In the last two decades, the profession of an actor has become less popular; today, for example, in Russia there is no such fantastic excitement when entering drama schools, as it was during the USSR. Nevertheless, many boys and girls continue to dream about theater, and especially about cinema, wanting to become famous in this form, at least throughout the country. (website)
Modern theater and film actors are respected people, and celebrities, especially in the USA and Western Europe, - are certainly millionaires, the fame of them and their roles lives on for decades, or even more. But in the time of Shakespeare, and much later, theater actors were not even buried in a common graveyard, because they believed that these people served the devil and therefore were not worthy to lie in the ground with other citizens.
But that's not all. In the theater itself, say, in the 16th century - XVII centuries, actresses were not recognized, so men had to play female roles. It may seem to us that this made the performances not entirely believable. But it's not that simple. The fact is that the female roles were always played by very pretty young men or boys. Moreover, at that time no one even invited these unfortunate people to the theater troupes; they were simply kidnapped - right on the street.
For example, as Oxford historians found out, during the reign of Elizabeth I, who was a big fan of the theater, even the profession of boy catchers for the theater appeared in England. Such “professional workers” wandered around London and looked for the most promising boys. And woe to that child, who was slim and good-looking, to meet these theater bandits. And there was no control over them, since Elizabeth I issued a decree that allowed “for the sake of art” to steal children, taking them away from their families. Moreover, mercilessly flog those of them who did not show theatrical activities due zeal. That is, stolen children practically became minor slaves of the owners of theater troupes.
Child actors are slaves of English theaters
Historians have even found a documented case where in 1600, thirteen-year-old Londoner Thomas Clifton, a very handsome fellow, was caught, shouldered and carried away. His parents, heartbroken, turned everywhere, even to court and with a petition to the queen herself - all to no avail. There was only one answer: their son must study diligently and be obedient, otherwise he will be mercilessly whipped. In those days, the owners of London theaters even boasted to each other who “collected more and better live goods from boys on the street.” Moreover, they were allowed to steal not only the child of a commoner, but also a boy from a noble family.
Formally in England it was believed that such stolen children served in the Royal Chapel, but in reality they played in ordinary theaters. The Queen was well aware of this, but not only did not interfere, but even encouraged this practice. Historians have found several caustic remarks by the great Shakespeare about theater productions where stolen children performed.
It is difficult to say what fate awaited these stolen teenagers when they matured. Perhaps some of them became, but the majority, judging by the documents found, simply served the theater as slave labor until fate smiled on someone with an unexpected release from this bondage. But what awaited the freedom of such a man who, thanks to his theater profession became an outcast from society?..
At this time only Shakespeare Theater was an exception. young men and boys also played in it, but these were voluntary students, not slaves.
English director Richard Eyre is a fairly well-known director in his homeland, but we are more familiar with him from the films “Iris” (2001), “English Beauty” (2004) and “A Scandalous Diary” (2006). It can be noted that the first half of the 2000s became the most fruitful and successful for Richard Eyre. And it is “English Beauty” that is still considered the crowning achievement of the director’s creations in full-length feature films. By the way, original name The painting sounds like “Stage Beauty”, which could also be translated as “The Age of Beauty”, as well as “Scene of Beauty”. But they still called it “English Beauty” by analogy with the Oscar-winning drama “American Beauty” (1999), and the film actually takes place in the era of King Charles II (1630-1685) in that Britain, when only men could play all roles in the theater. This story began near the stage
The aristocratic stratum strives to get to the theater to see the actor Ned Kyneston, who, in their opinion, performs the roles of Shakespeare's Desdemona and Juliet phenomenally. Kinaston lives on stage, and the audience idolizes him. Kinaston has clearly mastered " star fever“And he allows himself a lot, believing that without him the theater stage will be extremely impoverished. Even at a meeting with the king, he allows himself to behave too freely, but he does not know that he is walking on the edge of an abyss. The mistress of Charles II was offended by Kyneston's behavior and, through her methods, persuaded the king to allow women to perform on stage. And it became finest hour for Maria Hughes, Kyneston's costume and make-up artist. She dreams of the stage and turns out to be a great actress. While her former employer slides to the very bottom. Few people remember the once idol whom they applauded while standing. And even his lover (such were those morals) Duke of Buckingham leaves Kyneston in disgust. But perhaps it will be Maria Hugh who will bring him back to life - to life on stage?
