Book: My life in art

The main difference between the art of the actor and other arts is that any other artist can create when he is inspired. But the stage designer must own inspiration himself and be able to evoke it when it appears on the playbill. This is the main secret of our art.

There is no worst theater or actor in the world that does not have its fans.

But such is the property of public opinion in general: once it fixes its eyes on one point, it sees only that one.

With great skill, as an actor, I learned to be thoughtfully silent when I did not understand anything, and to utter mysterious exclamations with sick expressiveness: “Yes! Hmm!... Perhaps I'll think about it ... "

It is not easy to educate adults who want to be independent and teach others.

I could force myself to speak loudly, act energetically, but when you force yourself, increasing the volume for the sake of loudness, vigor for the sake of vivacity, without inner meaning and motivation, it becomes even more ashamed on stage. And next to me, genuine artists were always charged with something from the inside, something kept them invariably at a certain degree of increased energy and did not allow it to fall.

Russian people, like no other, are infected with a passion for spectacles. And the more it excites and captures the soul, the more attractive it is for him. A drama where you can cry, philosophize about life, listen to clever words, the simple Russian audience loves more than a rollicking vaudeville, after which you leave the theater with an empty soul.

The artist must look (and not only look, but also be able to see) the beautiful in all areas of his own and others' art and life. He needs impressions from good performances and artists, concerts, museums, travels, good pictures of all directions, from the very left to the very right, because no one knows what will excite his soul and reveal creative secrets.

Good scenery for lovers of salvation. How many sins are covered by the actor's beauty, which easily gives the whole performance of the art shade! Not for nothing did so much acting and directing incompetence hard hiding on stage for sets, costumes, colorful spots, for styling, cubism, futurism, and other "nem" with which try to shock the inexperienced and naive viewer.