Vladimir Mashkov: We have one tradition - live theater. Success on an especially large scale Ticket to a performance with Mashkov

After the loud scandal with Dostoevsky at the Chekhov Moscow Art Theater, the turn of resounding success finally came - the most obvious and completely absolute. Vladimir Mashkov, returning from distant travels, presented a new version of the legendary play “No. 13” called “No. 13D”. Kamergersky Lane shook with Homeric laughter. And tickets from the box office for Mashkov’s new production disappeared even before the premiere for the next, it seems, ten years: in Moscow, rich in nightly theater premieres, there are not so many theatrical events that give the feeling of a real holiday and, like a potent dope, elevate the mood and life. tone to incredible heights.

This has already been tested by time: for ten years Vladimir Mashkov’s “No. A gift ticket for "No. 13" was, if compared on the scale of Soviet values, like a bonus trip abroad, and in the context of recent regulations - like a bribe on an especially large scale. Without hyperbole, because the hardest thing to stage a comedy is to actually make it funny. And it is almost impossible to enter the same theatrical river twice. Fact: Vladimir Mashkov succeeded in both. And after a two-year break, “No. 13D” shone on the Moscow Art Theater posters with a new line-up of performers.

Evgeny Mironov, Avangard Leontyev and Igor Zolotovitsky, whose brilliant roles in the old performance were brought to laughing hysterics in the auditorium, were replaced by Sergey Ugryumov, Igor Vernik and Stanislav Duzhnikov. There were objective reasons for this “castling”: Yevgeny Mironov dropped out after a leg injury, and in “No. 13” the actors were required to have almost Olympic physical training, and he never returned - apparently, the management of the Theater of Nations accumulated all the time. Igor Zolotovitsky became the artistic director of the House of Actors and the rector of the Moscow Art Theater School. Sergei Ugryumov, too, one might say, went for a promotion, but within the framework of the performance - playing in the new version of the secretary of the assistant to the Prime Minister, and his role as a waiter from the old "No. 13" was transferred to Andrei Burkovsky (his last name is also worth remembering - very soon he will make people talk about himself as one of the most organic comedic young actors at the Moscow Art Theater). So the Latin D in the title means, at a minimum, a “different” performance, and, at a maximum, a cascade of new emotional and even tactile sensations. The dramaturgy of Ray Cooney, opened to us - and let's not forget this - by Vladimir Mashkov, has not undergone major changes, except for the introduced additional roles of the "Chinese" maids - almost wordless, but sonically and intonationally so convincing that not a single news the television story about the premiere was not released without their participation. The plot of the sitcom remained, of course, the same: a certain Richard Willey, assistant to the Prime Minister, instead of debates in the House of Commons, decided to retire with his secretary in room 13 of a five-star hotel, but there were some surprises. To begin with, they were prevented from indulging in passion by the “unconscious body of a middle-aged man” discovered in the room. And now about the main thing. In both the old and new performances, the lion's share of success belonged to the actor and plastic director Leonid Timtsunik, who portrays this most insensitive body as if there was not a single bone in the actor's body, and the laws of gravity did not apply to it. His mimic and plastic solo (was and is) is so fantastic and inexplicable from the point of view of the boundaries of the possible human physiology that comparisons with Marcel Marceau, which Leonid Timtsunik had to listen to in huge numbers from fellow actors after the premiere, sounded more like a compliment to Marcel Marceau. Still, he did not know how, like Leonid Timtsunik, to walk along the wall, leaning on the back of the sofa with one index finger, and completely forget about the existence of a spine in nature. And no computer or cinematic “D” effects for you - only the miracles of live acting transformation.

Literally

The original title of Ray Cooney's play, staged at the Moscow Art Theater under the titles "No. 13" and "No. 13D" - "Out of order" ("Disorder"). It was once named the best English comedy of the year and won the Laurence Olivier Award.

Vladimir Mashkov's directorial works have always been shown in theaters to constant full houses. His name on the poster is a sign of the highest quality of the performance. Among them were “The Bumbarash Passion” and “The Deadly Number” on the stage of the Oleg Tabakov Theater Studio, and “The Threepenny Opera” at the “Satyricon”. He directed Ray Cooney in Russia first. Under the motto: “to make an improvisational, jazz performance out of a sitcom, where each of the ten artists will have their own part, and offensive, aggressive direction will be combined with bright acting.” What can I say - it worked out, twice, and twice brilliantly.

