ART
Galina: Nevertheless, it seems to me
that in Kazakhstan the people from the
business community can meet halfway
and are ready to partner. In Russia, I
rarely see this phenomenon. There are
some, for example the Prokhorov Fund,
but this is a different story.
There are many directors who
inspire me. I will not give you names
to prevent people from looking for
similarities. I am different. There are
delightful directors – Fomenko, his
student Zhenovach. I have tried to get
to the laboratory of Zhenovach, but
I was told I am a different director. I
understand that I’m not like them, but I
have those who give inspiration.
Julie: Many people talk about good
or bad directing, but not everyone
can understand what the director’s
functions include. We have heard about
director’s duties. But, what are the
director’s possibilities?
What qualities should a person have to
become a good director?
Galina: It is still strange to me to see
my name next to the noun “director”.
When I returned to Kazakhstan a year
ago, during the release of The Snow
Maiden, I was close to leaving the
profession, but Irena Aravina rescued
me when she offered to stage a play
about Piaf and Sinatra. At first I
answered that I couldn’t, but she said
that she would not do it with anyone
else. If not for the ‘Happy Sing’, I
would’ve taken a break. The play
revived me to a creative work life.
Everyone would answer your question
in their own way, but the main
quality of a director’s profession for
me is patience and love, patience
in working with the group, because
together you create from the air,
from nothing. It is a very egocentric
profession actually that must begin
with you. In fact, you impose your
idea of this world or any situation.
Most often, this is not an absolute,
but people need to and will follow
you. When you find out at the
premiere that your vision has a life of its
own, you start blaming yourself, thinking
that you were harsh or rude with the
actors, sound engineers, and so on.
What influence does your will as a
director have? It does not have the
power to save a dying person or
rescue a falling plane… What guides
you when you insist that people have
to do everything your way? What is
your motive and what principles guide
you? It’s a mystery for me.
It is love for theatre. And further,
patience and love for the audience
who has the right not to understand
what you are doing, has the right
to even demand their money back.
Theatre-goers have that right.
Julie: I know that you have your
favorite directors who are important
for you. Who are they?
Galina: It is a difficult question.
Some are gone already. In this sense,
I do not stop getting acquainted
with the theatre’s history. When
we created ARTiShock, I was an
ardent supporter of Vakhtangov’s
methodology. I quoted him very
often. This was evident from my first
performances.
There are people with whom I was
familiar, and I mentally turn to them
every day. Boris Preobrazhenskiy. I’m
not his student, he never taught me
directing. I have just worked for the
theatre. I’m not his favorite actress
either. But I remember everything
he said when we started to build
ARTiShock. In my thoughts I also talk to
Boris Preobrazhenskiy as I would to my
own father, who is not alive.
Julie: You are doing a completely
different kind of theatre. I notice
in your direction a mindfulness, an
amazing vision of human psychology
and a love that is characteristic for
Preobrazhenskiy. He loved deeply what
he did and adored every actor he has
worked with.
At the moment, ARTiShock is preparing
for a new performance. The work
process has already begun, so it’s time
to wrap up.
My congratulations on the Golden
Mask! This is just the beginning!
I express my admiration to you
and wait for the moment when the
performances you do will be played on
the coolest world stages.
Galina: Julie, you bring us good luck!
Photographer: Frol Podlessniy
Old House Theater, Novosibirsk, Russia
supported by EUROBAK
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