Sadalsky offered his hand to Maksakova right during the performance

This happened at the premiere performance of The Queen Mother at the Vakhtangov Theatre. At the very first exit of Lyudmila Maksakova, at the phrase “Now there is no man who will give me a hand”, Stanislav Sadalsky, who was sitting in the front row in the center, suddenly stood up, extended his hand to the actress and said loudly: “And me?”. A moment of confusion on stage, dumbfound the audience. Someone even decided that this is how it should be according to the director’s idea.

But it was not necessary. Lyudmila Maksakova immediately, without leaving the image, reacted: “And you are not a man. You are an artist. And the artists are children. Therefore, sit quietly” and continued the monologue. The audience applauded Maksakova’s move. Sadalsky spent the entire first act quietly.