Today, the main brainchild of Oleg Tabakov “Snuff — box” — celebrates its 30th birthday. 30 years ago… And that was 30 years ago? In the courtyard of the Soviet Union entering its final insanity. In the air — a timid wind of change. But an unknown boys and girls rush to Clean the ponds at a specific address is ulitsa Chaplygina, 6, in the basement of the gray, gloomy on the exterior of the house where lived the old Bolsheviks party bosses.

The early youth “of Snuff.” Photo: courtesy of the Museum of theatre

“Do you remember how it all began? As it was the first time and again?” I asked those who were first and second set of course of Oleg Tabakov Theatre. They started the Studio, still not knowing their star of the future, but they are delusional. They are, today, known, popular, famous, tell me a story about his “Snuff”. The story in detail.

Among the graduates 1986 — Zudina Germanova, Timokhina, Belyaev. They still serve in the theater . Of the first graduates to the opening of the theatre has returned and is now working hamsters, Smolyakov and Marin and Nadezhda Lebedeva — no longer an actress, assistant-Director.

Vasili Mishchenko, actor, Director, producer:

— In this house on Chaplygin lived veterans of the revolution, Lenin was listening to “Appassionata” by Beethoven. And when the old men died, the house sitter told us: “Guys, take what you need”. And we took out from apartments wardrobes, sofas, furnished room, Studio, making of furniture, scenery, props. Washed the floors, cleaned. When started spring, pumped water accumulating in the basement. In General, spent day and night in the basement.

Anna Gulyarenko, actress, teacher:

— TOBACCOS all the time we were fed both spiritually and physically. He rode up on his “nine”, brought milk, bread, sausage: “make it fall off”. And the first jeans we have from him, and the first ink, and not your spit, and in the tube. Boys disposable razor. All this he dragged from touring from abroad. And with the size of guessed, everything went well. He ordered us to go to the Conservatory. It obliged, and then we engaged.

Vasili Mishchenko:

And here is the first performance of “Snuff” — “in the spring I will return to you” in the letters of Nikolai Ostrovsky’s novel “How the steel was tempered” — put Fokin. The hero, who was like the banner of Soviet power, we turned 360 degrees. We got to know him through the letters genuine, real, found out what happened to him and how they used power — essentially, he was thrown out of a cripple. I played and Korchagin Ostrovsky in one person. Came to our old revolutionaries came to party bosses. Someone from the Bolsheviks was crying, and someone accused us of distorting the history of Ostrovsky. Then the officials and party bosses said Tabakov: “No need, Oleg Pavlovich, us second Taganka, the second “Contemporary”. This is for the Studio was the first call.

Andrey Smolyakov, actor:

— I’m from the Shchukin school went to GITIS, Tabakov. Was there a watchman and the ushers, and attendant. When I saw the performance of “happy spring I’ll come back to you”, I have accomplished a revolution in consciousness. A great shaking, a great theatre, and all twelve of the performers on stage talent. I was gripped by fear — will I be able to fit.

Alexander Marin, Director:

— Last year we decided to publish the magazine “Pure ponds”. Assembled editorial Board — Alex Seliverstov, Drosnin Jr., Victor Shenderovich, I — and released the first issue. I debuted there with the satirical poem “a Fig in the pocket” is such a sharp satire on what is happening at that time in the Soviet Union. At the same time closed the literary almanac “the underground”: its authors punished, some even left the country. And we, not thinking anything bad, showed the magazine to everyone. Part of the teachers read feel — flinch. And the time was such that the teacher was obliged to make the incident at the Komsomol meeting, and what followed would… Tabakov didn’t fear, he is sympathetic toward our magazine. He gathered the people in an allegorical form, as in the play “Two arrows” which rehearsed at this point, told us what happened and how this should be treated. We realized that the idea of the theatre could collapse because of a single log. We had to destroy the magazine.

Anna Gulyarenko:

In the play “Mowgli” was supposed to arrive the Minister of culture Pyotr Demichev nilovic. The day before came simply people in costumes, the whole Studio perimeter, all the corners were peeling, checked if there was anything? Naturally, to enter the next day on the “Mowgli” was only possible by invitation or list. At the entrance stood our teacher Andrei Drosnin, checking tickets. Approached playwright Malyagin, “Andrew Miller, me, the wife and I arrived, we would like to enter. Can you?” Drosnin explains the man in the suit: “It’s our author.” What uncle takes the salute: “Comrade Kipling, come.”

Oleg Tabakov and Oleg Yefremov after the performance. Photo: courtesy of the Museum of theatre

Evdokia Germanova, actress, teacher:

I first watched “Two arrows” — so told us in the Studio. I was sitting near the aisle, and I could clearly see what was happening behind the scenes. And suddenly I see Larisa Kuznetsova and Igor Nefedov, only the former on stage, behind the scenes continue to play some kind of relationship, passion and in this hot again burst on the scene. I was so shocked: they played even when they did not see the audience, so as not to lose condition.

Vasili Mishchenko:

— While on vacation Tabakov took us to Ferapontov Belozersky monastery, where the frescoes of Dionysius under the protection of UNESCO. “Do not know their origins and roots is not good,” he said. With us was Valery Fokin, Sergei Sazontyev, Garik Leont’ev, Peter Olev of the “Contemporary” — all young, beautiful, happy.

In Belozersk we settled in the hotel. And in the evening drank considerably and made the “Lada” Petit race of Olev. Police arrived, and took us away. But because I was the monitor of course, tried to beat off the boys — nothing happened. As a result, we put in the bullpen in the camera with the homeless and alcoholics. They immediately wanted to put us in our place, i.e., to make it clear who’s boss. But we had such a performance, as if behind each of us one — Walker just like in the “Gentlemen of fortune”: “Mouth tear, Morgan poke…”. They are all in the corners hiding. Tobacco saved us.

