Scandals of the Soviet era Razzakov Fedor
Director's breakdown (Valentin Pluchek)
Director's breakdown
(Valentin Pluchek)
It is known that directors are nervous and easily excitable people. On this basis, many of them became heroes various kinds scandals. It is so today, and it was so many years ago. I have already mentioned one such directorial breakdown - with Ivan Pyryev in the fall of 1964. A year and a half has passed since another famous director, but already a theater one - Valentin Pluchek from the Satire Theater - found himself at the epicenter of an equally loud scandal.
This story started at the end 1965, when the premiere of Mark Zakharov’s play “Biderman and the Arsonists” based on M. Frisch took place on the stage of the Satire Theater. In this anti-fascist play, the star cast of Satire played: G. Menglet (Biderman), O. Aroseva (his wife Babette), E. Kuznetsov (Schlitz), V. Rautbart (Eisenring), etc. However, criticism received this performance with hostility. January 4, 1966 A review by N. Rumyantseva entitled “Frisch’s Play and Theater” appeared in the newspaper “Soviet Culture”, in which the performance was subjected to rather severe criticism. I quote:
“Assessment of events, facts, creative analysis The analogies and associations inherent in the play clearly do not correspond to the scale of the dramaturgy. Everything that Frisch needs to express his journalistic thoughts interferes with the theater. The “choir” of firefighters is disturbing, “ collective image“ which was not found, and the ironic commentary, which is extremely important for the author’s intention (the firefighters pronounce their text in unison, in a chant, in the size of a hexameter) is difficult to hear; The theater is hampered by episodic characters, the seemingly unexpected, but absolutely necessary for the author, epilogue, very precise in its satirical address, interferes...
The revealing power of the play is reduced to almost a minimum. The play lacks that civic anger and civic interest that permeate Frisch’s work.
It seems that Frisch’s satire, extremely modern and timely in content and brilliant in dramatic form, took the Moscow Satire Theater by surprise.
The play “Biderman and the Arsonists” is a creative failure...”
This review was received very painfully by the theater staff. It especially hurt the main director of Satire, Valentin Pluchek, who perceived any criticism as an attack on him personally. As a result, a scandal broke out, which the same “Soviet Culture” reported in the issue of February 5th, publishing two letters on its pages. The first was written by an engineer at the Moscow plant named after Vladimir Ilyich K. Vustin. Here's what he reported:
“On January 30, I was at the Moscow Satire Theater at M. Frisch’s play “Bidermann and the Arsonists.” I was amazed that many spectators left the hall after the first act and during the second. Frankly speaking, I also wanted to leave: it was boring, the first act was drawn out, the chorus was almost inaudible. Neither the acting, nor the work of the artist, nor the musical accompaniment can save the situation.
All this prompted me to go to the WTO audience section for a discussion of the performance. I stated in advance that I would talk about the shortcomings of the performance. However, only laudatory speeches were allowed.
One of the critics mentioned your newspaper's review of this performance and complained that there was no reviewer in the audience.
“I’m here and ask you to give me the floor,” said N. Rumyantseva.
Following him, an art critic asked to speak. Having assured that he would behave decently, he said no less nasty things to the reviewer in a “polite” manner.
Other speakers in their speeches only bowed to the director and actors, as did the critics. The discussion ended complacently: those dissatisfied with the performance were not allowed to speak out. All this looked like an outright defense of the “honor of the uniform.”
I wanted, I needed, I had to say it all. And not only in defense of Rumyantseva - she, perhaps, somewhat in a newspaper style (this is not in an offensive sense), not deeply, but without sycophancy, highlighted her point of view, which is basically correct. I, and not only me, was offended for the reviewer, ashamed of the director and art critic.”
The second letter belonged to the foreman of the same factory, Yu. Meister. Here's what he wrote:
“On January 31 of this year, I had the opportunity to attend a discussion of the performance of the Moscow Theater of Satire based on M. Frisch’s play “Bidermann and the Arsonists.” The discussion took place in the WTO Actor's House.
Among those who were at the discussion was Comrade. Rumyantseva is the author of a review of the performance in the newspaper “Soviet Culture”.
During the discussion, the chief director of the Moscow Theater of Satire, Comrade. Pluchek, who in an unacceptably harsh tone bordering on dirty, unbridled rudeness, attacked the reviewer Comrade. Rumyantsev.
Being largely on the side of the theater, not agreeing with many of the provisions of the article in “Soviet Culture,” I nevertheless protest against similar methods in relation to critics, he defiantly left the room where the performance was being discussed.
Particularly perplexing is the behavior of the actors of the Moscow Theater of Satire vol. Menglet, Kuznetsov and others, who did not stop the dispersed servant of the muse.
I am not against discussions, but I am categorically against “intellectual hooliganism” and I believe that the theater and journalistic community will have their say, their condemning word on this matter.” At the end of this publication there was a commentary from the editors of Soviet Culture itself. It stated the following: “We fully share the indignation of the letter writers about misbehavior V. Pluchek during a discussion of the play “Biderman and the Arsonists”. The case is truly ugly. No one is allowed to violate the ethical norms accepted in a socialist society and replace normal creative discussion with abuse.
It would seem unnecessary to repeat well-known truths like those that “abuse is not an argument”, that “politeness is an obligatory sign of decency”, that “rejection of criticism is an expression of arrogance, conceit and pride.” We are confident that V. Pluchek knows these truths. And, however, it seems necessary to repeat them, since such facts of “uncreative” use of the creative platform in Lately took place repeatedly, in particular, in events organized by the WTO.
According to the editors, each such fact is an emergency. People, be they critics or theater workers, who seek to replace creative discussion with scandal and squabbles deserve public censure. If we seriously think and talk about the educational role of the theater, then don’t we have the right to demand from the theater master, who is also the leader of a large creative team, that he himself be a model of good manners or at least be able to conduct a creative argument without the use of abuse and hooting.
The editors believe that the presidium of the All-Russian Theater Society will immediately discuss unethical, unworthy acts Soviet art V. Pluchek’s behavior at the WTO audience section and will draw appropriate conclusions from this fact.”
It is difficult to say whether the meeting of the WTO Presidium took place, since there was no information about it in the press. It is likely that he was not there, since V. Pluchek did not consider himself to blame for this situation and never made a public apology to the journalist. As for the play “Biderman and the Arsonists,” its life was short - Pluchek himself soon removed it from the repertoire.
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In an exclusive interview, Olga Aroseva’s friend Nadezhda Karataeva told interesting details from the life of a film and theater star.
“At a meeting of the troupe, Pluchek said: “Olga Alexandrovna! Yesterday you told the actors that I shouldn’t run the theater... Well, I can’t fire you from the theater. But you won’t play anything here anymore.” And Olga had almost no new roles for about ten years,” recalls Aroseva’s friend, actress Nadezhda Karataeva.
We met Olga more than half a century ago, when Aroseva, my husband Anatoly Papanov and I got a job at the Satire Theater almost simultaneously. Olya was already an experienced artist; she worked for four years at the Leningrad Comedy Theater with Nikolai Akimov. Moreover, Aroseva got there in an unusual way. She was still studying at the theater school in Moscow when the Leningrad theater came to the capital on tour. Olya liked Akimov’s performances so much - she went to all of them. As a result, Aroseva decided that she would work in this theater, no matter what it cost her. She took the diploma of her older sister Elena, who graduated from theater earlier, and presented it to Akimov’s personnel department. Only later, already in Leningrad, Aroseva admitted to the forgery, and she was forgiven for it.
