“And what is it with you, leg? And then I’m in Riga for the first time ... ”
Vladimir Vishnevsky
Why it occurred to me precisely this odnoshyshy Vishnevsky, I do not know. But the first thing that confused was the word "leg" in the name of the play. It was already in the course of the play that it became clear that the matter would not be limited to simply stealing the leg of the ancient god Mercury from the museum. In the play “He who stole his leg is happy in love” based on the play “Little scams of a big city” by the famous contemporary Italian comedian, Nobel Prize laureate for literature, Dario Fo, it seemed “a swindler sits on a scammer and chases away a scammer” ...
Everyone wants to outwit each other or cheat, but the most inventive (as, indeed, always) is a woman who cleverly deceives her unlucky husband who did not give her money for plastic surgery. The plot, which seemed ridiculous, but rather banal at the beginning, turns into a perfect farce already in the middle of the play and ends all of a sudden - the woman’s choice of a swindler, for whom, for some reason, falls in love and leaves, though greedy and stupid, but still a husband .
The second thing that pleased us was the brilliant cast: People’s Artist of Russia Vladimir Steklov, actors Vladimir Sterzhakov, Pavel Belozerov, Alexander Vasyutinsky and the magnificent Irina Lachina. Usually it’s not customary to communicate with artists before the show, so as not to disrupt their mood. But somehow it happened that at first Vladimir Steklov, and then Vladimir Sterzhakov and Irina Lachina agreed to answer some of my questions. Of these, I, having slightly moved away from the format of the classic interview, decided to draw up several portrait sketches that give an idea of these talented people who came to Dubai specially to give us, the audience, a celebration of communication with a real theater.
Vladimir Steklov. About stage images, luck, theater and cinema
“In my creative biography, especially cinematography, there are a lot of roles of the military. For some reason I’m lucky for them. I must say that in the cinema I went from a private to a generalissimo. Now I’ll try to explain how it happened. First, if you take big titles, I once played in the film "The Story of the Unburdened Moon" by Mikhail Frunze himself. Then, if we talk about big military ranks, I played Lieutenant General Vasily Stalin. And, finally, in Sergei Livnev's film "Hammer and Sickle" I played Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin, but if to the end, then in the film "One-way ticket" I played Adolf Hitler.
I recently finished acting in the 24-episode Ligovka. The shooting took place in St. Petersburg. In my opinion, this will be an interesting work, it will be shown by our First Channel. And now I am shooting in another project, where I was offered the role of a police colonel (with the police, by the way, I am also lucky). Moreover, I have to play as honest law enforcement officers, and not really. And in one film, I generally played criminal authority, a thief in law named Joker. But, all this is so interesting.
... I generally think that it is always interesting to play what is written interestingly. This can be a dramatic, comedic or even tragic role. But, if this is good material, then regardless of the genre, it works wonderfully with it. If, unfortunately, the dramatic base is weak (which many modern television series sin today), then this is a big minus sign, which later affects both work and the final result.
... Theater and cinema are completely different things. To ask the actor what is closer to him, in my opinion, is surprising. This is how to ask a child which of the two parents he loves more. Such a question puts the child in a deadlock. So it is here. Theater and cinema are completely opposite activities.
I can also talk about the seasons from the point of view of “like - not like”. Here is your November in Dubai, so warm and sunny, I like it incredibly. Therefore, with great pleasure I even dined on the outdoor terrace, although my colleagues hurried into the air-conditioned hall of the restaurant. I told them: "No. Air conditioning, and the most natural, is enough for me in the winter in Moscow." There, from autumn to spring, one time of the year is cold, cold, cold. And here is the heat, the blue bottomless sky without a single cloud. I have not seen this for a long time. I have a feeling that our Moscow sky is permanently cloudy, and our summer has generally moved somewhere geographically.