The next morning we were taken one by one from the camera and directly to the office of the chief, and there, at the table — mother, Oleg Pavlovich Fokin, Leontiev… we Have legs gave way, “Well, what do we do?” asked the chief, and his words Peter Olev from this seriousness started to nervously laugh. “Why the laughter? I’m not just saying that.” “It’s a laughter through tears”, — said Peter. This phrase many years later to walking around the course and theatre.

Olga Akhmatova, head of sewing shop:

— Prepared to the tour of “Ordinary history”: sewed costumes, and I, as luck would have it, broke a special vehicle with a serger. Go through the yard all upset, concerned, and Oleg Pavlovich runs out of the car: “Hey! How are we doing with “Ordinary” “Yes we try, Oleg Pavlovich, but my machine crashed”. He immediately turns around, goes to the accounting Department. “Urgent order to buy the Akhmatova machine. The Japanese”. The cost of the car.

Vasili Mishchenko:

The last performance in our Studio was “Mowgli”. On the show he came Demichev. We stayed on the course to 14 people, and all of us distributed in Bryansk, in TUZ. Demichev with a guard sat in the hall — only 5 people there, and we played. After the show he asked us, like, where you have the distribution (although it was clear that everyone knew about Bryansk). “It’s great — he says — that the entire course will work in Bryansk, there are not enough specialists. But Oleg Pavlovich will come to you”. We realized that there was no theatre for us, and I thought Oleg Pavlovich in these moments old, maybe ten years.

Alla Dyukov, the dresser:

— Has been planned tour to Novokuznetsk. The most experienced and adult in matters of travel Vadim Alexandrov (nickname Grandfather was invited to join the role of the old man Macherkina in “the Overstocked packaging barrels”) told me that in Novokuznetsk the smoke from the chimneys and snow mixed all colors of the rainbow. And to rid your body of the periodic table, one thing remains — alcohol. And the country’s “dry law”, vodka coupons. My grandfather was a moonshine, the beverage he poured in a 20 litre canister. Guys I persuaded to send in the canister in the trunk with the costumes. I Packed the bags went on tour. The next morning, frantically remembered that the canister forgot to put. The guys couldn’t believe it, I thought the draw — and even April 1, but the thought of how to smuggle, not left. Decided to send the train. The canister Packed in a suitcase, has agreed with the conductor. Igor Nefedov told him, “Remember my face in Novokuznetsk my twin brother will meet”. And do the plane took off. Landed in Novokuznetsk, and in the night a large group went to the station to meet your Luggage. After receiving the ill-fated suitcase brought to the hotel, and when we decided to celebrate the successful conclusion of the case, it became clear that the brew-it is greatly diluted. How? Who? Why?!! It turned out that the son of the Grandfather of the noble motives poured moonshine on the sly and diluted it with water. Disappointed, but not really: doing well love, was young and happy.

In such circumstances produced great performances. Photo: courtesy of the Museum of theatre

Victor Karpushko, theatrical shoemaker:

— After the performance of mandatory gatherings. No one looked at the time and didn’t hurry home — home here. And Vitaly Yegorov with Lyuda Ulanova for two voices sang Ukrainian songs — so beautiful.

Evdokiya Germanova:

— We have in the basement behind the stage held the heat pipe, and to run behind the scenes — I had to run through the pipes. And one pipe, wide, perhaps a meter was all the time warm, on it lay a black cloak (probably Tabakov). And it was the place for which all fought to sleep there. But before the performance of “the Lark” I conceded. Heat and quiet. After all, tobacco has taught us that before the show need to eat and sleep.

Anna Gulyarenko:

We were bold and made their way to the performances which it was impossible to get. And in the Small theatre performed the Oscar-winning Hugh Cronin and Jessica Tandy with the play “the gin Game”. We snuck in, was delighted, and not only that — wait for them at the end of the play at the service entrance. We invited them to our graduation performances, and they came. Time passes. In the day when we by Gasanovym was on duty in the Studio, the courtyard drove a black car. We were told: “You’ve sent. Sign it, make it fall off”. And they happened to have sent us a radio! And we had the best sound in Moscow.

Victor Karpushko:

For the first time in life saw the play “the government Inspector” (it has put Sergei Gazarov) the audience broke the bench. They were wooden, hard, ass hurt, but laughing about the priest forgot. The audience laughed so hard that the bench broke.

Olga Akhmatova:

Released the “Last” (the play by Maxim Gorky, directed by Adolf Shapiro. — M. R.). Overcoat Tabakov were sewn in the Studio №1 in Sochi. In the morning he warned: “Today an urgent need to go try on” “You what, so many problems” — “is Urgently necessary. This is your suit.” Three hours later, flying out of the Cabinet: “Olga, let’s go. Only quickly.” He didn’t have any personal car, he drove his red “desyatochka”. Well got it, went into the center, and there was traffic. He says: “So, Olga, hang on. Will break”. And I see that we’re going into oncoming traffic. “Oh, Oleg Pavlovich, you’re going?!” “So we’re in a hurry.” For him there were no obstacles.

FROM THE FILE “MK”

Before the official history of “Snuff” was informal. 1976 — tobacco makes the first set of students at the acting Department gitisa. In 1978 they played their first show “in the spring I will return.” 1980 — the students to study finished, but the open theatre Tabakov, the Moscow authorities did not allow. 1982 — second set of students, 1986 completion of their studies. The official order of the Ministry of culture to establish a youth theater Studio under the direction of people’s artist of the RSFSR Oleg Tabakov signed 15.08.1986. The official Studio opening was held 1.05.1987.