Olya was generally characterized by a love of risk and adventurism. Wherever life has taken her! There was a time when Aroseva worked as a model - she posed for artists. She even managed to study at a circus school. The ability to move, flexibility and grace remained with her until her old age... Olya lasted four years in Leningrad. After Akimov was removed, Aroseva had to leave the theater. Arriving in Moscow, Olya joined our company. 
Olga's second husband, artist Yuri Khlopetsky
“Why are you looking in this Pluchek’s mouth?”
In 1957, Valentin Pluchek became the head of the Satire Theater, whom young people received quite favorably and it was interesting to work with him. And I didn’t notice that Aroseva and Pluchek had any conflicts. But Olya probably had some kind of internal dissatisfaction, because on tour in Saratov there was a scandal, which was started by her. One evening, a company gathered in Olga’s room - me, Tolya Papanov, Evgeniy Vesnik... As usual, they drank, despite my constant reminders: “Maybe that’s enough? Let’s wrap up already!” My constant concern in those years was that Tolya would not get drunk somewhere, because it was not easy to stop him.
One day, he and Evgeniy Vesnik, in search of a 24-hour restaurant, which did not exist in Moscow at that time, decided to take the Moscow-Leningrad train and walked there in the dining car all night. Then we bought a ticket for the return train - and again the fun! At this time I was calling sobering stations and morgues, looking for my husband. There were many such stories, so that evening I mainly followed Tolya. I was calm about Aroseva: Olga loved feasts, but always knew when to stop. But then for some reason she broke up and began to persuade Zhenya Vesnik to think about taking a higher position than just an actor at the Satire Theater. “Zhenya! You are so talented! - she said. - Why are you sitting? You should be the artistic director of our theater! Why are you all looking at this Pluchek’s mouth?” And everything like that. We didn’t know that at that moment everything that was happening in our room was heard throughout the well-yard of the hotel, as if through a loudspeaker. Moreover, Valentin Nikolaevich himself, who lived on the floor below, stood at the window and heard every word. He reacted instantly - the very next day he assembled a troupe. 
They lived together with actor Boris Runge for several years. In "Zucchini "13 chairs". 1970s
At the meeting he stood up and said to Aroseva: “Olga Alexandrovna! Yesterday you said about me that I should not be the artistic director of the theater, that you want Vesnik... So. I cannot fire you from the theater. But you won’t play anything here anymore!” There was silence... Zhenya Vesnik immediately sidled out of the room, and then put the application on Pluchek’s desk, resigned and after some time got a job at the Maly Theater. When we tried to involve him in some conversations about this story, he waved his hands and answered: “To hell with you! Figure it out for yourself!”
Papanov was very upset that such a situation had arisen, which he unwittingly witnessed. Almost every actor after this was faced with the question: should he now greet Aroseva or not? But for Tolya and I there was no such question; we still remained friends. And it really was hard for her. As Pluchek promised, in subsequent years she had almost no introductions to new performances, and she was simply removed from some old ones! And for a very long time Aroseva was only listed in “Satire”. Of course, she tried to somehow change her fate, asked to join other theaters. But they didn’t take her.
Olya tried to get a job with Efros at the Theater on Malaya Bronnaya, played something, but for some reason did not stay there. Perhaps they had heard a lot about this story and believed that Olya had a complex character. She really had a difficult temperament. In communication, she put a lot of pressure on the person. She loved to insist on her own way, so that everything would be just the way she wanted. Many people in the theater were afraid of her. Aroseva had a sharp tongue, and she could say everything that others only think to a person’s face. To this we must add that in those years Aroseva had not yet played anything serious in the cinema, she was only invited to appear in episodes. Olya sometimes even despaired. It seemed that youth had passed, and creative life didn't work out. 
Eldar Ryazanov changed her fate by inviting Olga to the role main character in the film "Beware of the Car". This picture made her happy not only for her, but also for my husband, who also had not received many roles in the theater before, and was rarely invited to films because of his unsightly appearance. Tolya did not yet know that his finest hour and the birth of the famous tandem with Andrei Mironov were ahead.
Became a trolleybus driver for real
At the moment when Olya was auditioning for Ryazanov, there was complete confusion in the film with candidates for the main roles. It was believed that Nikulin would play the role of Detochkin, but he later refused. The investigator was supposed to be played by Yuri Yakovlev, but he was busy with other filming, and Ryazanov invited Oleg Efremov. Eldar Aleksandrovich liked Olya right away, but only he set a strict condition for her: “You must learn to drive a trolleybus for real!” And Aroseva attended special courses for several months, she was given a real driver’s license and a diploma. But that didn’t mean that she could just sit down like that and drive wildly public transport! There was little experience. And Olya was terribly worried when they put real passengers in her cabin. Filmed famous scene, when Detochkin, who has served time, sees his beloved driving and rushes to her trolleybus.
The Smoktunovsky artist is nervous, impulsive, he rushed towards the trolleybus so much, jumping straight onto the windshield, that Olya had to brake sharply so as not to run over his partner. This scene was re-shot many times... At first, Oleg Efremov’s work did not work out either. Having left his work at his beloved Sovremennik for the sake of Ryazanov’s film, he nevertheless used every free minute to read plays in search of new repertoire for his theater. He entered the frame, putting down another book. 
When half of the film had already been filmed, Ryazanov, having looked at the material, realized that Efremov’s work was no good. And he honestly said to Oleg: “You’ll have to put your plays aside for now and stop being a hack.” And I re-shot all the scenes with Efremov! It was easier with Mironov and Papanov. Tolya came up with jokes on the fly, which later went viral. Here it is: “Put the bird down!” or “I sell strawberries grown with my own hands!” - Papanov came up with it all himself, and Ryazanov was delighted. When the film was released, for most artists it was happy ticket V great movie. And for Olga first of all. The dark streak in her life seemed to be over.
Aroseva easily got along with such masters as Smoktunovsky, Evstigneev, Nikulin, acting intuitively. You know how a self-taught musician comes to the exam and plays as if by inspiration. Until recently, Aroseva, unknown to anyone, sounded in unison with recognized stars, although she did not know the “notes”. It seems to me that Olga was not really familiar even with Stanislavsky’s system, because she did not finish her studies at the theater school. Aroseva hated formalism, did not like to force herself into any kind of system. 
How did she appeal to the audience? Yes, I just felt it. And then, she was “one of us.” People loved this face, recognized her loved one, understandable to them. Ryazanov appreciated Olga for her patience and conscientiousness. He is an extremely demanding and meticulous director. For example, Olga told how in the film “Old Robbers” they filmed a scene where the characters Nikulin and Aroseva were walking down the street and talking, and a dog was running nearby. For some reason the director needed this dog in the shot. “Nikulin and I gave our all, created a touching mood, there were even tears in our eyes,” Olya recalled. - And then the director’s exclamation: “Stop!” - “Well, how?” - “Very bad... They blocked the dog!” 