The Oleg Tabakov Theater opened its 33rd season not on the historical stage of the “basement theater” (as the founder himself lovingly called his brainchild) and not on the new modernized Stage on Sukharevskaya, but in the chamber space of the Oleg Tabakov School. This is due to the fact that two venues are undergoing major renovations at once, and therefore in the first half of the season “Tabakerka” will play performances on the stages of other capital theaters.

At the end of the troupe’s gathering, Vladimir Mashkov explained that the Stage on Sukharevskaya, although it was put into operation in 2016, the construction of the building itself “has not been brought to its logical conclusion. Shortcomings were discovered in it, the roof began to leak, and therefore the decision was made to turn to the builders again.”

However, temporary inconveniences seem to be the only difficulty of the upcoming season, in which many premieres, events and, simply put, a lot of interesting work are planned.

On the threshold of the School, Vladimir Lvovich appeared under camera flashes - with a large red folder in his hands (later it would become clear that it contained materials carefully prepared for the opening of the season) and a well-read volume of Stanislavsky. Moreover, Stanislavsky arose for a reason. Addressing the troupe and college students, the successor to Oleg Tabakov’s work more than once referred to the outstanding founder of the Moscow Art Theater:

“I was waiting for this moment,” said Vladimir Mashkov when the applause died down. - Today is the 135th day that I have been in this position. I wanted to see the hall, to make sure that this is exactly how it should be - full of spectators and future artists.

Pay attention to the magic of numbers. As Konstantin Sergeevich Stanislavsky said, we must not forget about the magical “if only”. We are in our 33rd season. What a number! Independence. Season 3 of our New Stage on Sukharevskaya and season 9 at the School.

At the end of the season, I said that we were moving to a kind of martial law, because we had to put everything on alert to meet the audience. We are modernizing the Stage on Sukharevskaya. We are modernizing our historic basement. We also made renovations at the School and it is not for nothing that we are opening the season here.

As Konstantin Sergeevich Stanislavsky says, an actor is obliged to return to school every 4-5 years in order to improve his voice, and, as he put it, “pluck off the stuck shells.” It seems to me that our theater is one of the few that has such a unique opportunity. We have a whole empire, which was created by our master Oleg Pavlovich Tabakov. This is the School, this is our Historical Stage on Chaplygina with our basement and the Stage on Sukharevskaya. And we also have Workshops that can dress you all up and make decorations. We have all. We are self-sufficient, we are adults. And our goal is one - success. Success in your life, success with the viewer and we have no other task than to become better.

Oleg Pavlovich always said at the opening: “Our profession is tough, maybe even cruel. And even I, with my connections, cannot endow people with gifts or talents.”

Indeed, acting is the most socially unprotected profession. Therefore, it all depends on you and, probably, on us - whether we can convey to the guys what we know, and whether it will be useful. Therefore, I really want and hope that the theater and the School will live as a single organism, enriching each other. I really want to activate the actors too: if you don’t pass on your knowledge, your experience and skills, then you are selfish. This means you are not interested in playing and working with good partners. Believe me, it's good to play with good artists. You are getting better. An inattentive artist can ruin everything.

I want us to have Oleg Pavlovich’s performance “Biloxi Blues” again, where students will meet one of the great theater artists. And such experiments will continue to happen here. Only in this connection, it seems to me, will there be a correct existence.

A mirror is an amazing material. You know, as Chaplin said: “I love the mirror very much: it’s the only one that doesn’t laugh when I cry.” We ourselves are like a reflection of our teacher in the mirror. Pay attention, they say: stage mirror. The mirror of the stage reflects not the world, but the viewer. And then we go to the actor, to his eyes, which should be the mirror of the soul. I really want to immerse every viewer in an atmosphere of attention to oneself, to the space, to the worlds that surround us. For the opening of the updated Stage on Sukharevskaya Square (November of this year), a special show “Atom of the Sun” is being prepared, in which, we plan, there will be many miracles: we will show all the capabilities of our site, present the entire troupe and all the students of our School. This will be the first big collaboration.

