At the meeting of the troupe in the theater “Sovremennik” did not remember Volchek

An exhibition in honor of Oleg Efremov, he is 95 today, has been opened in the lobby. The conceptual name is “ON 95”. That is, Oleg Nikolaevich. On the gray-black cylindrical structures, installed in several rows in the foyer, there are old, sweet hearts of many photography artists. Young Oleg looks from them, with a thin neck, surrounded by young artists – in life, on stage, in rehearsals. They look to him as God. He is a leader and knows where to lead this young theatrical organism, which, after 65 years, is going through difficult times. But everything is in order.

The hall is gradually and slowly filled with actors of different ages. In the forefront are individual representatives of the old guard and artists of the middle generation – Alena Babenko, Vladislav Vetrov, Elena Millioti, Leah Akhedzhakova, Lyudmila Krylova, Marina Neelova is not.

– I didn’t go to the cemetery, – Svetlana Korkoshko tells me. – I was afraid that as soon as I saw my own people, they would cover me in this “cherry orchard”.

The young people, whom the now ex-artistic director Ryzhakov brought to the theater in a whole course, scattered into the far rows, but their seating arrangements are not together, not shoulder to shoulder, as could be observed even before the pandemic among young contemporaries, says a lot.

Meanwhile, the new theater director, Yuri Kravets, begins clearly, like a man of action:

– Friends, 13:00. Let’s start. I congratulated everyone on Oleg Nikolayevich’s birthday and quoted his statement about the theater, “as a unique community of people”, where several dozen hearts beat in unison.

– This is how the theater received such an inoculation, and we are all from Oleg Nikolayevich, – he sums up and proceeds to announce plans. The names of the directors with whom negotiations were held in the summer and who confirmed their arrival at Chistye Prudy are being heard. These are Marat Gatsalov (August, Osage County), Elena Olenina (Filumena Marturano), Pavel Safonov (Heartbreaking House), Daniil Chashchin. The reaction of the troupe to the name of the director or the title of the work is different. A frankly joyful reaction will be caused by the name of Garik Sukachev, who will begin to stage “Kill Boborykin” based on the novel by Anna Nikolaenko, marked by the Booker Prize. By the way, Garik came to the opening of the season.

Animation and laughter caused the title “From the Life of Fossils” after the director’s words that all artists of the older generation would be involved in this production. “We are fossils, wow,” is heard from all sides. Again, the young but gifted director Alexei Zolotovitsky intends to dig up the dinosaurs of the theater.

Well, Sovremennik will also make another attempt to make a children’s performance, more precisely for the whole family. The last – “Cinderella” did not last more than one season in the repertoire. This time, Andersen’s win-win “Flint” was chosen for family viewing. According to the director, the layout has already been accepted and the young director Artem Kuzin will start rehearsals.

Among the directors, Vladimir Pankov is also announced with a performance based on the works of Maxim Gorky. And Alexander Nazarov with the “Miracle of St. Anthony.” And also Kirill Vytyptov, but what he will put is not clear yet.

– Our priority is for the troupe to be involved as much as possible, – director Kravets summarized and, secondly, he announced the list of special projects related to exhibitions, cinema, director’s laboratories. I was somewhat surprised, and even hurt, that at the gathering of the troupe they never remembered Galina Volchek, who, after Oleg Efremov, kept Sovremennik for almost 40 years in the best theaters in Moscow and the country. Maybe because she doesn’t have a date yet? I thought, but it’s still weird. After her, the life of Sovremennik, now it is obvious, went wrong. But maybe now there will be hope for a rise. Why not remember? But it was her performance “Three Comrades” that opened the 67th season.

After the audience congratulated Vladislav Vetrov on being awarded the title of “people’s”, the head of the Artistic Council of the theater answered my questions, which for some reason the director did not touch on in his speech.

– Vladislav, what about the monument to the founders of Sovremennik, which was planned to be installed at Chistye Prudy under the previous leadership?

– The issue with the monument is still open. I haven’t seen it, to be honest. The question is how is it done: on the mind, without an exotic artistic look or …? I’m not judging yet, but I’ll have to see. But the alternative solution itself or the talk that it can be installed in the Museon speaks volumes. It’s a pity, of course, because the desire to pay tribute to memory was good.

– This season will be steered by the Artistic Council?

– The Arts Council has been appointed, not formed. The simplest thing that could be done in this situation was to refuse, but this theater gave me so much, changed my fate so much that at the moment of general confusion, I considered it necessary to help him gratuitously and disinterestedly.

– Did the Arts Council form the program announced at the gathering of the troupe?

– Yes, it took two and a half months to meet with the directors, to negotiate.

– Do you admit the idea that the artistic director will come to the House on Chistye Prudy?

– For God’s sake. But to sit and wait for the arrival of the Mission, which will come and distribute everything in its place, I will not wait. Why am I wasting my life? We must do our best to help. Moreover, the Arts Council is an advisory body, and all its decisions are advisory in nature.

– You are in demand in movies, in serials. Refuse filming?

– Of course not. But this does not mean that I will sit in some kind of office.

– Do you already have an office?

– Of course not. All on a voluntary basis.