CLOSE-UP ACTOR

M.Teatr has recently begun hosting audiences in an unusual format at one of the premises of the Qanun publishing house. With its first production, it proved that for real theatrical art, the setting does not matter. It can get, so to speak, under the skin of its spectator even in ascetic conditions, when the audience feels itself almost part of the staged action. When you can almost touch the actor on the stage. The name M.Teatr comes from the message of its founder and director, the actor of the state-run YUĞ Theatre, associate professor of the Actor of Theatre and Cinema Department of the Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts, director and screenwriter, People's Artist Vidadi Hasanov, who addresses to us today through these words: Mənim teatrım sənin teatrındır... (My theatre is your theatre).

"What is M.Teatr about?"

"It is about theatre, about a person, about his soul, his spirit, to put it more precisely. And, most importantly, M.Teatr is a return to real theatre, to its deepest essence. I'm not afraid to say what I think about theatre nowadays, which has mostly become a place for entertainment. But it started with a good literary basis and the art of acting to match this foundation. Alas, today it is as if this is no longer necessary. So it has become important for me to return the art of theatre back to its origins. And M.Teatr is exactly the territory where these criteria are observed strictly."

"But apart from good literature and actors, a director plays an important role. Will you have a director's or author's theatre?"

"Let's make it clear that I am an actor in the first place. Other than that... In our theatre, all directors can stage whatever they want. There's no dictatorship! The main condition is an interesting idea and talented work, which determine the quality of the result. By the way, it is also possible to stage an entertaining production with the right approach. After all, each director has different views on the production, style and sense of the material to be staged. The more diverse is the repertoire, and the M.Teatr, the more fascinating and appealing it will be to the audience."

"I think I would be right if I draw a parallel in theatrical history between the birth of M.Teatr and those who emerged in the sixties and suggest that honest theatre starts from the basement..."

"That’s what I thought when I was young. It seemed that this kind of informality offered more opportunities and would result in tangible success and prosperity. After many years of experience, I have come to the conclusion that a theatre must ‘convey’ good acting in any space. You see, everything around an actor is tool aiding his acting. These tools are here, around us to help the actor rise above the hustle and bustle of everyday life with every movement he makes. I think that’s when you get real theatre and true art. Otherwise what we get is nothing but a circus show."

"So the actor is an embodiment of the plasticity of soul..."

"Acting is like reading a book. We first get to know the text, through which we find ourselves in the proposed situation, together with the characters of the book. Then we start to empathise with them, gradually comparing everything with our own experiences. And then the reader, as if from inside the book, begins to argue with the author, pointing out to the peculiarities of the plot, situations and actions he finds unjust or inappropriate... The same happens in theatre when we start working on a new production. From the first rehearsals to the premiere everything must be focused on actor. Because theatre is a space where spectators receive multivector information—from music, decorations, lighting, text, etc.—in a conditional unit of time, that is—the entire duration of the performance. It is the synergy of the actor, who is in the epicentre of theatrical action, that unites all this into a single entity. That’s why I think singling out only the plasticity of soul is a false approach. Everything is based on actor's skills, which includes plasticity of soul and body, quality performance and professional training, and the ability to transform to circumstances internally. There are many more nuances."

"Then literature is clothes the actor puts on..."

"But this moment exists not only for the actor. The whole team of our theatre lives through it. When we choose a particular play, it is more like a big tent that is put on the whole team from technical staff to the troupe and directors. The play itself can also be defined as a cave in which every corner has to be explored. Some corners of this cave can be scary to enter, absolutely dark and indiscernible, with odds of getting hurt or having a trouble, can make you feel weak... But it is through exploring this cave that our theatre comes out to the audience, carrying to it the knowledge and skills acquired through experience."

"Can this conditional cave resist to being explored?"