By the way, please note that the bus stop next to Sukharevskaya Square is now called the Oleg Tabakov Theater. This is great happiness. If we don’t succeed and we destroy the theater, then Oleg Pavlovich’s stop will remain forever.

I also have a dream to introduce you to my close friend Fedor Konyukhov, our great traveler, who is preparing another trip on a rowing boat. He will sail through Cape Horn. No one had ever gone there in a rowboat. In November he will start from New Zealand on a solo voyage, and we, I hope, from the School will accompany him. Because, it seems to me, he needs the cat Matroskin as a partner.”

This is just a fragment of the speech that Vladimir Mashkov gave at the troupe meeting. His performance was reminiscent of a one-man show - with its own very clear message, drama and, of course, intrigue, since the theater has many plans, but the actor has named only a few works so far. At the end of January, the play “Sailor's Silence” will return to the repertoire, in which Vladimir Mashkov will play the main role. “I consider this my responsibility,” the actor emphasized. - But I really ask you all to help me. I haven't been on stage for twenty years. For me, this will probably be one of the most important tests in my life.”

At the end of February, Alla Sigalova will present a new version of the play “Katerina Ilvovna” (Stage on Sukharevskaya), and at the end of the season - the musical My Fair Lady. In March, Sergei Puskepalis will release the play “Russian War Pectoralis” based on Leskov’s story “Iron Will”. In addition, the theater plans to stage the play “Star Wanderer” based on the work of the same name by Jack London (directed by Alexey Mizgirev). In addition, the play “Biloxi Blues” directed by Oleg Tabakov will be resumed on the stage of the School with fourth-year students.

Toward the end, Vladimir Mashkov offered the students a game. Everyone pulled out a golden ball from a glass aquarium and read the name of one or another legendary artist.

“I really want you to become guardians of this name and, over time, be able to answer the question: why me? An unidentified pattern will not do here. This means you didn't find it. I want you to know everything about your loved one, look at everything that is possible with his participation, read it, and then tell us.”

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Vladimir Lvovich Mashkov was born on November 27, 1963 in Tula. In the early 1980s, he entered the Faculty of Natural Sciences (department of biology) of Novosibirsk University, but a year later, having changed his mind, he began studying at the Novosibirsk Theater School, from where he was expelled in 1984 for fighting. A little later, he came to the Moscow Art Theater School to take the course of Mikhail Tarkhanov, but, for a number of reasons, he graduated from this educational institution with the course of Oleg Tabakov in 1990.

Mashkov has been playing at the Oleg Tabakov Theater since its official opening in March 1987. Among the fifteen roles played by the actor in “Snuffbox” in 1987-1999, Abram Schwartz, the Jewish father from Alexander Galich’s play “Sailor’s Silence,” stands out. The actor played him while still a student at the Studio School, and in 1990 the amazing and unforgettable image of the elder Schwartz appeared on the stage of the “basement” theater.

At the same time, Mashkov played the Mayor in Sergei Gazarov’s play “The Inspector General”. The performance did not run long, but thanks to the many excellent acting and director's work, it was remembered by theatergoers.

In May 1991, Mashkov played the role of Sergeant Toomey in the legendary play “Biloxi Blues,” as it is now called.

In 1992, having received permission from Tabakov to rehearse independently, Mashkov began work on his first performance as a director - “Finest Hour in Local Time” with Yevgeny Mironov in the title role. Tabakov liked the result of the “extracurricular” activities so much that the play was accepted into the repertoire and ran with constant success for eight years.

In the wake of this success, Mashkov took Mironov in his next production - “The Passion of Bumbarash”. The musical performance based on Gaidar's early works with lyrics by Yuli Kim and music by Vladimir Dashkevich was not to the taste of critics, but became a real theatrical hit. It ran for 18 years and was played 233 times.

The actor’s third production, “The Deadly Number,” based on the play by Oleg Antonov, became no less popular, in which the roles of clowns were played by Andrei Smolyakov, Sergei Belyaev, Vitaly Egorov and Andrei Panin, as well as Sergei Ugryumov.

