Numerous fans stormed the box office and theater administration with the question: "When will Mark return?".
And now we see the extraordinarily beautiful and talented actor on the stage of the State National Russian Drama Theater named after Chinghiz Aitmatov. Mark agreed to answer our questions and shared whether it is easy for Romeo to live in the modern world?
- Mark, do you feel that despite being absent for many years in Kyrgyzstan, your fans have not diminished?
- Not at all, to be honest, I can hardly remember anyone calling me Mark; mostly, I hear - Romeo. Strangers greet me, thank me, and shake my hand on the street, which is certainly pleasant. When you enter a store, all eyes immediately turn to you, conversations suddenly stop. I am surprised that people still remember me! Sometimes I feel that people have started to forget the name my parents gave me. I have played dozens of roles, but when I am stopped on the street, they always say: "We know you, you played Romeo." This means that through this role, I was able to convey something to the audience, and that is undoubtedly gratifying. This role was starry, even though others were more important and larger. For example, in the play "Salam, Paris," my character was the main one, but hardly anyone remembers that!
- The audience sent you off with flowers and tears in their eyes; tell us what you have been doing all these years?
- I left the country for Yekaterinburg to study under the famous master Andrei Ivanovich Rusinov, then went for further training in Moscow at the Union of Theatre Workers. My teacher was Professor Veniamin Mikhailovich Filshchinsky, who is the mentor of Konstantin Khabensky, Mikhail Porechenkov, and others. I had the opportunity to study with him and obtain a diploma. I also got to work with the well-known director Grigory Kozlov and participated in the production of Bunin's "Etudes," so I managed to perform on Moscow stages. I returned to Kyrgyzstan just recently and decided to support the national theater.
- Are you different on stage now?
- You know, I must give credit to our audience, as they are more lively. The Moscow audience is quite sophisticated. The hall seems almost "dead" during any performance, but then guests start to approach and thank for the performance with great enthusiasm. It is encouraging that our theater has also started to revive – a well-known director from Tajikistan, Barzu Abdurazakov, has been invited, who is staging wonderful performances. My internal feelings have changed as well. In short, I have been retrained, and a significant contribution to this was made by Lev Dodin. With just a half-hour lecture, he managed to erase everything I had learned at the Institute of Arts and in Yekaterinburg. My knowledge turned out to be outdated, as the profession of an actor is advancing rapidly; for example, Filshchinsky questions the work of well-known figures from the Shchukin School and GITIS, finding many shortcomings in the training of the "Actor" profession. Of course, they teach everything necessary for an actor there, but still, it is necessary to relearn them. Now my perception has become more precise, and as the director notes, everything has changed. I strive for my repertoire to be rich and diverse, including sharp-character, dramatic roles, and of course, "Hero-lovers."
- What classic role would you like to play?
- I would gladly play Dr. Stockmann in the play "An Enemy of the People" by the famous playwright Henrik Ibsen. You know, I am drawn to large stages, and I would very much like to perform at the Moscow Art Theatre; why not, God willing, I will grow into it.
- Surely, fans write you messages, seeing you as the passionate Romeo?
- That's right; you know, many fans think that I am just like my character in real life - a romantic and can write beautiful messages. Of course, it might be true, so I try to respond to words of gratitude for my work with beautiful phrases and bring joy to people. I am very pleased that my work has such an impact on people, and once after a performance, a guy proposed to his girlfriend. I would like to note that my heart is not free; I have found true love, and we had a Huppah wedding according to Jewish customs and were married in the Holy Resurrection Cathedral of Bishkek according to Orthodox laws.
- They say you graduated from an unusual school?
- Yes, the Pushkin Lyceum, where I even had the chance to play the poet himself. But there was no doubt that I would become an actor, although there was a time when I decided to enroll in the Mining and Metallurgical Institute, then I completed courses in psychology and decided to apply to the Institute of Arts. Unfortunately, that year they were not accepting students, and I had to waste time, but then it turned out that I could not study there either, as there was no mutual understanding with one of the teachers. However, the acting courses at the theater where I currently serve suited me well. Later, I managed to obtain a diploma from A. Kalyagin himself, study under the Yekaterinburg master Rusinov A. I., and work with directors from Moscow and St. Petersburg.
- What are you currently working on?
- I just returned recently; currently, in my work, there is "Mankurt," as well as "Plague on Both Your Houses," and I also plan to perform where I used to, starting with fairy tales. And again, with new knowledge, I would like to play the role of Romeo, as back then I was a bit unprepared, and it was more played on emotions. With my current knowledge, it would be very successful. The masters told me that it is necessary to move away from romantic heroes, as I will not have to play them often, and it is more necessary to focus on sharp-character roles. I think I have succeeded in that.
- Have you managed to act in films?
- While I was building my theater career, I had to refuse many offers in favor of the stage. At the moment, I managed to shoot in a series by a Moscow director, which will be released soon. You might be surprised, but there I play an actor who was supposed to play the role of Romeo, but then the role is taken away. The director is Ashot Gevorgovich Keshyan. So soon you may see it. I also acted in the film "Love in Online Mode" directed by Choi Li Nam. People enjoy going to the movie.
- Do you have a desire to return to Russia?
- I admit that I do. I had the opportunity to study at a Jewish school, Yeshiva, meet with the Chief Rabbi of Moscow, Berl Lazar, and my sights are set on Russia, where there are more job opportunities. There, I meet many of our compatriots who graduated from universities. But for now, I want to work in Kyrgyzstan and contribute to the development of national theatrical art.
Of course, on the stage of the State National Russian Drama Theater named after Chinghiz Aitmatov, there are many wonderful actors who have various merits, but among them, the stars of young actors shine brightly, who have won the hearts of domestic audiences. We can only wait for new productions featuring artists of different generations.
