MOSCOW, March 23. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who attended a performance at Moscow’s landmark Maly drama theater on Thursday, praised the quality acting in the company that is generally viewed as one of the citadels of Russian dramatic art tradition.

"Their playing is powerful and captivating," he told Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky at a tea party after the presentation of ‘The Last Victim’ comedy by the 19th century Russian dramatist Alexander Ostrovsky.

"What is happening on the stage really catches the spectators," he said.

Maly theater Artistic Director Yuri Solomin, a veteran of the Russian stage and film, told Putin about a major reconstruction of the historical building that ended last December. The compound is about to get a unique system of cassette storage of stage settings.

He also took Putin around a display telling the story of the company, which is as much synonymous with the history of Russian dramatics as the Bolshoi and Mariinsky troupes are synonymous with Russian ballet. Among other exhibits, the visitors can see a nice selection of costumes that were used in the 19th century and 20th century productions.