In 2000, Vladimir presented the play on the stage of the Art Theater - soon after Oleg Tabakov became its director. “No. 13” is considered one of the most commercially successful performances of modern times. Interest in it does not dry up 18 years later, even after the director made adjustments and changed the cast of performers, leaving only Sergei Belyaev and Leonid Timtsunik in their places.

Vladimir Mashkov is, without exaggeration, one of the brightest stars of Russian cinema. Among other things (and few of our actors can boast of this), he starred in Hollywood. Of Mashkov’s many film characters, viewers especially love David Markovich Gotsman from Sergei Ursulyak’s serial television film “Liquidation.” Among the most popular films of recent times with the participation of the actor are such films as “Moving Up”, “Crew”, “Duelist”.

As a director, Mashkov made two films: “The Orphan of Kazan,” in which he featured his teacher, Oleg Tabakov, and “Papa,” based on Galich’s “Sailor’s Silence.”

In 2010, Vladimir Mashkov was awarded the honorary title of People's Artist of Russia. Among other things, he is a laureate of the prestigious Nika, Golden Eagle, and TEFI awards.

People's Artist of Russia Vladimir Mashkov is one of the most popular actors in Russian cinema. “A truly great master who continues the best traditions of the Russian acting school. His work is distinguished by authenticity, a subtle psychological portrayal of characters and selfless dedication to his work. Mashkov is a professional of the highest class.” The director gave this description of Mashkov

Biography

Vladimir Mashkov inherited his stormy temperament and bright appearance from his Italian grandmother, who came to Russia to teach. Here she got married and gave birth to a daughter, Natalya, Vladimir’s future mother. Natalya Ivanovna gave birth to a son, Vitaly, in her first marriage. Vladimir was born when his mother was married to the charming and energetic actor Lev Petrovich Mashkov.

In the mid-1960s, the Mashkov family moved to Novokuznetsk. Parents got a job at the Novokuznetsk Puppet Theater: father as an actor, mother as a director. Most of Volodya's childhood was spent behind the scenes of the theater. Volodya was always the life of the party, played the guitar excellently, and was fond of Paul McCartney and Suzi Quatro. But at school, “Vovka studied disgustingly!” says his half-brother. “He changed schools because of his bad behavior: he would grow long hair, or something else.”

However, after graduating from school, when the Mashkovs moved to Novosibirsk in the late 1970s, Vladimir applied to the biology department of the university. After studying at the university for a year, he dropped out and entered the Novosibirsk Theater School. Then there was the Moscow Art Theater School, where at first there was also no luck - Mashkov was expelled for a fight and continued his theater studies as a decorator at the Moscow Art Theater. After missing a year, Mashkov graduated from the Studio School on Tabakov’s course. The meeting with became decisive in the fate of Vladimir.

Theater

In 1990, Vladimir Mashkov was accepted into the Theater troupe under the direction of Oleg Tabakov. His first big role was Abram Schwartz in the play "Sailor's Silence" based on Galich's play. After this work, the head of the Moscow Art Theater Oleg Tabakov said that an Actor was born. Among Vladimir Mashkov's other roles: Mayor in the play "The Inspector General", Don Juan - "The Myth of Don Juan", Platonov - "Mechanical Piano", Ivanovich and Ugarov - "Anecdotes".

In 1992, Mashkov became interested in directing. As a director, he staged performances at the Tabakov Theater "Finest Hour in Local Time" and "Passion of Bumbarash" (play by Yuli Kim), and two years later - "Deadly Number" (Oleg Antonov). And in 1996, he staged the play “The Threepenny Opera” on the stage of the Satyricon Theater.

“Theater is my life, and now I enjoy rehearsing with my colleagues and friends. And nothing could be more beautiful than this,” Mashkov told RIA Novosti.

Movie

Vladimir Mashkov made his film debut in 1989 in the film “Green Fire of the Goat.” In total, Mashkov starred in about fifty films. The actor's finest hour came in 1994, when he played roles in the films Limita by Denis Evstigneev and Then there were the films The Thief, which received an Oscar nomination. In 2000, he played the role of Emelyan Pugachev in the historical film

"Russia 1"

Evgeny Mironov is Mashkov’s most important partner in Russia. Both students of Tabakov came out of the Tabakerka. Their duets in the films “The Idiot”, “Piranha Hunt” and in the TV series “Ashes” always arouse special interest among viewers and professionals. According to Mironov, Mashkov can always help, suggest in which direction to move.

