“The
constant transformation is his element. Mobility and changeability,
susceptibility to dissimilar styles and forms are properties of his acting nature.
Eternal escape from everything that is certain is his essence. Crafty sham – is
the credo of the actor. From role to role he changes masks being the carefree
clown, the reflective philosopher, the unhappy sufferer, then indifferent
reasoner. He may be the lucky winner, fine intellectual and carefree dandy. Or he
may just pretend to change being himself”- Elena Gubaidulina wrote about
Sergei Makovetsky.

This you
can see for yourself! From 5th to 10th of November at the
Noel Coward Theatre the Vakhtangov Theatre will tour. See Sergei Makovetsky as
Ivan Voinitsky in the “Best play of Russia 2011” Uncle Vanya (directed by Rimas Tuminas).

–
Why was Uncle Vanya selected for the
tour?–
Because almost all of us are uncle Vanyas! – says Sergey Makovetsky. – The only
words of Uncle Vanya which foreign viewer can not understand are these: “I
​​have not
lived!” What does this mean? You’re not born dead? A Russians do understand
it: after all, if I lived well, I might have to turn Schopenhauer or
Dostoevsky. Chekhov has a small provocation: in all monologues Uncle Vanya blames
Serebryakov in his misfortunes. But Serebryakov himself got the push! In our
performance Uncle Vanya has a certain re-understanding of life, and we have tried
not to blame, but to find a different tone – tone of the conversation before
the icons. This is a very modern play, because today many Russians can also say
“The life is gone!”

–
What is your relationship with the audience?–
When I was a young actor, I always tried to get the audience’s response; I
wanted audience to look at me. And then I realized I was wrong. You can not
“shove” the audience – it immediately closes in reply and says:
“Leave us alone. We bought a ticket, came here – let us rest, relax. Go
play, the actor.” With experience has come the understanding: you do not
want to listen – please do not listen. It is necessary to let the audience go a
little bit. But continue to do what you’re interested in. Suddenly it becomes
interested: what is he doing there?

– As an actor, you always take the concept of
the role, which the director proposes?

– There
are decisions that are made immediately and unconditionally. With others, you may
not agree, but that is the charm of the creative process, you can try the
options to see who is right – you or the director. Theater allows it. Movie, by
the way, too: if the director is sensitive, he will allow the actor to play his
double. And if he is the tyrant and then it is useless to argue with him.

– How do you get into the role? Do you begin
thinking as a character?

– No, you
do not think as a character – you just think about it. If I say that I’m all in
uncle Vanya and see nothing around, it will not be true. This is acting, the play,
and in it a lot more creativity and sense than in just stupid playing a character.

Today
Vakhtangov Theater is the name, the poster. And this is an achievement of Rimas
Tuminas who brought us back to us. Because the language he offers is incredibly
modern and is absolutely of Vakhtangov style. This ease of existence, non-irony
and non-abuse of audience, bright form and ambitious text is the pure
Vakhtangov feature. Rimas has managed to combine the two generations of actors
– and the theater has vitalized, sounded. And when we get to the theater Mecca, London,
I hope our pain and our hope, our desire to be happy and the inability to be
happy will be fel. It’s all there in Uncle
Vanya.  Come and see for yourself.