Outgoing President Vladimir Putin and his wife Lyudmila have attended a new production of a popular Russian play at Moscow's Sovremennik Theatre.
The audience greeted the couple with loud applause before they took their seats in row 10, where they have a lifetime reservation. Vladimir and Lyudmila had tea with the theatre's artistic director and the actors engaged in the premiere of a new version of “Woe from Wit” by Aleksandr Griboyedov (1795-1829). “Woe from Wit” is believed to be Griboyedov's only work. The brilliant comedy, written in sparkling verse, is one of the most frequently staged plays in Russia.