Of course, when Pluchek closed almost the entire theater repertoire for Olga, he could not imagine that in due time she would not only become the prima of “Satire”, but would also drag with her a good part of the actors to television in the program “Zucchini “13 Chairs”. Pluchek and in nightmare I couldn’t imagine that these “panovs,” this, as he put it, “hack work,” would be more popular than the performances of his theater. It all started with the fact that director Georgy Zelinsky was asked to make a program of humorous numbers.
Olya, for whom any appearance on television was then important, convinced him that it would be very interesting. And unexpectedly, the first issue was a huge success! Moreover, the heroes weren’t even given names then. There was no Olina Pani Monika, her character was a woman who walked everywhere with a bag. And the actors called her that way among themselves - “a woman with a bag.” After new authors joined the project, they decided to introduce a foreign motif into the program. Naturally, “Zucchini” could only be located in a socialist country - Poland or Czechoslovakia.
So the “woman with a bag” turned into the proud Pani Monica, and Pan Athlete and Pan Director appeared. And these “gentry” captured the imagination of the whole country! Olga attracted ten people from our theater to the “Zucchini “13 Chairs”, and all of them instantly became famous and popular. She invited Papanov to the program several times. But he refused, telling her: “Yes, Pluchek will eat me!” Mironov agreed, but after two releases he ran away; after all, he was valued in the theater and he had something to lose. And the viewer now came to “Satire”, among other things, to look “live” at the popular “lords”. And although Aroseva Pluchek still allowed her to play only some minor episodes, she was applauded for a long time, as an example. 
It’s interesting that Olga, of all the inhabitants of “Zucchini”, was loved the most - they brought bouquets, food, gifts, cards with declarations of love... I remember that the whole theater laughed for a long time at the letter of the collective farmers who wrote to Olya that chickens lay eggs better under her voice. So, without the help of Valentin Pluchek, Aroseva became an all-Union star, and it was impossible to ignore this fact. When my husband came to Pluchek with a proposal to lift Aroseva’s long-term “disgrace,” he was probably already mentally prepared for this. Tolya said: “Valentin Nikolaevich, give the main female role in Aroseva’s new play. Much time has passed, it’s time to forget old grievances. Forgive her! And Pluchek replied: “Yes, I don’t mind...” At heart he was not an evil person...
Stalin gave Aroseva flowers and kissed her
After Aroseva began to receive big roles in the theatre, naturally there was talk of nominating her for the title of at least Honored Artist. But every time this question was hesitated for some reason. I understood what was going on... For a long time Olya hid her past from everyone. And then one day we were visiting her and looking at old photographs. Olya gives me one, there is a parade on it, Stalin and his comrades are on the podium. Next to the leader is a girl, in her hands is a bouquet. "It's me! - Olya said. “Iosif Vissarionovich gave these flowers to me, hugged me and kissed me.” That’s when I found out that in the twenties her father was a diplomat who worked in Europe for several years. Early childhood Olga and her sisters lived in cities such as Paris, Prague, Stockholm... In 1933, the family returned to the USSR.
The fairy tale about a happy childhood ended in 1937 - the father was arrested. Olga, remembering the kind, mustachioed Uncle Stalin, decided that he would definitely help and figure everything out. The girl wrote a letter to the leader. Olga said that they even answered her, promising to reconsider the case. But this did not save her father; he was shot. And at school, the children of the enemy of the people were demanded to “cleanse themselves before their comrades” - to publicly renounce their repressed relative. But Olya did not renounce her father, and a “black mark” appeared in her case. Of course, when she entered the Satire Theater, she had to fill out forms. And point out that her father was repressed, that she lived abroad, that her mother was from the Polish nobles...
All this did not contribute to career advancement in the USSR. So Olga received her first title only on her fiftieth birthday, and at the same time she was given a diploma from the theater school, which she dropped out of in 1946. Before this, Aroseva the only evidence About education, in addition to a high school certificate, there was only a trolleybus driver's license! 
“I was married several times, but remained single”
I remember her very young: well-built, sociable, cheerful, Olya enveloped men with some kind of instant charm. Moreover, she had the following principle: first she began to be friends with a man (Aroseva did not recognize female friends, I was a rare exception, and only because I was Papanov’s wife). But then, somehow imperceptibly, the male friend became a close man. Her first husband, a musician, did not last long. The second is an artist of our theater Yuri Khlopetsky - a little longer.
Yura began to drink heavily, and Olya could not stand drinkers. In this regard, she was generally unlucky with her beloved men. Actor Borya Runge, Pan Professor from "Zucchini", with whom he was together for several years, also drank very heavily. And the actor Vladimir Soshalsky, with whom she had an affair, loved to take a walk. Olga was always the first to leave her men. If she already said that she forgives “in last time", he will keep his word! Perhaps if she had children, Olga’s life would have turned out differently. But she couldn’t have children...
Even in his youth, Olya was unlucky. Then she became pregnant by Khlopetsky, but did not dare to leave the child. At that moment, Olya did not yet know that this step would change her whole life. When you are young, everything seems easy - now is not the time, there is no decent housing, little money. Someday later... But she didn’t have that “later”. I remember when Khlopetsky and I came to her hospital and went into the room, she was lying on the bed with a stony face. It turned out that the doctors immediately informed her: the operation was unsuccessful and she would never have children again. 
Another reason for her unsettled personal life It was that she chose her father from the very beginning as her ideal man. Having lost him as a schoolgirl, Aroseva constantly looked for her father’s traits in other men, but never found them. Her last novel took place in front of the entire theater. Olya was already over fifty years old at that time, and Tolya Guzenko, an actor in our theater, was more than twenty years younger than her. The young man, in my opinion, was nothing special, but he was sincerely drawn to Olya. Of course: a favorite actress from cult films, popular throughout the country. His attention, of course, flattered her, but Olga could not deceive herself for long. Having completed your last novel, she said, "I've had a lot of common-law marriages... But I've lived alone my whole life." Probably, Olga simply never met a man who would accept her for who she is and love her as much as she dreamed...
Actress Tatiana Vasilyeva always delights me. And not only unconditional talent. In conversation, she sometimes shocks with her directness and lack of any diplomacy. But her colossal charm, it seems to me, neutralizes any possible conflicts. Vasilyeva is timeless, that's for sure. And now she will tell you about her Makropoulos remedy herself.
Photo: Aslan Akhmadov/DR
So, a cafe in the center of Moscow. “Are you really cold?” - Tatyana turns to me with sincere surprise when she sees me throwing a coat over my shoulders. She herself is wearing jeans and a thin T-shirt, although summer is still far away. She has such strong energy, such a powerful drive for life that I am sure that such a woman is never cold.
Tatyana, I remember how we did our first photo shoot. It was more than twenty years ago in the apartment of your friend, actress Tatyana Rogozina. We arrived with a photographer, and you were completely unprepared for the photo. But only ten minutes passed, and Vasilyeva was incredibly transformed.
You, Vadim, have an amazing memory. Only it took not ten minutes, but fifteen. This is what happens today. Lock me in a dark room, let me out in fifteen minutes - I will be completely fine. I don’t even need a mirror, just give me a cosmetic bag.
At one time you cut your hair very short, almost bald. For what?
