Director Anton Yakovlev (center) with actors Maxim Averin, Anna Yakunina and Anton Shagin rehearsing the play “Hamlet”.
Photo: Anastasia PLESHAKOVA. Go to Photobank KP
At the end of last season, director Alexey Frandetti, who worked at this theatre for two years and staged two high-budget performances, said goodbye to Lenkom. And I finally realized that I had “entered through the wrong door.” Let dramatic theatre not be his destiny; he is more successful in operetta.
And now again in Lenkom there is only one boss – heavyweight director Mark Varshaver, who, together with the company, opened the new season.
Mark Warshaver started talking about his successes and plans. Perhaps the main achievement is that with Warshaver the company of about a hundred people is finally fully occupied: “In 5 years we have staged 400 performances of performances from the current repertoire,” said Mark Borisovich. Almost all productions have several casts of performers. Therefore, there are no cancellations/substitutions of performances. If an artist falls ill, his substitute will take the stage. All artists, even those who were extras for the great director Mark Zakharov, now play roles, including the main ones.
“Anton Yakovlev plays Hamlet,” Mark Varshaver said vaguely, referring to the fact that director Yakovlev is staging a play based on Shakespeare. The premiere is scheduled for October 15 and 16. In the role of the Prince of Denmark – Anton Shagin. Gertrude – Anna Yakunina, Claudius – Maxim Averin/Viktor Rakov, Ophelia – Alla Yuganova…
In the spring, to mark the 80th anniversary of the Victory, director Andrei Zhitinkin will stage “Here the Dawn Comes Quietly,” based on the story of Boris Vasiliev.
Actor Igor Mirkurbanov is planning to stage The Inspector General.
And at the end of the season, Anton Yakovlev himself, who also works as the artistic director of the Gogol Theatre, is planning the play “That Very Munchausen” with Maxim Averin in the title role.
It is worth remembering: at the end of the season, Averin moved from the Satire Theatre to Lenkom. It is as if Varshaver had been “recruiting” him for a long time, but Averin only decided now, when there was a change of power in Satire: Evgeniy Gerasimov took over the post of artistic director instead of the dismissed Sergei Gazarov. However, Averin says that this is a coincidence. He will continue to stage his performances at Satire.
Alexander Zbruev, who has been working at Lenkom for so many years that he has even lost count, stepped up to the microphone. It’s 69 or 68.
“I have not changed this theatre in any way,” Zbruev said, causing friendly laughter from the audience. – Theatre is the most important thing for an artist. Theatre gives him a basis, a foundation on which he can build anything. Mark Anatolyevich Zakharov did a lot for this theatre. Of course, when a troupe loses directors like Zakharov and artists like Abdulov, Yankovsky, Inna Churikova, it becomes poorer.
But great actors worked here long before them; these are the ones who built this theatre together with Ivan Bersenev. I worked with 5 artistic directors and 5 directors. But Mark Borisovich Varshaver, I say this without flattery, cannot be compared with anyone. He has kept our theatre in excellent condition for many years.
Every time a new director comes, a lot changes in the theatre. The troupe is always unhappy. There are dismissals and layoffs… Mark Borisovich did not dismiss anyone after Zakharov. Even more than that: he gave many people the opportunity to develop their potential. These are the actors who used to act as extras. Mark Borisovich made sure that the whole troupe worked. I am 86 years old, I know what I am talking about.
Mark Borisovich solves all our problems: when a person gets into a bad situation, when someone gets sick, when someone needs money. This is a person who helps us all… I repeat: I say all this without flattery.
The artists then listened to the names of the Evgeny Leonov International Prize laureates.
Anna Zaikova received the Evgeny Leonov Award. The actress will soon become a mother.
Photo: Anastasia PLESHAKOVA. Go to Photobank KP
The award for the actress was received by Anna Zaikova (for her role as Lily Brik in the play “Mayakovsky”). She later said that she was very happy because she had been waiting for this role for a long time (which confirms Warshaver’s words). Igor Konyakhin received an award for his role as Mayakovsky. Alena Mitroshina for the supporting role of Veronica Polonskaya. Ivan Agapov for the role of Korney Chukovsky in the same play “Mayakovsky”. The Yorkshire terrier Barney also received a special award – he also takes part in this production, which was the only premiere of the last season.
Tatyana Zbrueva gave birth to her son six months ago and has already returned to work.
Photo: Anastasia PLESHAKOVA. Go to Photobank KP
At the end of the meeting, a musical medley of Mark Zakharov’s films was performed, the music for which was written by the brilliant Gennady Gladkov and Alexey Rybnikov. This music, like the memory of Mark Zakharov, is truly beautiful.
