29 March 2024

Friday, 19:39

IN A THEATRICAL WORKSHOP

Igor KACHAEV: "We cannot live in a creative limbo"

Author:

01.11.2017

"Let our faces dance!" Such a peculiar proposal made by Igor Kachaev, an associate professor of the Department of Plastic Arts of the Russian State Institute of Performing Arts (St. Petersburg), recoiled a bewildering boom among the participants of his master class. It turned out that face dancing was an interesting, funny, yet a necessary practice! Especially for those who have cast in their lot with acting. Coupled with pleasure, passion and enthusiasm, the dances lasted three days. Jumping eyebrows, twitching noses, rotating eyes, sprawling lips, joggling cheeks and ears… It looked ridiculous and fun on stage with actors fighting, juggling, stretching on the floor, dyeing and reincarnating in unimaginable poses, and twisting in intricate yoga asanas... In fact, this story originated not long ago. In spring 2017, the Association of Russian Theatres Abroad held an inaugural congress in St. Petersburg under the 19th International Festival Meetings in Russia. Alexander Sharovsky, Chief Director of the Russian Drama Theatre, represented Azerbaijan at this congress. By the end of the convention, the Association adopted a resolution to launch a series of educational programs and practices. That is how the program Theatrical Workshops developed. And that is how Igor Sergeyevich Kachaev, a master of plastic arts, director, actor, theatrical professional, businessman, and just an interesting person, arrived in Baku as part of this program.

For Igor Sergeevich, who had worked with his original program of visiting master classes in Europe, Japan, the United States, and the former Soviet republics, an experience with the Azerbaijani audience was a unique one.

What are your impressions about our actors and students?

Truly, the most positive! I have been looking into their burning eyes for three days and I can see the growing interest in the process. This shine in their eyes and the thoughts reflected in their views say a lot. They search for knowledge and want to learn as much as possible about the secrets of their profession.

Did not it bother you that sometimes you had to use an interpreter?

Not at all. On the contrary, I was amazed at how easily most of these guys were switching from Azerbaijani into Russian and back. After all, we were speaking the language of plastic arts, which does not require translation.

Within three days, the number of people willing to take part in Kachaev's mobile master classes increased as the rumours about the amazing teacher from St. Petersburg spread among the student actors. The first class was held at the Russian Drama Theatre. By the third day, the auditorium generously provided by the rector of the University of Culture and Arts, Farah-khanim Aliyeva, hosted not only the participants of master classes, but also the elder actors and teachers, who came just to watch and to take some notes.

Usually, you keep your master classes within the limits of assigned time. Why did you make an exception this time?

I saw a desire and readiness to continue. If not for the physical fatigue of my body, these sessions would probably have lasted even longer.

What is the essence of these seemingly simple exercises?

It is not only about training and strengthening the actors physically. We try to shape their bodies as more expressive, dynamic, dexterous, and aesthetically attractive.

The title of your class is "Stage movement and battle". Has your program changed in time over 20-30 years?

Well, of course, it has. Everything changes. This is not a frozen, but very mobile form of acting.

Why? Is there any difference between what and how the actors performed on stage in the 70s and what they do today?

Today, acting is more demanding in terms of the physical perfection of actors. They have to be synthetic and be able to do everything: fencing, fighting, riding a horse, dancing, juggling, etc. True, the actors had faced all these challenges before. But today, they must be able to perform much better than yesterday.

Then Igor Sergeyevich showed us several on-stage exercises and battles, which were being taught in many theatrical schools of the world. Plus some of his own tricks. The audience was intrigued. Everyone wanted to try the most difficult of these elements.

How often does a graduate actor have to do these exercises?

They must keep trim always. Actor’s body is his instrument, which must be kept in perfect condition. It is necessary to maintain harmony between the inner and outer worlds, state of mind and physical body that is.

What exactly is the concept of "stage movement and battle"? After all, some actors, even those with better stage experience, have a vague idea about the role of this concept in modern theatrical school.