In March 2015, television viewers saw a series filmed in the genre of a psychological thriller. The film tells about the tragedy of officer Alexei Bragin, released from many years of imprisonment. The officer is hiding something: perhaps he was recruited by the enemy. The film received very high ratings. The role of Bragin was brilliantly played by Vladimir Mashkov. “I was impressed by this man. This settler. I still can’t fully figure him out. He changes so often that I can’t keep up with him,” Mashkov said in a segment of the Vesti program dedicated to the release of the series.

In 2016, the premiere of a new one took place - a remake of one of the most popular Russian films. The main roles went to Vladimir Mashkov. The producer of the film, Leonid Vereshchagin, did not hide the fact that attracting the most popular actors to work would have a positive effect on the box office. When editing the film, all kinds of special effects, high-quality graphics, and 3D format were used.

On December 28, 2017, the action drama was released. In this film, the inimitable Vladimir Mashkov starred as the coach of the Soviet basketball team, which beat the “invincible” US team at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

The team players were played by young talented actors - Kirill Zaitsev, Alexander Ryapolov.

Hollywood

Mashkov was one of the first Russian actors to begin acting in Hollywood, and with great success. His partners were such stars as Robert De Niro, Nastassja Kinski, Tom Cruise, Gerard Depardieu. Fanny Ardant, who starred in “Rasputin,” said that it was a great pleasure for her to play in Russia, especially in St. Petersburg, which was introduced to her by the “wonderful actor Mashkov.”

Psychic abilities

Actor Vladimir Mashkov has psychic abilities, he predicts the future and heals with touches. During the filming of the series “Rasputin,” his colleagues came to the artist with complaints of headaches, and he helped them get rid of the disease. This proves that Mashkov has powerful energy.

Love to the animals

Since childhood, Vladimir adored animals. Cats and dogs, birds and hamsters, rats and squirrels, and rabbits and turtles constantly lived in his house.

True, combining the acting profession with a love for pets is quite difficult: during long filming, they have to be placed with friends or acquaintances. Surprises happen. For example, an Australian cockatoo named Jack, who lived with the actor for several years, visited the foster home at the Durov Animal Theater and there he met his love - a large parrot with a beautiful pink crest. Vladimir Lvovich decided to respect Jack’s feelings and did not take the parrot home.

Personal life

In his first year at theater school, Mashkov fell in love with fellow student Elena Shevchenko. A whirlwind romance began and in 1983 the young people got married. But the relationship began to deteriorate quite quickly. They were both temperamental, artistic people. Soon after the birth of their daughter, the couple divorced.

After his divorce from Shevchenko, Mashkov married Moscow Art Theater actress Alena Khovanskaya. The marriage broke up after two years. Then the actor married fashion designer Ksenia Terentyeva. And this marriage did not turn out to be lasting.

In 2005, 42-year-old Mashkov married for the fourth time. His chosen one was the American actress of Ukrainian origin Oksana Shelest. Their relationship seemed ideal. Even Oksana’s son began to treat Vladimir as his own father. But in 2008, Mashkov became single again.

Then rumors appeared that Mashkov decided to get back together with his ex-wife Ksenia Terentyeva. However, the actor himself denied such information. According to him, he is no stranger to journalists’ fictions about his personal life. By the way, the actor himself claims that he was married only twice - to Shevchenko and Terentyeva. And the rest were only common-law wives. In general, Mashkov carefully protects his personal life from prying eyes.