The film "Beauty in English" is based on play of the same name Jeffrey Hatcher, who himself adapted it for film adaptation. Not everything here is factually true, many storylines are based on myths and rumors, and some are even fiction. But who will blame Jeffrey Hatcher for this? After all, his story, full of drama and art, evokes genuine emotions. The brightest acting ensemble and the precise but realistic rendering of the ambiance of England in the 17th century make us take a closer look at “English Beauty.” And even the fact that some viewers still view bisexuality on screen as anti-morality and corruption of young minds, it’s impossible not to empathize with Ned Kyneston. Even if you hide your emotions, you still have to agree inside that thanks to the performance of the actor who played this character, he will make an impression that is difficult to dismiss.
The role of Ned Kyneston was given to Billy Crudup, who went through a rigorous selection process, one of the conditions of which was that the potential performer of the character must be familiar with the works of William Shakespeare and play in the master's plays. In my humble opinion, Crudup played his best role along with his role in the film “Almost Famous” (2000), but in the latter he was with minor character, and here he is at the forefront, a planet called “Beauty in English” revolves around his figure, and Crudup gave all his strength to this role and it is noticeable. Just as Ned Kynaston received standing ovations in his time, so Billy Crudup deserved them. Maria Hughes went to Claire Danes, although many expected Kate Winslet to play this role. Danes convincingly embodied her character, and the scenes when she saves Kyneston and courtes him and the final scene with them joint performance this is why you need to watch the picture, of course, not forgetting the magnificent performance of Billy Crudup. And as always, Tom Wilkinson is good, Rupert Everett stands out in the image of Charles II, Ben Chaplin left an impression, and Alice Eve was noticeable in one of her first film roles.
“Beauty in English” it really is good adaptation a play that is a must-see for fans of this kind of cinema. I won't lie and say that main character here presented in a very ambiguous image, which may cause rejection among some. But I’ll still emphasize that actor Billy Crudup brilliantly performed his complex role and is unlikely to leave anyone indifferent (there may be negative emotions, but these are not mediocre). In general, if you liked “Shakespeare in Love,” do not miss “English Beauty” under any circumstances.
After women's novels in literature, women's performances have taken root in the theater. The “female genre” has taken its place in theater posters, comparable to place women's literature on bookstore shelves.
Some sentimental stories move onto the theatrical stage directly from “women’s” bookshelves. This happened, for example, with the novel by Booker laureate Elena Chizhova “The Time of Women,” which was staged by Sovremennik. Despite the abundance of harsh everyday details of a communal apartment of the 50s, this the play is more similar to the urban fairy tale about Cinderella - a mute orphan, whose care was taken by three old helpless fairies at once. The fairy tale turned out to be sad, but with happy ending, which quite suits the viewers who witnessed the harsh Soviet life in person or are familiar with it by hearsay.
But the play “Divorce the Female Way” at the Mayakovsky Theater is full of “not our lives” and seems to develop the theme of the television series “Sex and the City.” The action takes place in New York, but instead of the television four there are five American women, each of whom is looking for her own female happiness. In addition The main characters take the stage with a dozen more characters, all of them women! And they all love, leave, intrigue and fight for their men, who are present in their lives, but do not appear on stage.
