Evgeny Grishkovets - 54: Why the "man-orchestra" could not live abroad

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

On February 17, the famous Russian writer, director, actor and musician Yevgeny Grishkovets turns 54. During his life, he tried his hand at many types of creativity, for which he is called the "man-orchestra". His search for himself also had a rich geography - in his youth, Grishkovets made an attempt to move to Germany, but soon returned back to Russia and forever abandoned the thought of emigration. What disappointed him in life abroad and why he wanted to leave the creative profession and become a lawyer - further in the review.

The hometown of Evgeny Grishkovets is Kemerovo. There he graduated from high school and entered the Faculty of Philology of Kemerovo State University. After the first year, studies had to be interrupted due to military service. In the late 1980s. Grishkovets spent 3 years in the Pacific Fleet. He never regretted this period and later called this experience very valuable, since it not only influenced the formation of his character, but also became a serious help for his literary works and theatrical performances.

His passion for theater began with the art of pantomime. Back in the 9th grade, he visited the pantomime theater in Tomsk, and what he saw made a huge impression on him. Returning to Kemerovo, he began to master the technique of pantomime in a theater studio, and then left it and organized his own two-person theater. Returning from the army, he prepared two performances and performed at several festivals. However, in the early 1990s. the situation in the country was such that art not only did not bring material benefits, but simply was not in great demand. It seemed to the artists that no one needed them at home anymore, and they decided to try their luck abroad. According to Grishkovets, he was prompted to take this step by the lack of prospects at home, lack of money and the illusion that "everything abroad is created for a person."

At 23, Yevgeny Grishkovets went to Germany with the firm intention to stay there forever. Later he told about further events in one of the interviews: "".

After that, Grishkovets went to the Russian embassy and said that he wanted to go back. While waiting for the documents to be completed, he performed on the streets with a pantomime - there was no other job for him there. He realized that, in fact, he was asking for alms, and not engaged in creativity, which he had always dreamed of. And all his further life abroad presented itself to him as a constant bustle and struggle for survival. When he returned to Kemerovo, he suddenly felt such happiness that he left the thought of emigration forever. Many of those around him did not understand the motives of his actions - then many dreamed of going abroad, but he returned. And Grishkovets admitted: "".

Then he got rid of doubts not only about where he should live, but who he wants to see next to him. Even after serving in the army, he began to meet with the girl Elena, but for a long time he could not admit to himself that this was love. Returning from Germany, he proposed to her, and since then they have not parted. The couple had three children. The family has always been one of the main values for the artist, but one day because of her, he almost gave up what he loved.

Creativity still did not allow him to provide his family with everything he needed. In the late 1990s. Grishkovets seriously thought about leaving both literature and theater, and doing something that would bring a stable income. He confessed: "".

In the late 1990s. he and his family moved to Kaliningrad, released his first solo performance "How I Ate a Dog", which appeared thanks to his service in the navy. Grishkovets said: "". For this performance he received two Golden Masks. A year later, he was awarded the Antibooker Prize for his plays, and in 2004 he received the Book of the Year Prize for his novel The Shirt. In the early 2000s. the long-awaited recognition and understanding came to him that he was not mistaken in choosing his path.

In the same period, Evgeny Grishkovets made his film debut as an actor. His first work was a high-profile film premiere in 2002 - the adaptation of Boris Akunin's first novel from the series "The Adventures of Erast Fandorin" "Azazel". After that, filmmakers drew attention to him, and since then, over the 20 years of his film career, Grishkovets has played 15 movie roles. His most notable films in recent years have been roles in the series Particle of the Universe, Ordinary Woman and Ordinary Woman-2.

It is not for nothing that they call him a man-orchestra, because he is not only a writer, actor and director, but also a musician. In the early 2000s. he performed with the group "Curlers" and released a total of 7 albums. Since 2012, Grishkovets began performing with the Georgian band "Mgzavrebi". He himself characterized his work as "the music of a person who cannot sing."

Grishkovets himself, like his work, makes a very bright impression on many. People always leave his performances with smiles. And the secret is simple: "".

He lived with his wife all his life: The main love of Evgeny Grishkovets.