I wanted to get rid of what I had accumulated over the years. negative energy. And there were a lot of them. For example, only after I left the Satire Theater did I find out what was going on behind my back. You probably know Tatyana Egorova’s book “Andrei Mironov and Me”?
Certainly. Former actress Theater of Satire Egorova wrote a scandalous book about her relationship with Andrei Mironov and the behind-the-scenes life of this theater.
I haven’t read the book, but they told me its contents. I was horrified! I didn’t know that they didn’t like me so much in the theater. It seemed to me that I had with everyone great relationship. It turns out there is nothing of the kind.
Why did I love you? A very young actress appeared in the theater, whom the famous director Valentin Pluchek immediately made a leading lady.
It didn’t just happen like that! I didn’t steal this place from someone, they entrusted it to me, they believed in me.
It’s even more interesting why you left “Satire” at one time? After you, the place of the real prima there is still vacant.
I married Georgy Martirosyan and at some point asked him to join the theater troupe - he played quite a lot of roles there, but was not on a salary. We lived then essentially on my salary alone - I think I received sixty rubles. I am the main artist, so I asked for my husband. And they told me that they wouldn’t take him into the troupe. “Okay,” I say, “then we’ll both leave.” I wrote a statement, I thought they would bring it back to me and ask me to stay, but no, no one stopped me.
Did you later regret such an emotional act?
No, I didn’t regret a single second. I had very proud parents - apparently, I inherited this trait from them. I will never ask a second time, I can still do it for the children, but never for myself.
Wait, but you asked another famous director, Andrei Goncharov, to hire you at the Mayakovsky Theater.
It was not me who asked for this, but Natasha Seleznyova. It was very funny. Once in Yalta, Natasha and I were sitting on a bench, and suddenly Goncharov walked past. Natasha shouts to him: “Andrei Alexandrovich, don’t you need good actresses? Here Tanka is sitting, Pluchek kicked her out of the theater.” He replies that they are very necessary. And then I say: “But I’m with my husband.” He: “So, we’ll take it with my husband.” And two days later I was already an artist at the Mayakovsky Theater. She worked in the theater for ten years, already shoulder to shoulder with Martirosyan. He played big roles there, I played, but it was all down the drain. This was not my theater, and I was not Andrei Alexandrovich’s artist.
It seems you were fired from there because you didn’t come to the performance?
I warned everyone that I couldn’t come. It seems to me that it was a pure setup, so they simply got rid of me.
Why are you so annoying that they want to get rid of you? Too complex character?
Yes, I'm annoying. Why? I also ask myself this question very often. They close the show, a good, successful one, and I understand that they did it only because I played in it. I don't know why this happens. I believe that in my work I am an angel, I am ready for anything, especially if a director whom I trust is rehearsing with me.
You clearly have a loner position, and this causes many problems.
You are right. I programmed myself this way - it’s easier to survive the blows of fate and betrayal. When you are suddenly left alone with yourself and you urgently need to call someone... This is what I destroyed in myself, my hand no longer reaches for the phone. The stage helps me, it takes away everything bad. I feel that the audience loves me, I get so much goodness from the audience, so much energy, not a single vitamin, not a single doctor will give me this.
Don't you have a single girlfriend?
I recently returned to my former friend, Rogozina, whom you just mentioned. She and I came to Moscow together from St. Petersburg to enter the theater school. It didn't work out for her. She graduated from Leningrad Theatre Institute, then for some time she worked in Moscow, at the Mayakovsky Theater, but we rarely communicated. And now I realized: it’s time to collect stones, and I returned her to my friend.
You say that in difficult moments your hand does not reach for the phone. What about the children? Is not it Lifebuoy?
I have a crazy connection with my children - both Philip and Lisa, but I don’t want to disturb them again.
About ten years ago we did a program “Who’s There...” on “Culture” about you and your son Philip. Then it seemed to me that this charming young man was very dependent on you. Has anything changed since then?
Certainly. Now he's a father great father, I didn’t even expect that he could be like this. He has two sons, and I think this is not the limit. We are constantly in touch with him, not a day goes by that we don’t call and talk to him fifty times. True, now Philip has begun to share information with me in doses, he tries to spare me in the evenings, otherwise it would happen that we would talk, and then I would wander around half the night, unable to sleep. But I also became smarter, I learned not to present my point of view as the final authority. I always tell my children: they say, most likely, I’m wrong, but it seems to me that it’s better to do it this way, and then think for yourself. Less than a minute passes, the phone rings: “You know, mom, you’re right.”
You are a real psychologist.
This is true.
What are Lisa and Philip doing now?
Lisa is searching. She is a journalist, but she doesn’t want to do this. Lisa draws beautifully and shows herself as a designer - she made such renovations in her apartment! I was shocked. Unfortunately, no one needs anyone right now. The most interesting thing is that I can employ anyone, just not my children.
Do you help them financially?
Yes. And I help them not because they are some kind of dependents, no, no. Philip is studying - he studied at three institutes, and now plans to enroll again.
Live and learn. And Philip, excuse me, how old is he?
Thirty-four years old. He is now entering the theater academy, but not in our country.
This time, who will he study for?
And there everything is together: producer, director, cameraman. As he progresses, he will decide what is closer to him. I was wildly lucky: at the age of fourteen I realized that I wanted to be an artist. And my son suffered from my own stupidity - he studied at the Faculty of Law. Why did I do this to him? It’s so scary to make a mistake in choosing a profession, especially for a man. He already has three higher education, there will be a fourth.
Listen, children are quite adults. They should be helping you, not the other way around.
Nobody owes me anything. And the children don't owe me anything. They shouldn't live the way I live. It's just a disaster. I'm afraid of getting sick, for example. Not even because I’m afraid of pain, no. I'm afraid that I won't be able to work. I don’t want to be a burden to anyone, I don’t want anyone to look after me. Not this! I'm used to everything being on me. I’m alone, I could never count on anyone.
You have been married several times. Did they really drag all their husbands on themselves?
That is, they chose weak men?
This is my destiny, it’s written in my family.
Okay, but when you got married, did you feel that the man was weaker than you?
I felt it. But I fall in love too much - that’s my big problem, from which everything stems. I’m not allowed to fall in love, I immediately begin to offer something, including my love. No one has asked me for anything yet, but I have already offered, they haven’t had time to love me yet, but I’m already blown away. Nevertheless, I achieved my goal: they married me, I started a family, had children. But time passed, and I took on everything: supporting the family, husband, children - and very quickly I got used to it. To be honest, now I’m not afraid: I’m afraid of seeming incompetent in some way. I don’t want to be paid for, I’m always the first to open my wallet. Nothing can be done about this. I'm not a woman, I don't know who I am! Some kind of entity that lives without any rules. A woman should be a woman, she should maintain a family hearth, take care of children, and I am the woman who does everything. And most importantly, I have to earn money. Yesterday someone said that “should” is the worst word. But for me it is the most natural and normal.
Such responsibility with youth?
Maybe yes. I started earning my first money while still in school and either gave it to my parents or bought them something. Then I had a duty to them, now - to everyone else. There is always someone to whom I owe. What can we do about it?
You once told me that your biggest fear is free time.