But it would not be correct to say that the absence male characters on the stage - main feature"female" performance. One of the main hits of the "female" repertoire stars six actors. This is Ladies Night, or “Only for Women,” performing on the stage of the Mossovet Theater. Six unemployed metallurgists decide to retrain as strippers and organize their own business. Not every woman dares to go to night club to an erotic men's show, but to the theater is another matter. Moreover, when the strippers are performed by movie and television stars - Gosha Kutsenko, Marat Basharov, Mikhail Politseymako, Vyacheslav Razbegaev, Viktor Verzhbitsky. The play has two star casts and each time it changes - those actors who are not involved in the performance come out from behind the scenes this evening on the set. But main intrigue always lasts until the end of the performance - the audience is rewarded by seeing a stellar striptease show, which is impossible to get to in any nightclub.
The play has been running successfully in Moscow for ten years. The success of the play based on the play "Ladies' Night" broke attendance records not only in Moscow, but also in Paris, London, Milan, and Melbourne. In 2001, "Ladies' Night" received the highest theater award in France " Moliere" as best comedy, the plot of the play was used in the script English film, which won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film of the Year in 1997. The project is presented by the production company "Independent Theater Project", which is staging three more plays in the female genre at several theater venues in Moscow (Teatrium on Serpukhovka, for example).
The plot of the play "Calendar Girls" is based on real story from the English countryside - several desperate housewives of post-Balzac age are trying to no avail to raise funds for a new sofa in an oncology clinic, where their friend spends nights at the bedside of her dying husband. Success comes to them only when, defying Puritan prohibitions, they pose naked for a calendar. The women raised 2 million pounds, built a new clinic, and themselves became national heroines of Great Britain, proving to themselves that in life there is always room for heroic deeds for a noble cause. The plot of the play formed the basis of a successful film with the stars of British cinema, breaking film distribution records in the UK and USA. But the film adaptation does not reduce interest in the listed plays - the theater has its own special magic.
The play “Moulin Rouge Hospital” was also staged by the Independent Project shortly after its triumph on the Parisian stage, where it won three nominations for the French theatrical Oscar - the Molière Award. In Russia, the play is about the nurses from a French hospital during the First World War received no less success among the audience. The cruel meat grinder of war slows down for several hours on the eve of Christmas and the nurses get a short respite to gather strength after difficult trials and even organize a holiday for the wounded, performing an incendiary cancan. This performance is about the courage of women who maintain hope and faith in people who remain women under any circumstances.
"You are at the wrong address" - female comedy provisions of the French comedian Marc Camoletti. He wrote at least a dozen comedies, half of which were staged (and even filmed) in Russia. But it is “You’re in the Wrong Place” that can be called female, since most sitcom plots use women as a prize for a loving sly man (“Too married taxi driver", for example, has an affair with two, but this is not the limit of fulfilling a man’s dream). Here the women themselves run the show with the participation of Pierre Richard, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Louis de Funes and Gerard Depardieu.
Performance "Moulin Rouge Hospital": Here is your wounded son. Here's a saw. Cut his leg! Written for a newspaper
Plays for enterprise projects
Plays for enterprises and private theaters in their artistic merits should not differ from plays performed in repertory and any other theaters. However, the specifics of their rental require that they also meet some wishes technical order: limited number of characters, convenience and portability of scenery, appeal to wide range viewers (usually a comedy or lyrical drama). Below is a list of plays that, in the author’s opinion, are most suitable for performance in enterprise projects. Annotations of these plays are also provided. By clicking on the title of the play, you can see its full text on the Internet.
Two characters
A modern comedy dell'arte in the genre of a cheerful farce. Two clowns and clowns act out a play that is born right in front of the public.Pantomime, acrobatics, circus tricks, music, singing, dance, words merge into a single action.Comedy presupposes the ability of actors to improvise, buffoonery and live contact with the public.2 men, 1 woman, interior.
. This work combines dramatic, melodramatic and comedic motifs.
The bride and groom, successful business people, are forced by the will of circumstances to invite a random person they meet - an already middle-aged man of strange behavior - to be a witness at their wedding. To laugh at the man and have some fun at the same time, a young couple asks him to talk about the women he has loved. The result of the entertainment is quite unexpected. Relations between all three become tense. This meeting decisively changes the fate of each of the heroes. Purity of soul, intelligence, sensitivity, and the ability for deep feeling triumph over rationalism and dry practicality. 2 men, 1 woman.