This includes everything an actor will need later in theatre and cinema. The shaping of psychophysical skills means a dynamic stereotype, developing training (coordination, movements on the floor), support in stage movement, jumping ability, and skills in working with items such as a table, chair, cane, hat, cloth, veer, and so on. A type of item does not matter at all. It is important, however, how the item changes the character on stage. Contact and non-contact fighting are also important same as the actor’s style. These disciplines have been taught since the 17-19th centuries. This is a huge section of acting training, which has steadily grown into a separate subject including a biomechanical model of an animal, stage acrobatics, and musical-game exercises.

All of the above led the audience into complete ecstasy.

How long have you been teaching?

Since 1993. Comparing the late 90's and the present days, I can say with certainty that the level of acting requirements has increased dramatically. I am sure that an actor's body is a "matrix of a long-term memory".

In his spare time between the classes, Igor Kachaev took a walk along the Old City, Torgovaya, and the Boulevard.

Have you ever been to Baku before?

I have been travelling to Baku in my dreams since I was six. And, finally, I am here!

In your dreams?

My mom planned to take a vacation! You know, it was not an easy job to get plane tickets at that time. So, we arrived in Dushanbe, and then we had to travel to Baku. But we failed, as we could not get the plane tickets.

So, your dreams came true?

I am a happy person, because my dreams come true. Now I am here. I have not seen much yet, but it was enough to understand that I returned to my childhood.

But you were not here in your childhood!

True. But my childhood is my feelings of a big common house, where everything is for everyone and where everything belongs to everyone; even the streets of the city where you have never been before.

I agree. I guess it was the unifying Russian language that has contributed a lot to the sense of a huge common house, was not it?!

Yes, probably. I feel so comfortable in the streets of Baku and feeling its people. I feel secure here. That is why I feel so comfortable with my students and actors as well. Even the streets, on which I have never walked before, seem so familiar to me. It seems that the city let me into its heart and we have established a mutual cordial connection.

When he met with journalists, Igor Sergeyevich told them a lot about the modern theatrical school in Russia, profession of a plastic director, his own experience of stage performance and acting in various theatres in Russia, Europe and America, importance of restoring professional theatrical contacts between the Russian and Azerbaijani schools.

How important are these creative and friendly relations between the theatre schools of Azerbaijan and Russia?

With the collapse of the Union, we lost each other at some point. This is bad. Now we need to reprogram ourselves! But it is easy. After all, we speak the same language, the language of trust, professional and cultural interest. It is wonderful to have an association that helps us implement various programs to restore creative, cultural, professional and friendly ties between our nations. I think that visiting master classes is just the beginning of a big and necessary project along the way.

He spoke sincerely and enthusiastically. He liked everything in our city from the Russian theatre with an interesting, almost century-old history to the University, which has been overhauled recently.

You look at the auditoriums and corridors of the University with such admiration. Why?

I like them! I like these bright corridors, the walls covered with pieces of art, as well as the modern bright auditoriums, relations between the rector and students, unobtrusive femininity of Azerbaijani girls and women, open professional interest of actors of different ages to my master class.

Is it true that after seeing a genuine interest in the subject, you have made an exception allowing more than 30 students to take part in your master class? As far as I know, you seldom have more than 20 students in your classes…

Sure! I am amazed to see people who wish to know more about their craft. Therefore, on the final day of training, I worked with them for almost three hours. I was also delighted to see the rector of the University, Mrs. Farah Aliyeva, as well as the director of the Russian Drama Theatre, Mr. Adalet Hajiyev, at our master class, who spared time despite their workload! I was amazed to see that she knew her students by their names! We also had a group of teachers who asked many questions about the subject of our class...

What is the conclusion of these three days?

Only one: we really need each other. We cannot live in a creative limbo. I do not know anything about the achievements of the Azerbaijani theatre school in plastic arts, although I heard that you have a pantomime theatre. Unfortunately, my short stay in Baku did not allow me to visit this and other theatres.

Do you plan to visit Baku again?

I would very much like to continue creative communication with the University and to know the city, your country and its culture closer and better. I would very much like to bring my wife and daughters here, since I cannot take the beauty of Baku and your people with me to show to my family and friends. The words are not enough to tell my impressions in full.

What will you take with you?

My impressions, beautiful memories, my love for this amazing city and my dream of a new meeting!

But your dreams always come true? So, this one will also come true!

The teacher from St. Petersburg, Igor Sergeyevich Kachaev, has managed to make his students and young actors to fall in love with him. They just hope that these master classes will continue in future...



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