It's true, Vadim. Still free time a big problem for me. All sorts of fears arise: what if it lasts longer than usual. Times are unstable now; artists are so quickly forgotten, even during their lifetime.
Well, in this regard, everything is fine with you. You play a lot in enterprises and star in high-rated TV series. “Closed School” was very successful; the second season of the series “Matchmakers” will soon start on the Domashny channel.
It wasn't always like this. After I was fired from Mayakovka, I didn’t work anywhere for four years. It wasn't easy. We had to rent a single room in the Peredelkino House of Writers' Creativity, where we lived for some time.
With your husband and children?
Yes, with Lisa, Philip, Martirosyan and his mother. And Martirosyan’s son also came from time to time. I slept under the TV - my head under it, my feet outside. And so on for four years. We rented out our apartment; we had to live on something.
How did you endure all this? Just a steadfast tin soldier.
What choice did I have? Nobody was interested in me, no one invited me anywhere.
And when did everything change?
The era of entrepreneurial enterprise began, the first proposal came from Leonid Trushkin - “The Cherry Orchard”. I played Ranevskaya.
Well played, by the way.
In general, everything changed, I started earning money again, offers started pouring in.
And if it weren’t for the new circumstances, would you continue to live in front of the TV?
I don’t know, I can’t answer this question. My life doesn't belong to me. Everything is in the power of God, he knows everything. The main thing is not to fall into despair, not to complain, but simply to be able to wait.
That is, you don’t know how to fight fate?
God forbid we compete again. This is the worst thing for me. True, this does not stop me from going to castings, where, by the way, most often I am not approved. I arrive and they say to me: “Introduce yourself, please.” - “I’m Vasilyeva, actress.” - "Where do you work?" And so on.
This can't be true! New directors don’t know Tatyana Vasilyeva?!
For many new directors and producers, I am a blank slate. One such director approved me, I acted with him, and after filming I asked: “Do you even go to the theater?” It turned out he had never been to the theater. Well, I invited him to the performance, and then he thanked me. Do you know what's important? Even such people are interesting to me. I have to work with them, I have to find with them mutual language, I can’t despise them.
At one time you told me that they don’t offer you movies interesting roles, and, for example, popular comedy You consider “the most charming and attractive” to be your failure. And another thing is that you almost never like the way you look on screen.
You know, now I don't care anymore. I don't watch my films. The only thing is that I have to see all this during dubbing, and for me it is still a lot of stress.
Do you continue acting because you enjoy the process?
Of course, I really like acting, very much. Especially now, in Matchmakers, where I have amazing partners. We worked well together with Lyusya Artemyeva, we are like clowns - Red and White. This is absolutely our element. There are shifts of twelve hours, or even more, and the next day it’s back to the site, but we get satisfaction from it.
Fun fact: your heroine is fighting for the love of the general, played by your ex-husband Georgy Martirosyan.
I get out of this situation easily. Firstly, this is a comedy, and there is no need to act serious relationship. My heroine constantly forces the general to do unthinkable things. Martirosyan and I are comfortable working together - we play together not only in the series, but also in the play. We keep in touch, he communicates well with his daughter Lisa. There is no barrier.
You and Anatoly Vasilyev, your first husband, played in the same play, in the comedy “Prank”.
Oh no, that was completely unfortunate.
Was it your idea to appear on the same stage with him?
It was the producers' idea. For them, what is important is that there is a highlight, so that the audience comes. But it didn't work out.
Does Philip communicate with his father?
It's clear. You said that you have twelve-hour shifts. What kind of endurance you need to have to withstand all this! Do you still go to the gym every day and lift weights?
Yes, that's where I'm from right now. I don't just lift weights. I go for a body pump, it’s an excellent combination of aerobic and strength training. Then another half hour on skis - on the simulator. I do this so that I don’t feel disgusted with myself, so that the audience doesn’t feel disgusted to look at me. I can’t get fat, I can’t be fat, I have to be what I was before - slim. I don't want to insult the scene. In general, I have always loved playing sports, ever since school. Basketball, volleyball, rhythmic gymnastics, dancing, fencing. Then I came to the Satire Theater, where we had biomechanics according to Meyerhold. We, young people, went to these classes with pleasure. We also had a ballet barre. An hour and a half at the barre, then a rehearsal, a performance in the evening - we practically didn’t leave the theater. So I’m battle-hardened, I can’t live without it.
We are drinking tea now. You refused to order something more substantial.
I don't eat at all. I'm a cheap woman. ( Smiles.) I don’t have food at home, I don’t need it. Just buckwheat and milk - that's enough. If there is no buckwheat and milk, I begin to die.
Buckwheat with milk for breakfast, buckwheat with milk for lunch...
And for dinner, yes.
Isn't this monotony boring?
What you! On tour, of course, it’s more difficult; you have to order buckwheat in advance.
Apparently, you are a zero cook.
There shouldn't be any food smell in my house. When the children were little, everything hissed and squealed - I don’t know how I survived.
How ascetic you are! Or maybe that’s how it should be? So I look at you and understand that you are a woman without age.
You know, I look at myself in the mirror and try to find that age. I understand that sometimes I look tired, sleep-deprived, and my eyes are red. But I still can’t find the age. Age is in the look, not in the appearance. Although appearance is, of course, work. I get up in the morning, I have one mask, another mask, I drink all sorts of vitamins, at night I put so much cream on my face that I have to sleep on the back of my head - I’m covered in this cream. I need this not so much for myself as for work, otherwise it’s a lost cause.
And again it all comes down to work. You don’t even have holidays - it’s all performances.
But I don’t know what to do on holidays, how to celebrate them. On December 31st I have three performances. By half past ten in the evening I’m heading somewhere. On the eve of this year, I came to my daughter, we sat for a while, and I went to bed. The next day there is another performance. Last New Year I met him on the train - with his boss and foreman. I was traveling from St. Petersburg to Moscow. There were no passengers except me.
When did you get this fighting spirit - as they say, not a day without a line?
When I accepted commodity-market relations.
The main thing is that all this keeps you on your toes.
I'm in good shape, of course. Maybe in my next life I will return in a different guise - I will be a dog or a horse. They say that seven centuries ago I was an Egyptian queen. Who knows, maybe it will happen again.
Photo: Aslan Akhmadov for the “Indian Summer” project/provided by the press service of the Domashny TV channel With Elena Velikanova in the film “Popsa”
Experienced theatergoers remember Yuri Vasiliev from the Shchukin School. It was a rare case at that time when a star - indisputable and obvious to everyone - appeared already on the student bench. Beautiful appearance, musicality, flexibility, the ability to play heroic, comedic, sharp roles with equal brilliance - as an actor, he simply did not have weak points. At the same time, he still has a completely non-acting character. A clear, natural, always friendly person with a wonderful open smile and sparkling eyes.
He went to the Satire Theater, which was directed by Valentin Pluchek. He serves there to this day, for three decades now. At the time, this step seemed wrong to many. Yuri did not just join a troupe filled with stars, like the August sky. The biggest star there was the one whom Vasiliev even resembled in appearance. It seemed doomed young actor to the role of Andrei Mironov’s “understudy”, to exist in the shadow of the best of the best artists of those years.