Three friends - single women of the “golden age” - decide to change their fate and find life partners. This warm comedy convinces the viewer that years are not an obstacle to the search for love and happiness. 3 age female roles. Interior.
.There are 3 characters in the play: a man, a woman and... a dog (to be played by a child or an actress).
A lonely man, a railway worker by profession, finds a puppy, and very quickly this little devoted dog becomes his only joy and consolation. She responds to this concern with selfless love and loyalty.
The day comes when Mikhail must make a choice: either quit his job or get rid of the dog. After painful hesitation, Mikhail decides to kill his friend. A woman kills animals at a veterinary station. She is trying to save the dog, and with it the soul of its owner. The collision of the characters’ two truths, their dissimilar views on the true meaning of life, creates a spring of conflict. The character of the woman – prickly and at times aggressive, but selfless, ready to love and help – gave the name to the play. The play has been translated into English language, staged in New York.
Director Howard Fishman: American Theater Company is proud to present itself in New York with Valentin Krasnogorov's production of "Dog", the first production of this unique and challenging play on the American stage.
What I admire most about her is her nobility of spirit, and the heart that pulsates so vulnerable within her. Without a doubt, this is a difficult play - prickly and subtle, frightening and ambiguous. But she is courageous enough to admit it all and show it on stage, where we can all recognize the parts of ourselves that we try so hard to hide."
. An evening of three one-act comedies different genres, paradoxically interpreting the problems of modern marriage. These theatrical short stories can be presented separately or together. 1. " " . The wife persistently calls her husband for a frank conversation. 2 male roles, 1 female. Interior.2.“ ». " ". Ironic version ideal family, consisting of a classic triangle. 2 female roles.
. (see above)
4 characters
. An exploration of modern marriage in the form of a brilliant comedy, poignant and very funny. Critics from Poland, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic noted " deep meaning and the wit of this cheerful, but wise and warning play,” its “magnificent construction and sparkling dialogue.” A. Shirvindt concluded the preface to this play, published in “Modern Drama,” with these words: “If you are not afraid of the mirror, rush into it watch. In Bulgaria, a performance based on this play received the prize “ ». " Plot: A husband and wife invite two of their friends (a man and a woman) to a party. All four are connected by complex relationships, and each is waiting for their fate to be decided: today or never. 2 men and 2 women. Interior.
By the beginning of the performance based on the classic play of the 18th century, the performer of one of the main roles does not appear in the theater. He is urgently replaced by another actor, not knowledgeable about the roles, which leads to the emergence of numerous tragicomic situations. They are complicated by the difficult personal relationships between the participants in the play. Love, hatred, envy, jealousy, flirting add additional colors to the comic plot. Each participant in the performance simultaneously plays both the character and the actor performing it. 1 female, 3 male roles.
. (see above)
. Strange, funny and dark, night rehearsal unusual performance with an unexpected ending. 2 male roles, 2 female roles, interior.
. An evening of three one-act comedies of different genres, paradoxically interpreting the problems of modern marriage. These theatrical short stories can be presented separately or together. 1. " " . The wife persistently calls her husband for a frank conversation. 2 male roles, 1 female. Interior.2.“ ». Husband is looking for best way separation from his wife. 2 male roles, 1 female. Interior " ". An ironic presentation of a version of an ideal family consisting of a classic triangle. 2 female roles.
5 characters
. Comedy. A man suffering from memory loss comes to see a doctor asking for help. The doctor tries to find out the symptoms and causes of the disease, but to no avail: the patient’s answers are so contradictory that it is impossible to get anything useful from him. Fortunately, we manage to call the patient’s wife. She answers all the questions clearly and confidently, but from her statements it follows that the doctor also suffers from memory loss. The situation becomes even more confusing when another woman unexpectedly comes and also declares that she is the wife of the sick man. The situation is becoming completely absurd. The doctor reaches almost madness. This dynamic and funny comedy develops rapidly and vividly, ending with an unexpected denouement. 3 men, 2 women. Interior.
