Alena Yakovleva: I have always lived with my heart, I can’t do it any other way

People’s Artist of Russia Alena Yakovleva, daughter of the famous Yuri Yakovlev, is known for her roles in the Moscow Satire Theater, where she has been working since 1985. Her career began at the Faculty of Journalism of Moscow State University, and in August 1979, as a first-year student, she interned at the Metrostroyevets newspaper. We met with Alena Yuryevna on the eve of Defender of the Fatherland Day and asked her about her work in the main Metrostroyevsky circulation company, theater and film roles, hobbies and plans for the future.

Performance “Homo Erectus”

–Alena Yuryevna, how did you end up in the newspaper “Metrostroyevets”?

– This is a tribute to my stepfather, Nikolai Ivanov, an international journalist, one of the first advertisers in Moscow. In my youth, I was extremely insecure, shy and uptight, and it seemed to me that journalism would help me get rid of these complexes. In addition, she naively believed that the media sphere would allow her to become independent. Nikolai Konstantinovich taught me many important lessons. For example, every morning, regardless of whether his article was published or not, he sat down and wrote. This training of his taught me to work, to exist in my future profession, not from role to role, but every day. At Moscow State University, thanks to my friend Alena Setunskaya, I ended up in the newspaper department, and my first task during my internship at Metrostroevets was to interview one of the distinguished young foremen. My stepfather advised me to create a questionnaire, I did so, but the hero did not want to communicate. In the end, I finally got him to answer my questions, and the note was published. This was my first serious victory in life, an important stage in achieving my goal. This is probably where it all started.

–But you still wanted to be an artist...

– That’s right, I dreamed of theater, so already in my first year, on September 7, I went to the MSU student theater to see Roman Viktyuk. Later she entered the Theater School named after. Shchukina, studied for a year in two full-time departments, took two sessions, received two scholarships until she transferred to part-time. The whole university knew Alena Setunskaya and me; we were terrible hooligans. Everything changed when we went to harvest potatoes in Borodino. My girlfriends settled down, some in the kitchen, some to wash the toilets, and I went to the field - and held out until the end. After that they respected me. I remember that time for some other passion for life, an internal message, living and intangible.

Article by Elena Yakovleva in the newspaper “Metrostroyevets”

Alena Yakovleva was born on June 2, 1961. She entered the Faculty of Journalism of Moscow State University and played in the student theater. In her 3rd year she also entered the Shchukin Theater School. Graduated from the Faculty of Journalism of Moscow State University in absentia. In 1985 she graduated from the Shchukin Theater School in Moscow. Since 1985 - actress of the Satire Theater. In 2008, she was awarded the title People's Artist of Russia. Since the actress was confused with Elena Yakovleva, who played in the film “Intergirl,” she changed her name to Alena in the early 1990s.

–Next year is your work anniversary – 40 years at the Satire Theater. It is known that an actor needs to constantly study. In your youth, you worked under the leadership of the outstanding Soviet actor and director Andrei Mironov. What did he give you?

– Meeting such people is not only a start for life, it is a powerful bookmark. In my life they were my stepfather, Nikolai Ivanov, Andrei Mironov and, of course, Valentin Pluchek, who headed the Satire Theater for many years. With Andrei Mironov, in addition to creative and business ones, I had a warm personal relationship. I don’t want to limit myself to saying that he was an example. This is a person who is incredibly devoted to his profession, absolutely restless, forward-oriented, and by the age of 45 has played all possible roles. With a subtle sense of humor, combined with intelligence and a unique natural talent.

Andrei Aleksandrovich staged five performances, and I am sure he would certainly continue Pluchek’s work. I took part in his play “Shadows” based on Saltykov-Shchedrin. He passed 15 times. Star cast. A performance that was ahead of its time. I didn’t get the role for a long time, but when the production was handed over to the artistic council, everything came from somewhere, matured and came out. Now, of course, it’s different: I get involved in the process already at the first rehearsal. But that role was not such a success, as there were later successes, starting with “Barefoot in the Park”, “An Ideal Husband”, “Warrior”. We worked with Andrei Mironov for two years, but I remember all the moments of our communication. I was with him during the theater’s tour in Riga, I went on stage in the play “The Marriage of Figaro”, where tragedy happened. If we talk about the theater of the past, the people of that time, these are lumps that cannot be forgotten.

–Are you continuing to study now?