But Yuri Vasiliev did not become an understudy. He grew into a wonderful, original master. And at the same time he continued Mironov’s tradition in the theater, fusing in his work a romantic impulse, lyricism and sharp grotesquery. It was not for nothing that he inherited Mironov’s dressing room. As you know, dressing rooms are not made into museums. In this case, the “office” of the departed Master is essentially occupied by his successor.
– Can you remember your favorite theater story related to Andrei Mironov?
– Touring in Novosibirsk, Andrei Aleksandrovich is walking along the corridor of the Ob Hotel, a loud conversation can be heard from the half-open door of the hotel room. The actor, who all his life has played the roles of dumb lackeys, loudly discusses with the actresses who perform the roles of servants how Mironov plays the role of Figaro monstrously poorly. Andrei Alexandrovich entered the room and silently looked into his eyes. Gogol's silent scene, a pause, and he left. The next day there is a play “Crazy Day, or The Marriage of Figaro.” This actor plays the footman who stands behind Figaro. And after every scene, every monologue, Mironov turned to him and asked: “Well, is it better today?”
Novosibirsk – Moscow – Paris
– You came to Moscow from Novosibirsk. You were not a “star” child; as far as I know, you did not have any patronage or cronyism behind you. Nevertheless, as I was told, you came to “conquer” the capital. Where did such self-confidence come from?
– Our family was not “starry”, but everyone in it was artistic and extraordinary people. My mother, Liliya Yurievna Drozdovskaya, graduated from a theater studio in Novosibirsk during the war. My mother’s father, my grandfather, a Latvian by nationality, once came to Siberia to establish the production of cheeses and butter. In the mornings, he accompanied me to school and made me a “train” - a long sandwich of small pieces of cheese for one bite. Since then I cannot live without cheese. He had a sea of grace and artistry, women adored him.
I didn’t find my grandfather on my father’s side; he was a well-known lawyer in Siberia, he fled with Kolchak, then worked for Soviet power. My father, Boris Aleksandrovich Vasiliev, studied in Moscow, in theater studio with Mark Prudkin and in the arts, and for a long time I could not decide who to become - an actor or an artist. Still, he became an artist and returned to Novosibirsk. He headed the Association of Artists, drew posters and cartoons in newspapers. During the war he kept amazing diaries, which I recently published. He served as a military topographer and was always in the foreground, making maps of the advance of Rokossovsky’s Second Shock Army. He was followed by two machine gunners, who in case of danger were supposed to kill him and liquidate everything.
From the eighth grade I knew for sure that I would be an artist. He adored French cinema, carried a portrait of Gerard Philip in his pocket, with whom he later went to enroll in Moscow. I still have it on my makeup table. I love my native Novosibirsk very much, but Moscow has always been the city of my dreams. Just like Paris, however.
“Go to Satire - there are many of us there”
– You easily entered the Shchukin Theater School and were one of the most notable in the class of Yuri Vladimirovich Katin-Yartsev, graduating in 1975.
– This “ease” was difficult. All applicants are immediately admitted to all theater institutes. I only entered Pike. Came to the first audition straight from the plane. Four hours time difference. It was a very hot summer—the peat bogs near Moscow were burning then. A huge crowd in a small alley in front of the school. Competition – three hundred people per place. There is nowhere to sit. I was called only at one o'clock in the morning. I vaguely remember how, already in a semi-conscious state, I read my excerpt from “The Mexican” by Jack London. And I was allowed straight into the third round of competition. And on the exam I was given a “C” in acting skills. This “troika” just killed me. I spend my whole life correcting it. But still, when I saw myself on the list of applicants, I realized what a moment of happiness was.
We disappeared into the school, rehearsed day and night, and often slept on gymnastic mats there. We found the great Shchukin teachers - Cecilia Lvovna Mansurova, Boris Evgenievich Zakhava, Vladimir Georgievich Shlesinger. We had seven teachers based on acting skills alone. The legendary Boris Ionovich Brodsky led our history visual arts. An absolutely fantastic man, “Uncle Kolya” Bersenev, taught us how to set up scenery on stage.And, of course, a wonderful and beloved teacher, artistic director of our course, Yuri Vladimirovich Katin-Yartsev. An amazingly educated, smart and intelligent person. One day we were transporting him from one apartment to another, and I saw how many books he had. He had a huge list of who should be given what to read and who would have to play what.
In our second year, we made a unique educational performance “Crossroads” based on Fyodor Abramov. We played this novel before Lev Dodin staged his famous play. There were amazing scenes there - meetings, funerals, farewells. We worked on the authenticity of the characters’ special, northern speech. A conflict arose with the rector of the school, Boris Evgenievich Zakhava. He saw something anti-Soviet in the play, and he especially didn’t like the interludes that we came up with to rearrange the scenery. These changes were made by women with a cheerful song: “Come on, girls, come on, beauties!” He saw something challenging in this.
Before graduation performances in auditorium A huge piece of plaster collapsed. Therefore, we did not graduate on our own stage, but played in the Vakhtangov Theater, in the educational theater of GITIS, in the House of Actors, in the House of Scientists. We had a large poster - “French Songs”, “Letters of Lermontov”, “Summer Residents”, “Trees Die While Standing”, “The Story of a Love”, “The Three Musketeers”. I so dreamed of the role of d’Artagnan, but Schlesinger, who staged the play, gave it to Socrates Abdukadyrov. And he gave me the role of Buckingham. The whole role was built on plasticity and vocals, and I was always interested in stage movement, ballet, dancing, and music. The performance was wildly popular; all of Moscow went to see it. Maris Liepa came and said about me: “A future dancer is studying with you...” After finishing the course, Katin approached everyone and quietly said some good words. He also came up to me and ruffled my hair in a fatherly way: “Well done, boy.” He never overpraised anyone and never kicked anyone out. He believed that even if someone does not become an artist, it does not matter: the Shchukin school will shape his personality. And if two or three people from the course become good artists, then this is a successful course.
My most famous classmates are Lenya Yarmolnik and Zhenya Simonova. Zhenya was my constant partner. She and I played all the passages and love scenes together. And, of course, we began a very stormy romance. My first love tragedy was connected with her, because soon Alexander Kaidanovsky appeared in her life.
And we had a chance to play “The Three Musketeers” in 1977 in Paris. At first sight I fell in love with it, I realized that this was “my” city. This was my first trip abroad - not some kind of Bulgaria, as was customary then, but France. I remember how we stood on the Alexander III Bridge, and I even asked our d’Artagnan, Socrates Abdukadyrov, to pinch me - it was all so unreal. We threw coins and made wishes. Socrates then said: “I will definitely come here and stay.” He left the profession a long time ago, he has a travel company, and he lives in Paris.
Then, in 1977, there was such a case. Our Russian group was taken to a restaurant for lunch. At the next table sat a gray-haired man with an absolutely straight back and noble posture and simply listened to Russian speech. I realized that this was some kind of Russian emigrant of the first wave. I really wanted to meet him. Just to talk, to communicate: I was already preparing to play Golubkov in Bulgakov’s “Run”. But at that time this was impossible: naturally, we had an accompanying comrade from the relevant authorities with us.
Last December I was again in Paris and took part in a concert attended by more than a hundred descendants of Russian emigrants of the first wave of emigration. Those same famous names: Trubetskoys, Golitsyns, Chavchavadzes...