6 characters
. Farcical sitcom in French style la piece bien faite - "a well-made play." Intricate adulterous situations are intertwined with the passionate desire of the characters to make a career. The play has big success. 3 men, 3 women, interior.
An excerpt from a review of the play: “This is a wonderful gift to the audience - a balm of humor, smiles, laughter, an excellent remedy for bad mood, blues, pessimism."
(THIS WEAK TENDER SEX. ) . An evening of two one-act comedies with music and dancing. These very dynamic farces take us back to the times of Lesage and Rabelais. The play has not left the theater repertoire for many years in a row. The music for the play was written by Victor Pleshak.
Plot: 1. "Little night serenade." The old doctor's wife falls in love with a young man. She finds a way to deceive her strict husband. 2. "Silent woman." A husband invites a doctor to cure his young and obedient wife of muteness. In vain the doctor tries to dissuade the husband from this intention. Eventually, the doctor restores speech to the wife, and she begins to talk incessantly until she drives her husband crazy.2 male roles, 3 female roles, interior .
From a theater review: " The events unfolding on stage, although they take place as if in the 17th century, are very attractive today with their daring humor, wit, and unpredictability of plot twists."
XXI
7 characters
The characters in this paradoxical comedy are women who do not know each other, different in age and dissimilar in character, but by chance find themselves in the same place. In their conversations, disputes, and conflicts, the influence of our turning point on the destinies, views and moral values of the heroines of the play becomes obvious. 6 female, 1 male role. Interior.
"Black comedy. The theater has just played the long-awaited premiere of Shakespeare's Othello. The actors performing the main roles stay after the performance to celebrate this event in a friendly circle. Unfortunately, the holiday is overshadowed by the mysterious death of one of the characters, and there is a suspicion that one of the participants in the play may be involved in this. Either dark or cheerful humor, detective intrigue, sharp turns plot and unexpected ending attract the viewer's attention until the very last line. 4 male roles, 3 female.
.Comedy with grotesque elements. Her characters of different ages and character hope to find their personal happiness in a successful marriage, but the realities of the hasty life of a business and practical XXI centuries force them to say goodbye to the ideals of the past. As a result, they find something completely different from what they expected. The engine of the action is the central character - an energetic middle-aged businesswoman. Funny and, at times, sad, this far from everyday intellectual comedy provides excellent material for performers of all roles. 2 men, 5 (3) women (three roles out of five can be played by one actress).
.This play is a 2017 “remake” of a comedy of the same name, first staged in the 1980s in Leningrad, where it ran for 400 performances, then in another 40 theaters in Russia, as well as in Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany. At a festival in the Czech Republic, the play received three prizes, including the “Prize for best dramaturgy" and "Audience Award". 4 male roles, 3 female, interior.
. Synthesis of melodrama and ironic paradoxical comedy. The play develops two lines of action. Main actor one of them is a director looking for a way out creative crisis and recruiting actresses in a strange way for his new play. The leading heroine in another line of action is a famous artist experiencing her last love. The heroes of the play are in that period of life when it is time to take stock. Despite the sad ending, the play is funny. Lively dialogue, unusual design and variety of colors make this comedy very theatrical. It contains a dozen “solo” roles for actresses of all ages and roles. 2 male roles, 10 female roles, interior.
The main characters of the play (2 men and 1 woman) are approximately 55-60 years old, female characters are aged from 25 to 55 years. If necessary, female roles may be played by fewer actresses.
Translation from French of three very unusual one-act comedies with elements of the grotesque and absurd.4-13 characters.
w_s/Contacts :
Tel. +7-951-689-3-689,+9 72-53-527- 4146,+9 72-53-527- 4142
e-mail: valentin. krasnogorov@gmail. com
"What do you want, sir?
- Are you crazy?! What am I to you, sir?
Quote from the movie "Hello, I'm your aunt!"