Prizes and awards

• In 1994, Mashkov received three prizes for best actor in the film Limita.
• 1997 - "The Seagull" award for staging the play "The Threepenny Opera".
• 1997 - "Seagull" award for the play "Anecdotes"
• 1997 - Golden Aries award in the category "Best Actor" in the film "Thief"
• 1998 - Nika Award for Best Actor in the film "The Thief"
• 1998 - film festival "Baltic Pearl" - prize for a rapid career
• 2001 - Moscow International Film Festival - Silver George prize for best actor in the film "Let's do it quickly"
• 2004 - Film Festival "Window to Europe" - prize for best actor in the film "Papa"
• 2004 — “Person of the Year” award from the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia
• 2008 — Golden Eagle Award for Best Actor on Television in the TV series “Liquidation”
• 2008 — TEFI Award for Best Actor in “Liquidation”
• 2008 - Oleg Tabakov Charitable Foundation Award for the role of David Gotsman in the television series "Liquidation"
• 2008 — FSB Award in the category “Acting” for the role of Lieutenant Colonel David Gotsman in the feature film “Liquidation.”
• 2010 - Golden Eagle Award for Best Actor in the film "The Edge"
• 2010 - People's Artist of the Russian Federation - for great services in the field of art
• 2015 — Professional prize of the Association of Film and Television Producers in the field of television cinema in the category “Best actor in a television film/serial” for the role of Rasputin in the series “Grigory R.”
• 2019 - Golden Eagle Award for his role in the film “Moving Up”

Based on materials from the sites: KinoPoisk, Vesti.ru, Russia1, StarAndStar.ru, RIA Novosti.

Filmography: Actor

• Odessa Steamship (2020)
• Hero (2019)
• Billion (2019)
• Copper Sun (2018), TV series
• Raid (2017), TV series
• Moving Up (2017)
• Crew (2016)
• The Duelist (2016)
• About love (2015)
• Homeland (2014), TV series
• Gregory R. (2014), TV series
• Rasputin (2013)
• Ashes (2013), TV series
• Love for love (2013), TV series
• Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol (2011)
• Kandahar (2010)
• The Edge (2010)
• Brownie (2008)
• Liquidation (2007)
• Piranha Hunt (2006)
• Peter FM (2006)
• State Councilor (2005)
• Dad (2004)
• Idiot (2003)
• Red America (2003)
• Oligarch (2002)
• American Rhapsody (2001)
• Let's Make It Quick (2001)
• Behind Enemy Lines (2001)
• 15 minutes of fame (2001)
• Russian Riot (2000)
• Dancing in the Blue Iguana (2000)
• Mom (1999)
• Two Moons, Three Suns (1998)
• Essay for Victory Day (1998)
• Orphan of Kazan (1997)
• Thief (1997)
• Twenty minutes with an angel (1996)
• American Daughter (1995)
• Limita (1994)
• Moscow Evenings (1994)
• I am Ivan, you are Abram (1993)
• Alaska, sir! (1992)
• Casus improvisus (1991)
• Love on Death Island (1991)
• Ha-Bi-Assy (1990)
• Do it once! (1990)
• Beast Exulting (1989)
• Green Goat Fire (1989)

Vladimir Mashkov, artistic director of the Oleg Tabakov Theater

The artistic director of the Oleg Tabakov Theater talks about the new version of the legendary play “Sailor's Silence”, the role that has become part of his life, the Stanislavsky system and the qualities of a professional.

The first premiere of the new season of the Oleg Tabakov Theater was "Matrosskaya Silence" based on the play by Alexander Galich about the violinist David Schwartz, who came from a Jewish town, his life, love, relationship with his father and death at the front. The drama, written in 1956, has long been prohibited. Only in the late 1980s did Oleg Tabakov manage to stage it at the Moscow Art Theater School and then, in 1990, in the theater basement on Chaplygina Street.

The performance, which eventually became a legend, revealed to the viewer not only the forbidden play, but also the name Vladimir Mashkov. The young actor played the father of the main character Abram Schwartz. Today Mashkov, who headed the Oleg Tabakov Theater after the death of his teacher, is returning to this performance again - not only as an actor, but also as director. He spoke about his version of “Matrosskaya Silence”, the life of the theater without Oleg Tabakov and the super task that is born in the auditorium in an interview with the site.

— Is returning to “Matrosskaya Tishina” today a fundamental point?

— This performance is the thoughts and feelings of Oleg Pavlovich Tabakov, which were carried through half of his life, starting with that performance in Sovremennik. It was his dream, he loved this performance very much. We worked very hard and for a long time. And now, when it happened that I needed to take over the leadership of the theater and continue the work of the teacher, I wanted to return this performance in the form in which the master intended it.

There are two production directors of “Matrosskaya Tishina” - me and Alexander Marin. It is very difficult to be on stage and direct at the same time. This, you see, is a team effort. The play features great actors, both young and very young - we have the widest cross-section of artists represented here - from teenagers to very adults. The work is very intense, everyone works selflessly, and I am incredibly happy about this.