... Today we drove around Dubai and got acquainted with this hospitable city. We looked at the famous tower, which is the highest in the world, at the "sail" hotel and other iconic sights. I really liked the old district of the city, where fishing boats and wooden merchant ships are moored at the canal embankment. He left an amazing experience. I'm not talking about the sea and the beach ... I understand that we did not manage to see everything. But due to the fact that I have such a profession, associated with many trips and tours, something is always imprinted in my memory after staying in any city or country. For example, a couple of weeks after the Dubai tour, I will have a trip to Norilsk. Feel the contrast! I can’t even imagine what the temperature might be there ... But I will take your sun with me and try to keep this warmth inside me. In general, I was in Dubai for the first time. And now I really want to return here as a tourist.
... The play "He who stole his foot is happy in love" was shown in different cities of Russia. But abroad, perhaps only in the USA, Canada and here you are, in Dubai. I hope you enjoy the play. "
Vladimir Sterzhakov. About leisure, Emirates, the public and children
"This is not the first time in the Emirates. And, you know, that. Some laziness of this country is wonderful. Because my vacation should always be like this: a palm tree or a birch, or just some kind of reeds, water and certainly a small amount In this sense, I am very happy with the rest at the local resorts. I stayed at the Coral Beach Hotel, and there, just in one direction - two kilometers and no one, in the other - the same two kilometers and no one. There is only a clean fenced the beach. There are no strangers. The emirate is not drunk. No one is bothering, he doesn’t climb fraternizing. N Arod is more intelligent. Why else do I like the Emirates? It’s quiet, calm. There is no such criminal situation as in Egypt, for example, where I’m afraid. But here are all well-fed, satisfied, normal and leisurely people. It suits me. of course, I’ll say that I have two little sons growing up - one is six years old, the other is 10. I set out to show them the world while it still exists in the form it is now. We have already been with them near Helsinki, in Crete, in Anapa. And here, in the Emirates, I am absolutely calm for them. The plans include trips to Sakhalin, Kamchatka, the Volga ...
... When we were told about the tour in Dubai, I honestly did not believe it. I thought it was some sort of a hoax. That we all will go on stage, and then Channel One will run out with shouts: "You played!". I do not know how everything will go in the Emirates, but before coming here we had a tour of nine cities in America and Canada. There was such a full house for every performance that we couldn’t even put our friends in the hall. We finished our tour on Broadway, in the hall of the Town Hall with 1800 seats. For us it was a phenomenal success! With a "well-fed" audience. You understand? It's one thing when you come somewhere to Naryan-Mar, where Moscow artists rarely drop in, it’s clear there. There the audience is very special - men in formal suits, someone even in orders, ladies in evening dresses and jewelry. They are preparing for this event long in advance because the tickets are expensive and people cannot afford to go to the theater often. And when the curtain opens, the artist from the stage feels all this bouquet of spirits floating in the hall, all this tension and attention. And in the West the audience is different. But among the artists, as a rule, a huge number of people who want to go on tour in America or Canada. Although success is not guaranteed there ...
... Here, in Dubai, the population walks with an extinct look. Because everything is here. I think this is due to the rhythm of life, and some kind of prosperity (if we talk about the indigenous population), and amazing prospects for the future. But! Let's not talk about politics .... Better about art!
... Now I like to play comedic roles more. Let's do it. Now I will be a little immodest. Let us assume that all my shame was melted by the heat. I am a comedic and tragic actor. As much as I love to make the audience laugh heartily, I also love to make it cry. And this was taught to me by my great teacher, the actor of the Sun, Evgeny Aleksandrovich Evstigneev, who, taking me from the first day of study at the Moscow Art Theater School, led me almost by the hand to the Moscow Art Theater. Me, a provincial boy who came to Moscow from the Baltic. Only with time did I realize how great he was in his practical studies. Of course, I would like to play some hero lovers and legally embrace such beautiful actresses as Natasha Gudkova or Alena Yakovleva. True, I played for a very long time together with the magnificent Larisa Udovichenko, for three and a half years we worked with her in the series about Dasha Vasilyeva from the books of Daria Dontsova. For me, Larisa Udovichenko is more than a sister. This is my friend. Throughout our joint work, we have never even glanced sideways at each other. Imagine what a hit! And before that, we weren’t even familiar in life. By the way, it was she who advised me to go on vacation to Sharjah, to the Coral Beach Hotel, for which I am still grateful to her.