Male actors often play women in theater and cinema - for them it is an interesting creative task. If you know, British actor Eddie Redmayne is nominated for an Oscar this year for his performance as an artist who has undergone gender reassignment surgery (T. Hooper’s film “The Danish Girl”). Today I would like to remember a few others famous films – comedies, whose heroes were forced to dress in women's clothes and play the role of a lady. I looked on the Internet - this topic has been raised more than once, but no one writes about the process of creating an image, but I want to dwell on this.
It would probably be most correct to start not with the cinema, but with the play by the English playwright Brandon Thomas “Charley’s Aunt” (in our country it is also translated as “Charley’s Aunt”, English). Charley's Aunt), written back in 1892. The play was extremely popular not only in England, but also abroad; here in Russia, the comedy was first staged by the Korsh Theater in 1894. With the advent of cinema, the play was filmed more than once, starting in 1915. Our popular version is the TV movie "Hello, I'm your aunt!" But we’ll talk about Donna Rosa (Donna Lucia in the play) later.
Still from the film "Maniacs" 1936
Most famous comedian of all times and peoples Charlie Chaplin dressed as a woman three times in his films (Business Day 1914, Masquerade Mask 1914 and Woman 1915). As critics write, such a transformation gave the talented actor the opportunity to reveal his mime abilities as widely as possible.
Still from the film "Masquerade Mask" (Charlie Chaplin in the center) and Chaplin in life.
Watch the film - Chaplin is very convincing in the role of a young lady, if you don’t know that a man is playing, you won’t guess (and, by the way, he was touched by the corset under the dress, a trifle, but nice)
But of these three films, "Woman"- perhaps the most famous. Including the scandal that erupted around him.
This sweet, harmless picture was banned by censors in England and Sweden. Critics attacked her with the words: “vulgar!”, “rude!”, “insulting!”, “an actor in underwear?!”, “a man in a dress?!” Well, etc. England woke up earlier; in Sweden they allowed to show the film only in 1931, 16 years later.
Julian Eltinge as a woman and in life.
There is a version that Chaplin was prompted to this cinematic “gender change” by the then popularity of the actor Julian Eltinge (Julian Eltinge). In fact, male actors playing women on stage have been known for a long time (let’s remember the times of Shakespeare). Here's Julian Eltinge
became famous for his performance female roles on stage and in films. Moreover, he did not hide the fact that he was a man, and at the end of the performance he took off his wig. They say it produced strong impression to the public, because in the role of ladies he looked more than convincing. And in life, he emphasized his masculinity in every possible way: he appeared in public only in men’s dress, in every possible way rejected rumors of his unconventional sexuality (which does not stop historians from suspecting him of this to this day), he was even seen in fights with stage workers who made jokes on this score.
Here's a paradox: Julian playing women is normal, but Chaplin is vulgar...
More photos of Eltinge.
It’s curious that my beloved step-brother Chaplin Sydney in 1925, he also dressed up in a lady’s dress to play the same Aunt Charlie that I wrote about above.
Charlie in Tramp makeup and Sydney as Donna Lucia. On the right is the photo of Sydney Chaplin in life.
This film is considered one of the most successful adaptations of the play.
Still from the film "Aunt Charlie" (1925)
Maybe this is not God knows what event in the world of cinema, but I can’t help but write about it: another famous American actor(and my favorite) tried on a female guise in the film "Love Madness" He was handsome William Powell. It's funny that women are most often from even very attractive men they turn out to be unattractive (Chaplin and Redmayne are exceptions) and are always visually older than their physical years. At least that's how it turned out with Powell.
William Powell in the film "Madness in Love" and in life.
Powell, who all his adult life wore a mustache, he even had to sacrifice it for this role.
Powell in the dressing room.
Compared with Tony Curtis And Jack Lemmon, who played musicians in the film "Only girls in jazz", Powell wasn't that hurt. That's who had to endure all the hardships of acting as an actor. beautiful ladies! Here it was not the mustache that was shaved off, but all the hair on the body that came within the camera’s field of view. And Tony and Jack were forced to wear real heels.
Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon in Some Like It Hot and in their natural looks for the film's promotional photo.
At first they wanted to dress the actors in authentic women's dresses of actresses Debbie Reynolds and Loretta Young. As Curtis said, “their waists were the size of my biceps. I went to Billy Wilder and said, "Billy, would Orry-Kelly make us our dresses?" To which he replied: “Okay, let him do it.” I knew this was a rare case because Orry-Kelly doesn't men's suits, so it was very nice...
Actor Tony Curtis and costume designer Orry-Kelly at a fitting.
...The dresses flowed beautifully down from the waist, but underneath there was a very stiff, dense fabric, and the upper part was made of soft materials..."
Actor Tony Curtis and costume designer (now the photo shows a costume designer! I hope you have already understood the difference in these two professions: “costumer”, i.e. looking after the costume, and “costume designer”, i.e. coming up with the costume)
Once again, actor Tony Curtis and costume designer Orry-Kelly at the fitting.
Curtis continues to recall: "...We wore garter belts, bras, shoes, beautiful cloche hats and those high collars that Olivia de Havilland wore in her early films."
Costume design for the ladies for the film Some Like It Hot by Orry-Kelly.
Actors in makeup and costume.
“The makeup took about 30 minutes.
Makeup artist Emile LaVigne makes Tony Curtis look beautiful...
AND Jack Lemmon
After that we put on costumes and wigs.
Tony Curtis and hair stylist.
An hour and 15 minutes later we were ready.”
Jack Lemmon in character.
Helped actors get into female images American drag queen actor Barbette, former tightrope walker and aerial acrobat. Since childhood, he dreamed of working in a circus, so when one of the duo’s sisters Alpharetta Sisters offered him to replace his deceased sister, he happily agreed. But a condition was set: you need to perform in a woman’s dress, they say, it is more pleasant for the viewer to admire the fluttering young ladies than the men. Later, Barbet began to work solo, but also in a woman’s dress, however, at the end of the show, he, like Eltinge, tore off his wig.
Barbet on stage and in life.
Barbet performed at the Moulin Rouge and Folies Bergere, he was admired by all of Paris, he was friends with Diaghilev, Josephine Baker and Anton Dolin. Jean Cocteau admired Barbet immensely and even cast him in his film “The Blood of a Poet.” Cocteau "wooed" Barbette famous photographer Man Ray, who made a whole series of interesting photographs.
Barbet in Man Ray's photo.
But the age of tightrope walkers and aerial acrobats was short, Barbet began to be overcome by illness and he returned to America, where he directed circuses and staged interesting programs, acted as a consultant on circus issues in cinema and theater. And it was he who was invited to teach Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon how to move correctly when they portrayed ladies. Why did a drag queen work on acting, and not some woman? It's simple, the director didn't want Tony and Jack to play seriously women, he wanted them to portray men who pretend to be women.
However, for the sake of experimentation, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon walked around the studio in female guise. After they were kicked out of the men's room, they decided that they had succeeded in the images - a scene from our film "Gentlemen of Fortune" immediately comes to mind.
Tony Curtis with his daughter Kelly on the set of Some Like It Hot. 1959
They say that when Orry-Kelly took measurements from all three stars, he half-jokingly said to Marilyn Monroe: “Tony Curtis will have a better ass than you,” to which Monroe opened her blouse and said: “But he doesn’t have breasts like that!” » (About " Women's tricks. I wrote "Naked Dresses" in the film "Some Like It Hot"
And, of course, I can’t help but remember another popular film - "Tootsie" which brought a lot of suffering to the performer leading role.
Even more than 30 years after the release of this wonderful comedy (which the actor, due to the torment that befell him, does not consider it a comedy), Dustin Hoffman, speaking on one of the television shows, shed a tear, remembering how upset he was when I realized what an ugly lady he makes. “Now I know how important it is for a woman to be confident in her attractiveness. I came home from the audition and cried." But it told him how to play. “When I saw myself on the screen, I realized how uninteresting a woman I am - if I had met myself at a party, I would never have talked to myself."
