Svetlana Shershneva

The most famous work of the remarkable classic of Finnish literature Hella Wuolijoki is the saga of the Niskavuori family, consisting of five plays. The first of them, *"The Young Mistress of Niskavuori"*, which reflects the Finnish national character, tells the story of love, changes in life, disappointments, and views on morality through the eyes of straightforward, stubborn people from the countryside who must adapt to new circumstances. The action takes place in 1880.

Blending dramatic situations with a documentary-influenced visual style, Happy Birthday looks in at a typical day in a Russian maternity hospital. The patients range from a middle aged woman pleased if surprised by her current pregnancy to a Muslim woman whose marriage to a Russian has blighted her relationship with her family. No matter what their situations, the women draw strength and support from each other as they share their common experience.

A young man arrives in a village to visit his uncle, a retired colonel, and finds the local community "enslaved" by a man who, according to him, "will remain in history." The situation develops into a tragicomedy and takes on elements of phantasmagoria.

The plant director gathers all the young people in one shop, entrusting them with both work and management. The experiment is unsuccessful, as the youth workshop did not become a collective. Young engineer Sergey, who heads the shop, realizes that only by uniting the youth, he will be able to work fruitfully and fight against marriage and indiscipline. Tsybulkin, who was chosen as a Komsorog, helps to realize the plan conceived by Sergey,. Two schools come to internship. One of them - Lisa Gromova, the daughter of the director of the plant. The shop staff and Sergei undertake to re-educate the maiden spoiled by her mother. Director Gromov himself helps them.

Based on the plays by A.N. Ostrovsky's tales, staged by the Maly Theater.