- How did it happen that after college you ended up in the wrong place? Vakhtangov Theater, and to the Theater of Satire?
– When we played our graduation performances, I had invitations from six Moscow theaters. Of course, I dreamed of becoming a Vakhtangovite. Evgeny Rubenovich Simonov called me and said: “Yura, you are ours. But I’ll tell you honestly: we are now undergoing a generational change, and you won’t be playing anything in our theater for five years.” It was a terrible drama. I wanted to accept Yuri Lyubimov’s invitation, but still decided to consult with the teachers again. And they told me: “Go to Satire - there are many of us there.” I listened to them and came to this theater.
One man band
– You came to the theater during its heyday, when Papanov, Menglet, Peltzer, Mironov and many, many others shone on the stage. How were you received?
– Mark Rozovsky was rehearsing the play “Dear Closet.” I hadn’t even worked in the theater yet, but I saw my name in the distribution of roles. And next to me are Arkhipova, Derzhavin, Tkachuk... In the first season I played five main roles, among which were Golubkov in Pluchek’s production of “Running” and Damis in “Tartuffe,” which was directed by the French director Vitez. This was the golden age of Satire. At the same time, oddly enough, in the so-called “theater circles” there was some kind of incomprehensible disdain for our theater. Alexander Anatolyevich Shirvindt told me that at some anniversary, Efremov said quite loudly during our performance: “Look, it’s a “second-tier” theater, but it’s good!” Pluchek was completely stunned.
And the audience adored our theater. I was leaving the metro and saw a poster: “For any money I will buy a ticket to the Satire Theater.” For tickets to the Satire Theater you could buy a queue for a car or a fashionable imported “wall”. I’m not talking about tours, when the cities we visited simply stopped doing anything other than getting tickets to tour performances. In the capitals of the union republics - Baku, Tbilisi, Alma-Ata - we were received exclusively by the then presidents - the first secretaries of the Central Committee. In Tomsk, Perm, when we were traveling by bus from the theater to the hotel, the crowd was blocking the street. The police had an order: let them do what they want - do not touch the artists.In Moscow, crowds of fans were on duty both at the theater and at the home entrances of our stars. I remember how Mironov “eluded the chase”, running away from fans through the back door of the theater and the Aquarium garden, then through the alleys around the Mossovet Theater...
By the way, in this connection I remember one wonderful story. At the beginning of the play “The Marriage of Figaro,” Mironov - Figaro, in a dazzlingly beautiful suit and in an elegant pose, very impressively rode out from the depths onto the proscenium. The footman brought him a rose, and at that moment there was always applause. And on tour there was simply a standing ovation. And here is Tbilisi, the opening of the tour, the first performance. Figaro enters the stage. Absolute silence - no applause. Figaro turns to the footman: “They didn’t recognize me!”
I remember the first eleven years of my work in the theater - until that tragic summer of 1987 - as a time of great creative happiness, delight and a real acting school. From the very first day I set myself the task of taking my place in the theater. And I moved towards this very gradually. I have several books and photographs signed by Valentin Nikolaevich Pluchek. He actually didn't like to praise actors. And here are the inscriptions on them: “To the very gifted artist Yuri Vasiliev,” “To the very capable artist Vasiliev.” And only on the last book he gave - this is Nina Velekhova’s book “Valentin Pluchek and the Comedians’ Halt” - he wrote: “To Yuri Vasiliev - a talented actor who became a Master.” This assessment of him is even somewhat higher for me than the title of People's Artist.
In the first season I played 34 performances a month. He was busy in all the extras, played the Cat in the play “Kid and Carlson”, replaced Spartak Mishulin in the role of the Drunkard in “The Bedbug”. The first time Andrei Aleksandrovich Mironov noticed and praised me was when I was “thrown” into the crowd in the play “Captive of Time.” I came up with a role for myself in the “Trench Scene” on the fly. “Bullets are flying”: I take off my cap - hop! Got it. The farewell ball scene is going on, but I don’t have a partner: what should I do? I played this scene dancing with myself.
Andrei Alexandrovich liked to say: “We don’t need honored artists, we need good ones.” I remember this forever. When I became an honored artist, the soldiers who were there on guard of honor did not come to the play “Tribunal”. I changed my clothes in a second, and we, together with the assemblers and stage workers, went out as “soldiers” to this “guard.”
– Has Mironov ever been “jealous” of you?
– We had a very warm relationship, although they constantly tried to push our heads together. When I came to the theater, the relationship between the main director Pluchek and his main actor Mironov had already begun to cool. Pluchek was a very passionate person - he quickly fell in love with people, and then just as quickly cooled down. And there were always those who wanted to bring this cooling to conflict.
Rehearsals for Tartuffe are underway. Antoine Vitez wanted Mironov to play Tartuffe. Mironov was not allowed to play this role. We showed the performance to the artistic council. At some point, Valentin Nikolaevich loudly says to Vitez, pointing at me: “Here is Khlestakov!” And Mironov sits next to him, wonderfully playing this role in his performance. Then, when he got sick, Mironov himself “gave the go-ahead” for me to rehearse in “The Inspector General”. But I had to be introduced to the play in four rehearsals, and I refused.
When Andrei Alexandrovich passed away, Pluchek offered me to play his roles, but I said no. Only Maki-Knife played, but it was new edition performance "The Threepenny Opera".
And in that first performance I played the role of one of the bandits, Jimmy from the Mackie-Knife gang. I came up with the idea that my hero, so to speak, " gay" He did some incredible makeup for himself, curled his hair, and came up with eccentric movements and gestures. No one had ever seen anything like this on the domestic stage; it was only 1981, and the performance was dedicated to the 26th Party Congress. The performance was wildly popular. I gained a huge number of fans and admirers. I have never seen any jealousy on the part of the leading actor Mironov, any desire to “destroy” a competitor.
Before the start of the performance, he quickly changed his clothes, took his famous hat and cane, and so, “getting into character,” went to check on his “gang.” He opened the door with his foot, caught some of his acting courage and began to “tease” us all.
In 1981 we went with The Threepenny Opera to Germany. We played, of course, in Russian, but it was decided to sing the zongs in German. Andrei Aleksandrovich, who knew English well, tried very hard to master some specific Berlin accent. At the very first performance we were a wild success. Our translator comes to us backstage during intermission and says: “The Germans are simply dumbfounded. It's amazing. But everyone asks: what language do you sing in?”Georgy Martirosyan, who played the small role of bandit Robert-Pila, was not allowed abroad then. And Alexander Anatolyevich Shirvindt was brought into this role. He put on his cloak and sat with his famous pipe, without words in this common “gangster scene”. After the performance, a journalist comes to interview us. He approaches Alexander Anatolyevich with a question: “Tell me, what is your greatest creative dream?” Shirvindt calmly replies: “To play the role of Robert Jigsaw in Moscow.”
Touring at that time meant an eternal lack of money, boilers, canned food, soups from bags. I remember the tour in Vilnius in 1987. Vilnius is a western city, clean, flowers, strawberries in beautiful baskets. An exquisite performance of “The Marriage of Figaro” is performed in the huge Opera House. And behind the scenes, make-up artists and costume designers are cooking some kind of borscht, grimy children are running around. Andrei Alexandrovich came to the rehearsal, saw all this equipment and sighed: “Well, there would be a puddle and a pig here.”