- Of course. Over the past year, I have four major premieres, including Victor Kramer's production of Pygmalion based on Bernard Shaw, and in total I am involved in nine titles. In Pygmalion, Kramer gave me the opportunity to realize my ideas. We chose the aphorisms of Bernard Shaw, from which I composed a monologue for my heroine Mrs. Higgins, which I broadcast to the audience. The final line reads: “Life is never easy, but if you don’t fear it, it can be amazing, son.” It turned out well.

This year the Satire Theater turns 100 years old. We will prepare for a grand celebration.

Performance “Pygmalion”

–Metro builders have a tradition of breaking a bottle of champagne on the shell of the shield before starting excavation. What are the traditions in the Satire Theater?

“We gather in a circle before the performance, fold our hands on top of each other, palms down, and then wave them, sending energy upward. In the cinema, they traditionally break a plate with the name of the film, the names of the director, actors, and the pieces are distributed to the participants of the film. I used to collect them, but when there were too many, I stopped.

–According to the Kino-teatr.ru website, you have 138 film works to your credit. Which role do you consider the most successful?

– I really love the series “Fighter”, thanks to which the male population recognizes me, including, for example, traffic cops. Other works include the melodrama “Miracle” with Olesya Zheleznyak, the first season of the series “Sklifosovsky”, the series “Women’s Doctor”, “I Know Your Secrets”. And the latest is the family film comedy “Madhouse” in 2022 with Alexei Maklakov, Anna Kotova, Elena Simonova, Anfisa Chernykh and Roman Kurtsyn. Lately I have become more selective; I want to play not only mothers, of whom there are already more than 60 in my repertoire.

My long-time dream is to star in a war drama. I am a patriot in the good sense of the word, I love our country, our people. I want to bring some positivity, I like everything related to creation.

Performance “Uncle's Dream”

–It is known that those who do nothing make no mistakes. Can you remember any of your blunders or mistakes during a performance or filming?

– I rarely forget texts. I have I have huge monologues in plays, for example, in “Uncle’s Dream”, even professionals are surprised how this is possible. Sometimes I forgot a phrase, but I always managed to taxi out. In cinema, of course, any mistake can be corrected. It is not for nothing that they say that the quality of an artist can only be judged by his work in the theater, where he is “naked”, where everything is visible. I tell my daughter Masha, an artist of the Satire Theater, who has two famous grandfathers, Yuri Yakovlev and Mikhail Kozakov: the audience will discuss you for two minutes, and then be kind and work. The role in the play “Katerina Ivanovna” made me turn inside out. Foreigners admitted that they did not understand how we do it. They work with technology, and we work with our guts and guts. We can't do it any other way.

–Are you often asked about your father?

- Constantly. I can admit that he didn’t particularly appeal to me from an acting point of view. He supported my brothers more, Anton (Yakovlev Anton Yuryevich - theater and film director, actor, screenwriter, since July 2022, artistic director of the Moscow Drama Theater named after N.V. Gogol) and Alexey. My maternal grandmother believed in me the most. There was such a legend: my father learned that I was accepted into the Satire Theater from Valentin Pluchek, saying: “Ah.., this is from Kirochka” (Kira Andreevna Yakovleva - mother of Alena Yakovleva). Apparently, he was not very happy.

Performance “Forest”

–Many people know Yuri Yakovlev for his role as Ippolit, Nadya’s fiancé in “The Irony of Fate”...

“He didn’t like Hippolytus, he couldn’t even stand him.” He said: what did I play there? Gaidai’s film “Ivan Vasilyevich Changes Profession,” where he played the house manager Bunshu and Tsar Ivan the Terrible, said: yes, I had to work. And Yuri Vasilyevich’s favorite role is Patsak Bi in Georgy Danelia’s film “Kin-dza-dza!”, this, by the way, is Anton’s favorite movie. The film is a masterpiece, a brilliant film by a brilliant director that anticipated its time. A tragicomedy that is still relevant today.

–The Moscow metro is not only a means of transport, but a work of art. Do you agree?

– When I’m on the subway, it gives me pleasure to be there, it makes me proud. Firstly, it is convenient and fast for citizens, and secondly, it is beautiful. I have been to many metropolitan areas around the world, and have never seen such beauty. Recently I watched a program about the muralist Ivan Lubennikov, the author of the design of the Mayakovskaya, Slavyansky Boulevard, and Sretensky Boulevard metro stations; of course, his works are very artistic, a work of art. For me, of course, the Mayakovskaya road, because my theater is located there, I often used this station.

Yuri Yakovlev with children: Alena, Anton and Alexey

–Evgeny Yevtushenko has wonderful words “Standing near Kizhi is a punishment with beauty that blinds the eye.” What are your favorite places in Moscow and abroad?

