In a provincial town on the Volga River, the young and sensitive Katerina marries Tikhon, a violent drunkard, and thus enters the crude milieu of greedy salesmen, the "dark kingdom". Her mother-in-law, Kabanikha, rules the family with an iron fist and endlessly harasses Katerina. One day, when Tikhon is away, she meets Boris, a man who embodies everything Katerina is longing for.
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
 Alla TarasovaKaterina Petrovna Kabanova | Katerina Petrovna Kabanova |
 Ivan ChuvelyovTikhon Kabanov, her husband | Tikhon Kabanov, her husband |
 Mikhail TsaryovBoris Grigoriyevich, her lover | Boris Grigoriyevich, her lover |
 Varvara MassalitinovaMarfa Ignatovna Kabanova, her mother-in-law | Marfa Ignatovna Kabanova, her mother-in-law |
 Irina ZarubinaBarbara Kabanova, her sister-in-law | Barbara Kabanova, her sister-in-law |
 Mikhail ZharovKoudryash | Koudryash |
 Ekaterina Korchagina-AleksandrovskayaThe Old Seer | The Old Seer |
 Mikhail TarkhanovSaveli Prokofiyevich Dikoy | Saveli Prokofiyevich Dikoy |