In 1958, the Studio of Young Actors, which would later become Sovremennik, had just been formed by graduates of the Moscow Art Theater School and teacher Oleg Efremov, and staged “Sailor’s Silence” on the stage of the Moscow Art Theater. Efremov was directing, David Schwartz was played by Igor Kvasha, his father Abram was played by Evgeny Evstigneev. The dress rehearsal, to which several hundred spectators were invited, was a huge success, but the premiere did not take place. The production, which touches on the sensitive Jewish issue, did not pass the artistic council. Young actors, and first of all Oleg Tabakov, asked Galich to influence the commission’s decision, but nothing came of it.

— Did you set yourself the task of restoring the legendary production of 1990 or doing something new?

- Nothing can be restored. You can only master a super task - one for all. I remember the super task that Tabakov set and which went away over time. This play is not about death, but about life. Do you understand the difference? On stage there are people who are not worried about their lives, people with a dream. The play is a story about tumultuous times: 1929 - industrialization, when everyone was in a different world, great tasks were set, and many were swept away by these tasks; 1937, when everyone was held at gunpoint; and 1944, when part of the country was destroyed. And still life went on. Always. People continued to live, love and move towards their goals. To make a play about this, about this life - such is the ultimate task. How this will be done is another question. It is impossible to repeat Oleg Pavlovich’s performance. Our theater is alive.

— With what thoughts do you take on the role of Abram Schwartz today?

— This role is part of my life. He is one of those settlers who live inside me and change with my experience. I have now reached the age of Abram. I was 24 years old when we started rehearsals. “Matrosskaya Silence” began as a performance at the Moscow Art Theater School long before Oleg Pavlovich transferred it to the theater stage. I was a third year student and it was extreme. The role required enormous life experience, and I did not have this experience.

Tabakov could have played the role of Abram himself, and he would have done it brilliantly. But he saw Abram in his student and was pleased with how it turned out. Abram is a role for the fearless, as Oleg Pavlovich said. This is an image that allows the artist to find himself in the unknown, the most paradoxical, sometimes mutually exclusive internal conflicts and the brightest colors.

— How did you compensate for the lack of life experience necessary for your age role? Did you think of any particular person when thinking about Abram?

— Back in the 1980s, when we started working on the play, I started going to the synagogue and watching the people praying. I walked around the markets, looked out for men of Abram’s age, and somehow transformed what I saw for myself. Oleg Pavlovich helped me find the external design of the role. He says, put on boots of size forty-five or forty-seven (and my feet are not very large), and heavy clothes. And this uncomfortable suit immediately seemed to break my spine and knock down my legs.

But, in addition to the external design, internal content was also needed. And here is the paradox. You know, I lost my parents early. My father was not a Jewish dad, he was Russian. He was strong, big, handsome, bright - in a word, not at all like Abram. But his love for me - naive, unconditional - was absolutely the same as that of Abram Ilyich Schwartz. Fatherly love, the desire to be proud of his son - all this was just nearby.

Vladimir Mashkov grew up in a theatrical family. His father Lev Mashkov was an actor at the Novokuznetsk Puppet Theater, and his mother Natalya Nikiforova worked there as the chief director in the 1970s. Natalya Nikiforova passed away in 1986; the cause of death was a heart attack. Lev Mashkov survived his wife only by a few months. Vladimir Mashkov was then 23 years old.

— This text by Alexander Galich generally plays a big role in your creative life. In the early 2000s, you filmed “Matrosskaya Tishina”, acting in the film “Papa” both as director and performer of the same role. Why did this happen?

— No, I would not call “Matrosskaya Tishina” a text. This is too fashionable a word. These are some texts being written now , and then... Alexander Arkadyevich wrote it at a time when it was impossible to talk about it. It was a search for a special language that could reach the most insensitive people. Therefore, this is not a text, but a spell. Spell: love, be attentive, don’t miss life, live here and now, take care of your loved ones, people who love you for nothing and everything, just for being you, cherish them. This is close to me.

— In the fall, you announced your decision not to enroll students at Oleg Tabakov’s Moscow Theater School this year for obvious reasons. Is there any news today for those who were planning to enroll this year?