– I just love Moscow. In my youth, I loved to take a trolleybus in the city center, ride around, and look out the window. Now I’m talking with Pavel Kaplevich, it’s interesting to take a walk with him, wander around Moscow. Since my university days I have been fascinated by Spanish culture, my love is Barcelona, ​​Gaudi’s masterpieces: Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, houses, small architectural forms. For 20 years I have traveled all over Europe: Spain, Portugal, Italy... But now I’m not eager to go there. I don't like it when people don't like me.

–I know you are fond of collecting dolls. How did it come about?

– My hobby started by chance about 20 years ago. I was at the exhibition of the famous Russian artist Olina Ventzel, a master of museum dolls, we became friends, and she gave me several dolls. And then, when it became known that I was collecting dolls, they began to give them to me: Olga Aroseva, Vera Vasilyeva, Alexander Shirvindt, Fyodor Dobronravov, Spartak Mishulin. I bought a lot myself. It’s hard to count how many of them I have, because half are outside the city at the dacha, half are in Moscow. The main thing is that these are not just dolls, but certain characters, sometimes crazy, fantastic, motivating creativity. For my anniversary, in the foyer of my native theater, I showed a collection of 40 dolls. This is a small theater that in some way reflects my life and creative path, from infancy to maturity, images reminiscent of my roles played and unfulfilled works. Today I practically don’t buy dolls, there are already too many of them. I’d rather help people, residents of Donbass, send money, things, humanitarian aid there, go to concerts, help as much as I can.

Yuri Yakovlev and Evgeny Leonov in the film “Kin-dza-dza!”

–I read that you love figure skating. By the way, my acquaintance with the president of the Satire Theater Alexander Shirvindt took place at the opening of the Elena Tchaikovskaya Figure Skating Center in Strogino. Besides work, what are theater actors interested in?

– I did figure skating as a child. And Alexander Anatolyevich has been friends with Tchaikovskaya for many years. She is a long-time fan of our theater and has attended my performances. Shirvindt in his book “Ahead of the Obituary” writes about Elena Tchaikovskaya, Mark Zakharov, Grigory Gorin, Arkady Arkanov. These are people who had a sense of humor, a wealth of knowledge, creative charisma - extraordinary! After reading the book, I was left with an aftertaste of sadness mixed with the feeling that you have no one else to talk to. Although, of course, among today’s young artists there are bright, gifted personalities. Answering your question, I want to say that an actor should be interested not only in his own work, but also in visiting other theaters, attending exhibitions, and leading a varied lifestyle.

–Alena Yuryevna, what productions do you recommend in today’s theater Moscow?

– I think we should watch the premiere performances of Anton Yakovlev at the Gogol Theater: “The Thunderstorm. Temptation", "A Midsummer Night's Dream". Each of his performances is better than the next. Among other worthy productions of the Gogol Center: “The Picture of Dorian Gray” directed by Konstantin Mishin, “Resurrection” by Pavel Parkhomenko, “Soborians” by Polina Agureeva, “Uncle’s Dream” by Alexander Marin with my participation. In the Satire Theater this is “The Forest”, which attracts full houses, “Pygmalion”. “The General and His Family” with Maxim Sevrinovsky in the title role is being shown with great success at the Vakhtangov Theater; tickets are hard to come by.

I would pay attention to my son-in-law, Ivan Zamotaev, who has many performances and concerts. Theater and film actor, singer and composer, plays in performances of the Russian Song Theater by Nadezhda Babkina, an artist of incredible charisma and energy.

–Do you have your own rules of life that you follow?

– Yes, and that’s why I sleep well. I didn’t step over others, I didn’t compromise. No material or creative benefits could make me step over myself. I try to be responsible for my actions in life. I think that I deserved both the good and the bad that I received. I didn’t build my personal life quite correctly, I was wrong somewhere. But I have always lived with my heart, with my emotions, I don’t know how to do it any other way.

–Your wishes to the metro builders on February 23.

– My words of gratitude and admiration to the builders for their hard work, for the most beautiful metro in the world. And, of course, to those who are on the front line, in the Northern Military District zone, I would like to wish that everything goes well for them, the Lord saves them, they do their job and return healthy, happily continue to live. We all need the strength of spirit, because if you have it, you can overcome anything.

Interviewed by Sergey Zhivaev

Photo: Telegram channel of the Satire Theater, Telegram channel of the Gogol Theater, website kino-teatr.ru