When we went to Germany, someone at home ordered Shirvindt to buy a needle for beads, and he and Mironov went to a large department store. Mironov, who spoke English easily, casually explains to everyone: “Please, igol buy beads,” and gesticulates expressively. Nobody understands anything, and for about forty minutes the poor saleswomen show them the entire assortment of the store - from condoms to large knitting needles. As a result, Shirvindt had to buy these knitting needles and shamefully flee from the store, because he realized that they had infuriated even the imperturbable Germans with their persistent “igol-by-beads”.
One day we decided to play a prank on the troupe. They said that they went to a small town with an amazing market, where everything is several times cheaper than in the rest of Germany. You just have to go very early, because already in the first hours after opening, everything is swept off the shelves. And everyone was told this “in confidence.” And so in the morning, at about five o’clock, we went out onto the balcony and watched as the entire theater in small groups, like partisans, hiding from each other, made its way onto the train. And the most interesting thing is that then everyone asked each other: “Well, did you buy it?” “Of course we bought it. Wonderful, wonderful." And there, naturally, there was no market.
Once we moved on tour from Germany to Yugoslavia. A nice place– mountains, sky, sun, but everyone was terribly tired from the long bus ride. The young people, as usual, sat in the back, and folk artists ahead, but Mironov always walked towards us, back, because we were having fun. Suddenly he began to improvise some kind of jazz melody. He sang and played an imaginary saxophone. One man band. I immediately picked it up. I knew all these melodies from my brother, who is eight years older than me. "Wanderers in the Night", Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong. We arranged such a concert of popular jazz melodies!
– But you almost never played in the productions of Mironov the director...
“When he started directing, I really wanted to work with him, and this desire was mutual. He wanted me to play Glumov in his play “Mad Money,” but I was not given this role. Then he staged “Farewell, entertainer!” – Gorin’s play about the actors of the Satire Theater who died in the war. The role of the Dancer in this play was written for me. I was already preparing for the start of rehearsals, and suddenly, on tour in Perm, Andrei Aleksandrovich comes to my room and says: “Well, the main director won’t let me have you again, he says that you will be busy in rehearsals for the play “The Raven.” And I wanted to work with him so much, at least as a second cast, at least as any, that I almost cried. And our administrator Gennady Mikhailovich Zelman, who was sitting next to him, said to him so threateningly: “Don’t offend Yurka!”
I still rehearsed with Mironov and played one of the central roles, Naboikin, in Saltykov-Shchedrin’s “Shadows.” His work on the play “Shadows” is an example of how a director should be prepared. It seemed that he knew everything about Saltykov-Shchedrin. It was a wonderful performance and absolutely today. Now it would sound surprisingly modern. Amazing design by Oleg Sheintsis: open space, open doors, light between the columns... I remember that nothing worked for me for a long time, and suddenly at one rehearsal something moved. How happy Andrei Alexandrovich was! What happy eyes he had!
When he passed away, Maria Vladimirovna Mironova said: he loved you. And I always knew and felt it. From all his trips he brought me souvenirs. Sometimes he asked what to bring me. For some reason, I asked to bring canned beer from Bulgaria. I still remember that it was some kind of strange beer - with the Russian name “Golden Ring”.
While on tour in Novosibirsk, he gave my mother a book with the inscription “To Lilia Yuryevna from an admirer of your son.” And then, when I came there for concerts, I brought chickens to my mother. He entered and bowed: “Here, my son has sent you some food.”
Never hurt old people
– In thirty years of working at the Theater of Satire, have you really never had the desire to go to another theater, to change something in your life?
– The only conflict I had with Pluchek was when I really wanted to slam the door. This was already in the early 90s. We made a so-called traveling version of the play “Barefoot in the Park” - for concert performances. Pluchek calls me and begins to scold me for doing hack work.I say that this is unfair, because I devote a lot of energy to my native theater and can go to a concert in my free time because I need money. He will shout: “Boy!” And I told him: “Valentin Nikolaevich, no one has ever yelled at me, not even my parents.” Zinaida Pavlovna Pluchek immediately waved her hands at me: “Yura, go away.” I jump out and write a letter of resignation, I have a bad heart. The administrator tells me: go home, lie down, don’t answer any calls. We will decide how to reconcile you.
The next day I have a rehearsal for the play “The Youth of Louis XIV.” From the rehearsal I was called straight to Valentin Nikolaevich. I’m wearing boots, with spurs, and a sword, going to his office. I go in and stand at the piano in a kind of defiant pose. And he says to me: “Well, old man, you and I have worked together for fifteen years. Are you really going to let our friendship perish because of just a hundred rubles?”
Valentin Nikolaevich was brilliant and paradoxical. Like any great man, there was a lot mixed in him different colors. His wife Zinaida Pavlovna really was the mistress of the theater, helping him, but also interfering in everything. But I tried to understand him and I understood. Zinaida Pavlovna was once the leading actress of the Northern Fleet Theater. She was an actress and ballerina, graduated from the Vaganova School. She was a very beautiful woman. And when Pluchek returned to Moscow after the war and was given the Theater of Satire, she should have become the leading actress of this theater. But he didn’t take her, because he understood that then he would have worked for her all his life as a director. And she left the stage altogether and became simply “Pluchek’s wife.” This is what he has been paying for all his life. And yet - I witnessed this - as soon as she started talking badly about one of the artists, he immediately interrupted her: “Zina, stop it!”
I believe that Pluchek is a great director and a brilliant artistic director. I saw some moments when the troupe had to just swallow him up, and he gave everyone a job, and everything calmed down. It was he who told me that I should direct. And he advised: “Never offend the elderly. You need to give the artist a role, and he will stop being dissatisfied with you.”
– How did Valentin Nikolaevich leave his post? artistic director?
– By and large, that famous Theater of Satire, “Pluchek’s theater,” ended in 1987, when we lost Papanov and Mironov. The theater has become different. Pluchek staged several more successful performances, brought another generation of actors to the stage, and on the wave of the success of “The Taming of the Shrew” in the mid-90s, it was necessary to leave.
In the last year and a half, Valentin Nikolaevich was no longer able to even come to the theater. There was practically no artistic director in the theater. The Department of Culture proposed various candidates, including mine. But I was the first to support Alexander Anatolyevich Shirvindt. And when I came to Pluchek after his resignation, I found him in a state of peace and tranquility, as if some very heavy burden had been lifted from him.
Although, of course, he missed the theater. Not long before his death, I visited him and told him that I had started teaching at the Theater for the Disabled, and he asked me with a smile: “Don’t they need a director?”
– Do you ever dream of that “golden age” of the Satire Theater, as you called it?
– On August 16, 1987, early in the morning, I dreamed of Andrei Alexandrovich. In a suit from Threepenny, with a hat and a cane. He took off his hat, waved goodbye and left. I woke up from a phone call, they called me from the hospital and said that it was all over, Mironov had died. And then for some time I constantly dreamed of him and said: “I was joking - I’ll be back soon.” I answered him, saying, what have you done, how could you, so many people are suffering because of you, they love you so much. And he just repeats: “I was joking.” Wow jokes.
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