“We stopped hiring because it was necessary to reform the entire structure of the theater - introduce a new repertoire, set big ambitious goals. In general, the school works, and works quite actively. In September, we had an orchestra of drummers named after Evgeniy Evstigneev, for which Pavel Brun came up with the excellent name “Drumtheater”. We have produced four graduation performances, now we are preparing “Biloxi Blues”, the director is our wonderful actor and teacher Mikhail Khomyakov. The school is on the move - as Konstantin Sergeevich Stanislavsky bequeathed, the children immediately take to the stage. More than 30 students were included in the performances of the Oleg Tabakov Theater. Recently, for example, there was an introduction to “Katerina Ilvovna” by Alla Sigalova - in the first act the guys showed themselves brilliantly.

And this year there will be a new intake; already in February we begin to look at ninth-graders almost throughout the country. Our big tour will begin in Tula, then we will visit Kemerovo, Vladivostok, Sevastopol, Kaliningrad and go to Oleg Pavlovich’s homeland, Saratov.

— How can you characterize the current life of the Oleg Tabakov Theater and his school?

— The theater is our home, which we love very much. Oleg Pavlovich loved to repeat one phrase: “The work must be done, gentlemen.” And we try to live by this principle. In the difficult situation in which the theater found itself, the city helped us a lot. The improvement of Chaplygina Street, on which our theater is located, the neighboring Makarenko Street, on which the school is located and which opens to Chistye Prudy and Sovremennik, as well as Bolshoy Kharitonyevsky Lane is the first step towards the emergence of a theater quarter in the city.

Our basement (scene on Chistye Prudy. - Notemos. ru) we increased it by 70 cubic meters, its reconstruction is still ongoing. A beautiful theater courtyard appeared on Chaplygina Street. As for the stage on Sukharevskaya - a mirrored foyer has recently appeared here and the auditorium has changed... I think Oleg Pavlovich would be pleased with the dynamics.

— Mirrored foyer—was it your idea or Oleg Pavlovich’s?

— It was my idea, but all the ideas that we have come from our experience, our knowledge. The viewer goes to the theater for the joy of recognition, meeting himself - both Oleg Pavlovich and Stanislavsky spoke about this. I relied on this idea. A person needs a mirror.

The floors of our foyer (“Attention”, “Imagination”, “Feeling”) and the hall of “Evaluations and Actions” - this is Stanislavsky’s system. Therefore, it seems to me that our philosophy is clear. I can decipher it, of course, but it seems to me that it is more interesting for the viewer to reach some things themselves. In most cases, a super task is born in the auditorium.

— You have repeatedly emphasized that the former “Tabakerka” is a theater without traditions. Why is this important to you?

— This is a phrase from Konstantin Sergeevich Stanislavsky: there can be no tradition in live theater. A very important detail. Living things have no traditions. You can't tell how many apples there should be on a tree traditionally. Nine? One hundred? Or maybe not one?

What is tradition in the theater? Well, let's say we decided that we would speak the words very loudly and clearly in our theater. Or do something like that with your hands all the time. No, It is Immpossible. Theater is a living thing, it’s not a movie where I can say: “Stop, another take.” Each time, artists must find live communication with a partner. Every performance is a discovery. Make the opening a tradition? This is absurd. We have one tradition - live theater. And live theater is only possible without tradition.

— At the Oleg Tabakov Theater you combine the functions of artistic director and director. Is it difficult? Are you getting into arguments with yourself?

- No, I don’t argue with myself. And I don’t argue at all. Over the years, I have developed this quality that I am developing in myself. If some proposal comes or some event happens, I neither accept nor reject it. I look into this carefully. I don’t grab the template, the stamp - no, that’s not necessary! — but I’m trying to figure it out and consider someone else’s point of view.

Our theater is a professional theater. Our scene does not tolerate an amateur, it will crush him. We have identified the qualities of a professional, and I will list the most important ones. Attentiveness, responsibility, efficiency, dedication, learning ability, enterprise, stress resistance, self-control, courtesy, curiosity, sociability, awareness, desire to cooperate. Any professional and any professional team should check themselves for these qualities. When they are there, the job is done.