It is also a monument: Sovremennik will immortalize its founders in bronze.
Sovremennik began the new season with Galina Volchek's play "Three Comrades." The day before, artistic director Vladimir Mashkov gathered the troupe and told them about the theater's plans. The next premiere is in November, it will be "The Marriage of Balzaminov" with Marina Neelova and Alyona Babenko. There are productions based on Vampilov, Bulgakov, Chekhov and Strindberg ahead. And in April, the anniversary itself will be celebrated. Izvestia visited Sovremennik and found out how the theater on Chistye Prudy would impress the audience.
Loyalty to the traditions of Sovremennik
Traditionally, Sovremennik opens its season on October 1, the birthday of Oleg Yefremov, the founder of the theater. In the morning, Vladimir Mashkov and the artists visited Novodevichy Cemetery, the grave of the great artist. In the afternoon, the troupe, staff, and friends of the theater gathered on Chistoprudny Boulevard. A surprise awaited them: an updated foyer, an auditorium after renovation and a stage equipped with the latest technology.
Before the ceremony, the audience got acquainted with the multimedia exhibition "70 years in detail". The left wing of the foyer was dedicated to Yefremov, and the right wing was dedicated to Galina Borisovna Volchek, who led the theater for many years. Black-and-white photographs with the founding fathers, books and manuscripts of playwrights whose plays were staged in these walls, a mock-up of Volchek's office, bottles of her favorite perfumes became part of the exhibition. There is also a red book behind the glass, this is the certificate of the Sovremennik Theater Studio at the Gorky Moscow Art Theater of the USSR No. 11, issued to artist Galina Borisovna Volchek, valid until December 31, 1962.
"The jubilee season of the theater is not only a celebration for us, but also a new responsibility — to continue the traditions laid down by our founders and to speak to the audience in a modern language," Mashkov said. — We cherish the memory of our creators. These are Oleg Efremov, Galina Volchek, Oleg Tabakov, Igor Kvasha, Viktor Sergachev, Lilia Tolmacheva, Evgeny Evstigneev. All this is reflected in the concept of our exhibition.
The artistic director began the solemn part with the veterans. For his service to Sovremennik for more than 50 and 60 years, he presented awards to Lyudmila Krylova, Viktor Tulchinsky, Elena Millioti, Vladimir Suvorov, Marina Neelova, Marina Khazova, Svetlana Korkoshko and Taisiya Mikholap.
—Thanks to you, Sovremennik remains a living home where the memory of the past meets the future," Mashkov said.
What will the new season of Sovremennik be like?
There is a new addition to the theater's troupe: Andrei Veshkurtsev, an artist from the Gorky Moscow Art Theater, now serves here. Under the former head of the theater on Tverskaya Boulevard, Vladimir Kekhman, he played all the main roles in new productions. Luka in "At the Bottom", Yesenin in "Yesenin's Women". According to Andrey Veshkurtsev, he graduated from the Shchepkin Theater School, where Yuri Solomin was his master. After graduation, the young man came to Sovremennik, but he was not accepted. A few years have passed, and now he is where he dreamed of serving.
Actress Lyudmila Krylova
"I've known Sovremennik since 1956," said Lyudmila Krylova, Honored Artist of Russia. — I studied in the theater club of the Pravda club. The first performances of the Studio of Young Artists under the direction of Oleg Yefremov played there. Once I saw the poster of "Forever alive". I stayed and fell into the pool with my head. I just fell in love with these guys. Then I went to the play "In Search of Joy" based on the play by Viktor Rozov and there I met my future husband (Oleg Tabakov. — Ed.). Later, the film "Noisy Day" appeared based on this production, in which the artists of Sovremennik starred.
Honored Artist of Russia Alyona Babenko is 17 years old in Sovremennik. She is currently rehearsing a play based on Alexander Ostrovsky's play "The Marriage of Balzaminov." The premiere is scheduled for November 28.
— I can't say who I'm going to play, the proposed role surprised me very much, it's far from my acting nature, — intrigued Alyona Babenko. — Thanks to the director's faith in me, I'm slowly moving in the right direction.
Actor Dmitry Smolev
Ostrovsky is directed by Sergey Gazarov. As Vladimir Mashkov says, it will be bright, large-scale, with a stellar cast. Marina Neyolova will play the role of Krasavina's matchmaker. Dmitry Smolev will play the role of Mishenka Balzaminov.
— My hero is a 40—year-old guy who does nothing but dream: I would like this, I would like that. Well, let the audience evaluate what all this will lead to," Dmitry Smolev shared.
The artists do not deviate from Ostrovsky's text. And the director doesn't plan to move the characters these days, everything will be like the author's.
Mashkov doesn't like to name performances that don't exist yet. But he told me about the ones who are rehearsing.
— On December 25 and 26, on Another stage, we will present a play based on Mikhail Roshchin's play "Hurry up to Do Good," Mashkov announced. — The directors will be Oleg Tabakov Theater actors Yana Sexte and Alexey Usoltsev, they staged the play "Ark" in Sovremennik, which is sold out.
"Hurry up to Do Good" was directed by Galina Volchek for the first time in 1980. This is a deep reflection on what good is and how you have to pay for it. Marina Neyolova played the main role in that play. The production has become legendary. It was saved for the audience by being filmed. A new reading is just being prepared, and the advertising campaign has already begun. Sovremennik has introduced "Hurry up to do good" T-shirts and sweatshirts. The new merch collection is an opportunity to remind yourself and the world of the most important things, according to the theater.
Other productions will certainly be supported. Among the authors in the work, Vladimir Mashkov named the following: Chekhov, Gogol, Vampilov, Bulgakov, Shukshin, Shtok, Saltykov-Shchedrin, Pushkin, Ibsen, Strindberg and some young names.
Sovremennik is also preparing a series of anniversary events.: exhibitions, meetings with artists, branded subway trains, film screenings with the participation of contemporaries. Having worked with Galina Volchek for a quarter of a century, the director of Sovremennik, Evgeny Kuznetsov, is writing a book about the theater, which will be released in 2026. And thanks to the efforts of Vladimir Mashkov and the Moscow authorities, memorial plaques will appear on the houses where the founders of the theater lived. The bronze will perpetuate the memory of Galina Volchek, Oleg Tabakov, Evgeny Evstigneev, Viktor Sergachev, Lilia Tolmacheva and Igor Kvash.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