"It's not about resistance; you have to be careful to the slightest details as well. As I always say, there is a distance between the actor and the script. Our mission is to reduce this distance every day. Rehearsals are helpful in this case, as they have an effect of levelling this difference so that the boundary between the actor and his character disappears and it becomes impossible to know who is who. It is similar to our work with this conditional cave. We gradually, carefully and very cautiously transfer to the stage what is written in the script. Everyone involved must perceive the plot, the content of the play as something of its own life experience. That's when you get the right to do acting within it. And the play is no longer exclusively associated with the name of the playwright but becomes a produce of the theatre itself; a completely different work, a theatrical performance."

"Who is Vidadi Hasanov: actor or director?"

"Actor, of course! I never wanted to be a director. First off, it's a completely different profession. It's a different way of thinking. I admit that I am probably a teacher. After all, I’ve been teaching for almost four decades. When I start working with young actors on a new production I try to make everybody understand that the main thing for me personally is their learning something with every performance. Acting is a never-ending learning process of discovering one's own horizons. So I can't and don't want to call myself a stage director. After all, I myself go through some kind of learning process together with them. Interestingly, when non-actors come to our theatre, they show good acting performance."

"Do you mean that even I can come to M.Teatr to play on the stage?"

"Not that quick. You have to cover a certain path before you find yourself on stage in a full-fledged performance. Everything will depend on your abilities and aspirations. I am sure there are no untalented people! Each of us has a spark of talent. Many people are not aware of it. This is why we need teachers who can help us unravel our talents. After that actors can perfect themselves in the chosen field. After all, as soon as a talent finds a way out, it will rush forward as a strong current, exploring new spaces. So I prefer to act in two capacities: as a teacher and as a director."

"Teaching implies a certain level of responsibility..."

"...which is a must in any undertaking, not only in teaching. There is a story in The Legend of Thyl Ulenspiegel, when crazy people build a house without windows or doors. One of the ‘smartest’ among them suggested digging a tunnel to enter it. But when they got inside the house, they found themselves in total darkness. Another smart guy suggested to clean the house of darkness by removing it in sacks. Ulenspiegel, who was watching the discussion from the outside, entered the house and lit a candle illuminating the interior. So, I think an educator is like Ulenspiegel with the candle, who simply makes it possible to see the surroundings, while the rest depends only on the person standing next to him. The mission of an educator is to help pupils open their eyes by giving them support until they get used to the perspectives and, maybe, correct them slightly at first. But then... we are all different and every one of us has his own measure of responsibility."

"Different measures. With our own characters, worldviews, ambitions. Is it possible to establish a connection with these mini-universes dressed as humans?"

"It’s not that easy! For example, I have spent a whole year to make connect happen. Let's say ten to fifteen people previously living in different territorial and cultural backgrounds and upbringings are brought together in one group and learn to work together. My task is to bring these 'diverse' people to a 'common start line' during a year. At the same time, there is a search for a common language of mutual understanding, gradually integrating each and every one of them into a common atmosphere of creative process. It is also a form of searching for interpersonal development. Four years of training cannot be considered in isolation from one another. In the future, when the actor finds himself in good hands of his tutor, he needs another ten years to develop professionally. And only then can you tell he’s as an artist who creates art professionally."

"Which is closer to you: being a teacher or an actor?"

“I think a good teacher is a good actor. And vice versa”

"I noticed that there was virtually no distance between the stage and the auditorium in M.Teatr."

"The idea is to initially create a pleasant ambience indicative of mutual understanding and respect. In our theatre, actors always work in close-ups. In cinematography, this is considered the hardest thing to do. Acting in close-ups is very difficult because your eyes, facial expressions become your only tools to show your acting skills and they do not allow you to lie. This is where your skills come into play, to show your inner life. It is the sincerity that is required in close-ups. At the same time, close-ups are advantageous in that they make the spectators recognise actors, remember him. We therefore use this kind of stage presentation of actors. And when both stage movement and actor's performance unfold before our eyes forming literally a sense of visual tactility it is impossible to remain indifferent. After all, the audience responds to the actor's craftsmanship and live emotions of the audience are felt on stage. Performing close-ups on a theatrical stage is not easy. And I mean it being an actor myself..."