In the theatrical world, the name of Mikhail Shemyakin is known mainly as the creator of the new libretto of the well-known ballet masterpieces that he updates, in which he acts as the art director. These are “The Nutcracker”, nicknamed “Shemyakinsky”, “The Magic Nut”, “Coppelia” “Holy Spring” and others. Here, at the Stas Namin Theater, Shemyakin first appears as the creator of an autobiographical play.
In New York in the early 1980s, fate brought together and brought together an amazing company of exiles from the USSR, consisting of dancers, writers, artists and actors. Soviet Russia was still a closed and unknown country for the Western world, where — it seemed — none of these creators was ever destined to return.
At that time, Shemyakin, the exile, moved to this fantastic city from Paris, which had disappointed him with his sleepiness. New York attracted the creators of the whole world with its powerful dynamics, crazy world of fashionable nightclubs of all stripes, openness to new ideas and experiments.
Russian exiled writers began to attract the attention of American readers by the mysticism and singularity of their works. The former mathematician from Riga Edik Nakhamkin founded the Russian gallery world, which he decided to fill with paintings and sculptures of non-conformist artists. Film director Slava Zuckerman created the cult film “Liquid Sky”, reflecting the spirit of the time.
As for the American “high society,” Russian deserters — Nureyev, Baryshnikov, Makarova, Godunov — broke wild applause. On the catwalk, the long legs of Russian fashion models were beginning to walk.
But all this happened in Manhattan. And there was also Brighton Beach, densely populated by Odessa citizens and nicknamed for it “Little Odessa”, opened the doors of the first Russian taverns, in which the stars of Brighton’s world were born and sang. The most prominent representative of them was Willy Tokarev. I flew in to please the Brightons and the famous Parisian Gypsy Alesha Dmitrievich.
The play is about that merry and at the same time tragic time, about known and unknown personalities, according to the memoirs of Shemyakin. From his face is the whole performance.
The premiere performances on December 16 and 17 are attended by author Mikhail Shemyakin and Willy Tokarev.
“ The performance of Mikhail Shemyakin "New York. 80th. We." - chaotic, versatile, shocking and at the same time very sincere, personal. Mikhail Shemyakykh made a performance from his memoirs, speaking at once in all possible functions - the author of the text, the director, the artist, the presenter, having animated himself and his friends in acting characters, many of whom are no longer alive, playing their fantasies. The performance is obvious 18+, it can be shocking, but it takes for the soul.