary drama and modern choreography. In parallel, our educational programs and modern technology workshops have seen surging demand. We run meeting with audience regularly as well as have wonderful youtube channel with lectures about theatre led by Levan Tsouladze.
We are deeply committed to connecting Tbilisi to the international arts community. Through digital workshops, exchange projects, global conferences, and a strong push toward international co-productions, we are actively expanding our horizons. Because we operate without a rigid permanent ensemble, our stage serves as a fluid crossroads where iconic, experienced actors and fearless young performers create together. We have navigated many steep challenges as an independent startup, but through that struggle, we have built a profound repertoire, captured a massive audience, and earned both local popularity and international recognition.
Contact Person: Tekle Museridze
Contact Information: +995 593424333, email: tekle.museridze@theatrefactory42.ge
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