"Talent is not money or meat, not ham. You cannot count the talent"- Diary of Bogdan Stupka

In the world there are many actors who can do what I cannot. Recently, in a Moscow theater "Sovremennik" I watched the play "Z nastypaychim." Sergei Garmash and Leonid Yarmolnik played. I laughed to tears. Do not know if I could make people laugh so. When I was younger probably.
 
Now I’m preparing 30 young actors. Crazy workaholics. They can sit in the theater and work for all 24 hours. All my actors I call children. I appeal to them, "Sonny", "daughter". Quarrels are not useful at all. There are other remedies – less salary, layoff. But during 10 years of art director in theater nobody expelled yet.
 
Forgive everything. It came with time. Somebody aging and becoming even more stupid, and someone - on the contrary. I consider myself to wiser. If there are some problems, conflicts on stage with the director or partner I go to our Deputy Director Daniel D. Fedoryachenka. He is 91 now. He supports and says: "Yes, yes." And in the midst of finishing: "Forgive him." Forgiving is much better than punishment.
 
Talent - no money, no sausage, no ham. It’s not possible to calculate what percentage it is. Someone shows quickly, in some - gradually. It’s important to have patience and wait when this bird will fly.
 
Does anyone can be an actor? Shakespeare said that whole world is a theater and Skovoroda added that everyone is playing the role for which he was placed. The God puts roles.
 
Always believe in God. I go to church rarely. Before bedtime I always put the cross on myself and on the pillow. My grandmother taught me. When I was playing Mikoly Zadorozhnogo in play "Ukradenne shastia". On stage, lying in bed, put the cross on a pillow and then on myself. In Soviet times it caused laughter in the hall. Now there is no laugh.
 
Arrogance - is the greatest sin. But everyone wants to smell like violets. Then begins raising the nose. It’s no good.
 
Creativity - is questionable. No doubt - no progress. The same is in the economy, everywhere. We must doubt about could you do it or not. When you reach something - you will be proud that you have done it by yourself. “Stand here, put your hands here and talk in this way" - it is a craft, not art.
 
When it’s beginning to sing praises, great feel insincere. I have self-irony. About myself I know more than all combined. Lying is always nice, but the truth hurts. Believe in this lie - you start fooling yourself.
 
Once played bishop in the movie of Arthur Voytetskoho "I niny proslavivsia sen ludsky" with stories of Chekhov's "Priest" and "Princess". On his deathbed, my hero says: "I am the lowest of all. I’m not Bishop; I wish I could be a priest in a rural parish." He never said "great." The greatest praise he was "good." Bishop, who has the highest religious orders, monasteries and has hundreds of thousands of hectares of land, said that less than anyone. Never lift their nose.
 
A child can teach something to 3 years, after its’ too late.
 
The most I wanted to teach children be well bread, not list nose. And they never lifted.
 
"Obolon" process proclaims that the actor must learn for five years. It’s possible to learn in so much. For actor - was fine when it was four years. Three years is enough, and then some practice.
 
Some students played something on the fourth year and have already “raised noses”. They do not understand that in the theater they lose this feeling very quickly.
 
If you have knowledge – share. Simply without “rising nose”
If you're so smart, help someone else understand something in this life.
 
The postwar years remember. But what was yesterday, I forget. There is an anecdote about the last stage of multiple sclerosis. Senior gentleman agreed with pretty woman, paid her money, she gave him an address, prepared. He came. She was lying in underwear. Got up, started to undress him. He went to her, naked, and suddenly stopped. Forgot why he came. Then he started to dress. She thought that he was too old, what would torment - the money paid, let him go. Dressed, went outside and remembered what for he came. Went back but forgot the address.
 
From my childhood I remember when a piece of bread accidentally dropped on the floor, lifted it and put back on the table. Grandma taught. These holy basic things. This attitude has remained to this day.
 
My parents worked in opera. From 7 years old every Saturday and Sunday I went to watch the ballet. "Faust" by Charles Gounod music, text written by Goethe - classic. Not Potap with his "do not like my brains."
 
Order and problem – it’s like Odessa’s two big differences. Once I asked Mikhail Ulyanov, russian actor: "How do you solve the problem in the theater?" He was artistic director, already experienced, and I - young. He replied: "Theatre - is a substance where the problem will never be solved." Daily problems will appear. Global ones - rarely, mercantile at every step.
 
Somebody died, and you must play comedy. Go on stage and play comedy. Go to backstage and crying. Organize yourself, go out again and play comedy.
 
Why the subject of art is always a human? Because it still unsolved. Russian poet Yevgeny Vinokurov wrote: "The world cut on the parts Picasso. The tears appear. Cut and try." Chemical composition can be expanded, but why is it poured?
 
How to survive when it’s creative crisis? I do not know. This, apparently, no one knows.
 
My dreams - this is my personal business.
 
If you want me to like you (for women), woman should be the same as my wife.
 
We must learn to forgive, to create and maintain a family.
 
A woman can create a man and can throw him. Everything is up to woman.
 
