On January 15 it was premiered in Maly Theatre, as Prov Sadovsky's benefice (he played Koroslepov).
Two weeks later it was staged by Maly Theatre in Moscow, Ostrovsky and the troupe (with Prov Sadovsky as Podkhalyuzin, making a forfeit of reproducing by gesture all those details cut out by the author) were given long ovation and several hundred people followed Ostrovsky and his friends to his house.
•
At this time he met the now famous author Prov Sadovsky who saw the comedy as a revelation and started to recite in Moscow literary circles.
For some reason Mikhail Pogodin was wary of publishing the play but it was quickly published as a separate edition and taken by the Maly Theater for Prov Sadovsky's benefice.
Prov Sadovsky - stage name of Prov Mikhailovich Yermilov (1818-1872), a Russian actor
The play was premiered in Moscow's Maly Theatre on January 21, 1853 with Prov Sadovsky as Lev Krasnov.
Podkhalyuzin was played by the author himself and, reportedly, made even Prov Sadovsky laugh.
The Poor Bride was premiered in Maly Theater on August 20, 1853 with Saburova as Nezabudkina, E.N.Vasilieva (Marya Andreevna), Cherkassov (Merich), S.S.Vasiliev (Milashin), Shuisky (Dobrotvorsky), Prov Sadovsky (Benevolensky), Poltavtsev (Khorjkov), Akimova (Khorjkova).
In a few days time the play was performed for the second time, as a benefice for Sadovsky, when M.N.Ermolova was engaged in the role of Larisa.