Dustin Hoffman as Dorothy Michael. The suits were tailored to hide the Adam's apple.
Tootsie costume designer Ruth Morley.
“I thought that if I was going to be a woman, I had to be beautiful.” His epiphany came when a makeup artist told him that he couldn't make an actor look more attractive than he was.
With director Sydney Pollack.
A blond wig was considered vulgar, so I had to wear a chestnut one. The skin was tightened with adhesive tape. “We shaved our legs, our arms, our backs and our fingers,” Dustin recalled. But the stubble appeared after three to four hours and I had to start the whole procedure all over again. As a result, the actor did not suffer in vain, he received an Oscar nomination for this role, and this comedy is still loved by the people.
On the set of the film "Tootsie".
Well, I'll end my story with a movie "Hello I'm your aunt!".
Let me repeat that it was based on the play Charlie's Aunt (or Charley's Aunt) by Brandon Thomas. The film had a very modest budget, so it was filmed in television format, in the small Ostankino pavilion. The apparent sense of space was created due to the cameramanship of director Georgy Rerberg. Director Viktor Titov decided to shoot the film in the style of silent cinema, which, firstly, allowed the actors to improvise brilliantly, and secondly, allowed for conventions in costumes and makeup.
“...The most important thing in the work was the memory of the experience of Charlie Chaplin, who once made a short film “Woman”. I also wanted to experience: what is it like? What do these creatures feel and experience in skirts, stockings and other toilet details? Woman suit I settled in diligently, practically without taking off even during lunch breaks. The fact is that these breaks were short, and there were queues at the buffet. If you completely change your clothes: take off your stockings, cape, skirt, etc., you may end up hungry. I never allowed myself this! That's why I took off... only the wig. We looked at the woman with a bald head, to put it mildly, in surprise.
Having played roles in various comedy films, I was firmly convinced that making comedies is not at all as fun as it seems from the outside. For the entire film "Hello, I'm your aunt!" We only really laughed during the filming of the cake fight scene.
The film's budget was small. Costumes - only one copy. There was no time to wash and wait for them to dry. We were warned that there would only be one take per scene. Filmed from two cameras. And so I throw the cake at Dzhigarkhanyan, I see his face covered in cream... and I can’t help myself, I’m crying with laughter. I understand that it’s impossible, but there’s no way I can resist...
It must be said that at that time no one expected that this particular picture would be such a success that, to put it calmly, it would be included in the fate of our country. But now the third generation has grown up, which knows me precisely by “Hello, I’m your aunt!”
Costume designer for the film "Hello, I'm your aunt!" Natalya Kataeva on the set of a program about the film.
The costumes for the film were designed by artist Natalya Kataeva, and I must say, they turned out wonderful!
One can feel the stylization of the early silent film era - 1915.
The dress of the millionaire Dona Rosa and the costume of her pupil are very elegant. The rest of the costumes clearly reflect the characters' personalities.
Kalyagin’s dress, as Natalya Kataeva recalled, is deliberately ridiculous. “I dressed Donna Rosa, departing from the fashion of those years. Her dress is voluminous, the outfit is made of silk, and decorated with... fringe from curtains.
If you believe the Ostankino website (where I got this photo), then the costumes are from the movie “Hello, I’m your aunt!” are available for rent to everyone(((
I made the gloves myself and the boa too: I bought feathers, dyed them in color and collected them into a scarf.” “We thought for a long time about a woman’s dress for Alexander Kalyagin,” actress Galina Orlova, who played Betty, Jackie Chesney’s lover, complements this story in another interview, “and in the end they sewed it from a curtain. One got the feeling that his hero, having run into the house, a quick fix I made myself an outfit from curtains.” As you can see, it wasn’t only Scarlett O’Hara who came up with this idea!)
Here you go. Of course, you can remind me of a lot of films in which actors played women, but, you see, those films that I wrote about above have already stood the test of time, audience love, and have become classics of comedy! Although, I don’t deny, my list is a little subjective ;-)