My wife is ballerina. When a son was born, she had a very strong maternal instinct. She still worked, danced, but did not have a career. It’s very difficult when a career in the family make two.
 
I don’t know, maybe she regrets. Sometimes she’s listening to the music of Adolf Adan from the ballet "Giselle". Tears flow. Once danced in the corps de ballet solo, party purple. Music comes on the radio, she cries. I then took my close off and go to her as Paris, with a bottle of champagne. She begins to laugh through tears.
 
Conflicts accompany each family. They divorced, and then “biting elbows” all life because  of divorcing. From the age of entering into other concepts and understanding. Become closer spiritually, humanly. In marriage, should be able to promptly cuddle, caress and kiss. Then you realize that you have her support, and she has yours.
 
When I was younger, I could inflate without talking, quarreling. Woman came and said: "Come, have a lunch, why are you quarreling when you hungry. Have some food and then quarrel if you want." And because of it I love her. She had a good nature.
 
Not always women liked me. I was rude, ugly. Well, I thought about myself such a way. I did not like myself at all: nose, eyes and ears. Never was handsome and even now.
 
A man should be interesting. Once in Lvov I met one woman. She called, said she fell under the tram. I was in love, romantic, gone to her. Gave steam tram running for those on the go riding almost been immortalized under the wheels. When I got the mansion I heard noise. That time it was very fashionable when old men seek couple as young and beautiful. These old men about 40-45 years. She with a glass of cognac laughs. And here I open the door, green one. She looked at me and said, "God, how naive you are. You are at a glance. It’s easy to look through you. A man has to be mysterious." And I became mysterious.
 
I thought if she could just fool that she fell under the tram, what happens next? And I loved her a lot. But plucked from the heart. Always you known person in trouble.
 
Do not know how to seduce a impregnable woman. Never tempted impregnable.
 
Didn’t smoke for a long time, now again began. I do not know, took the cigarette and smoke.
 
In Kiev I like Franko Theater, public garden near, and yard of Sophia cathedral. The fountain has been made near the theater which has not worked for over 20 years. With artificial trees goes singing birds. Such a pleasure to listen to. While in Kiev, thank God, the birds still sing. I love Lvov because I grew up there. I like to walk on its streets, especially during rain. Took umbrella, raised collar, overshoe dressed and walked in the rain. Now it’s rarely when I used to  go such a way. But go.
 
It’s interesting to learn about a human - despicable, for example.
 
If again I was a Minister of Culture, it would be for one day. August 26th I’ve appoint, on 27 bearing gifts for birthday, and 28 - even dismissed.
 
On my birthday I’m happy because friends come. I did not invite. Who remembers that comes. Who does not remember - honor and praise.
 
The best birthday I ever had was with my mother. She was born on the same day as me, just before the Assumption.  On the table there is an icon of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, from Pochayev.
 
Do not think that I’m on the top. I was always under the mountain. And all the time you need to get this mount.
 
Sassy fans I hadn’t had at all.
 
If your stone rolled down the mountain once, twice, once again it’s suitable not roll it anymore. Do not take another. Just go to the mountain without stone. Smart person will not go uphill. I think that I still go. All my life these are difficulties.
I can be unhappy, but I will never show up. Although in the eyes it could be read.
 
Let them speak Russian. Everyone has the right to speak his own language.
 
Onstage you recharge yourself. You don’t have to expect it from the public or partner. When you cannot charge yourself, you do not need and not interesting for anyone.
 
No role that would be unpleasant to mention.
 
"Oscar"? Why not? – I’d like to get it.
 
Hero of Ukraine - a nice touch. The state supported you.
 
I don’t regret that anything walks past me. As life floats, so let it floats. Glad to be healthy, that I can communicate. Gradually I work; in the new season we want to make a performance "Hymn of Democratic Youth" by Sergei Zhadan. It’s very difficult, because it’s not a play, but story. A drama is said Lesia Ukrainka - is the crown of poetry.
When you’re on a swing, you should swing and have nothing to think about. It’s much more easier.
 
 Bohdan Stupka. Was born in the village Kuliky in Lvov. His father sang in the opera chorus, mother's brother was as a soloist there and aunt - the main accompanist. Intended to study chemistry, but failed the entrance exam. Worked in the Astronomical Observatory in Baku. Later he began studying philology at Lvov University. 1961 he graduated acting studio at Theater Zankovetska. For 10 years debuted in the film - the movie Yuri Illienko "White Bird with Black Mark." When in 1978 the capital theater Ivan Franko was headed by director Sergei Danchenko, he moved to Kyiv. Shevchenko Prize winner in 1993 for starring in the play "Tevye Tevel" the works of Sholem Aleichem. From 1999 to 2001 he was minister of culture. In 2001 after the death of Sergei Danchenko led Theater Franko. He played more than a hundred roles in films and over fifty - on stage. He was married to the former ballerina Larissa, had a son Ostap and three grandchildren.
 
Diary of Bohdan Stupka was published in the magazine "Country", № 87 from 09.09.2011

Text: Tatiana Ivanochko, Elena Pavlova
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