... There are roles that I will never agree to play, and there are directors with whom I do not want to work. We have scum directors, and I tell them directly about this. It’s easier for me because I’ve been taught since childhood that "it’s better to die standing than to live on your knees." Everyone knows that behind me, unfortunately, "will not rust." Why "Unfortunately? Because such people are vindictive, and my agent suffers from their subsequent actions or statements, but this is easier. But today I don’t want to talk about bad people. I have a good mood. As for the roles, for me, any of them related to violence against children is taboo. If on the screen my character somehow provokes children's tears, I refuse this role, regardless of the fee or any other arguments. Children for me are angels. And everything connected with them is sacred to me. "
Irina Lachina. About Men, Entreprise, and Comedy Directors
“I play in this performance surrounded by four magnificent men, and I must say that I feel great. In general, it is very beneficial to be the only woman in the play, because all the attention, care, tenderness and affection of the partners in the scene go to you alone. And in a circle Real men always feel like a real woman. It's very nice. Real men are gathered in this performance. And I really like working in such a company, not to mention the fact that they are all true professionals, great actors. And every time our performance, despite I’m saying that soon we will play the hundredth in a row, it sounds different. There is, of course, the main outline, but we always improvise on stage. And this is very cool, because it means that the performance is live. that every time we are glad to see each other, and therefore we work together with pleasure.
... When I was offered the role of Daphne, I did not even hesitate, agreed immediately and with great joy. In general, an enterprise is a marriage of love. If you are assigned to the role in the repertoire theater, and you do not always play what you want, then in the entreprise there is a great opportunity to refuse, referring to employment, to intelligently leave the uninteresting role. Therefore, the entreprise for me is always pleasure and freedom of choice. In the play “He who stole his foot is happy in love” is really interesting material, I really like my role. My heroine is a real adventurer. She is Italian, but adventurers usually do not have a nationality. For example, when I get older, I understand that I myself am a terrible adventurer, as I often find myself in completely provocative projects. But back to the play.
... The director of this performance, Alexei Kiryushchenko, is by far one of the best comedians in our country. He is known to a wide audience as the director of the series "My Fair Nanny". It is a great pleasure to work with him. And the production of this particular performance, in my opinion, was one hundred percent successful. At one time, we studied with Alexei at the Shchukin School, so the language we speak is the same, although he studied two years older than me. We have one school with him. By the way, he very well understands my range and my acting abilities. However, not only mine. In the performances of Alexei Kiryushchenko there are no random actors at all. He always invites actors to the roles pointwise, so to speak. He has a trained eye, and mistakes usually don't happen. "
I am sincerely sorry that we could not communicate with Pavel Belozerov and Alexander Vasyutinsky, but their game and completely hilarious characters (the second crook and lover of the traitor and liar Daphne) added a good impression of the performance. Well, and summarizing everything that the actors said, the third thing that I remember is really a wonderful statement by Alexei Kiryushchenko, expressive scenery, funny costumes and great music. It would be worthwhile to note the brilliant game of Vladimir Steklov, who played such a convincing and touching fool husband that in the end, despite the expected “happy-end”, he was somehow sorry. The most ridiculous of all was the adventurer and fraudster Apollo performed by Vladimir Sterzhakov, in whom (in general, not entirely logical) the main character Daphne suddenly fell in love. And finally, a cheerful general dance at the end of the second action put the right point.
The only thing that upset was the sluggish reaction of the public, which fully corresponded to the characteristic given by Vladimir Sterzhakov, who spoke about people with a “dead face”. We, the audience, were stingy with emotions, as if we were afraid once again to laugh at a funny remark or plot twist. Either weaned from the theater as such, or “got hooked” on the television “soap” and “stand-by comedy” so that we forgot how to listen, hear and understand the humor that permeates the genre of the Italian comedy “del arte”. It's a pity. But thanks to the organizers of the tour. Continue even if it is difficult. Return Russian people a living art. We need it, even if we do not understand this.
