Dmitry Krymov is a director, artist, teacher, theater set designer and just an incredibly talented person. He is a member of the Union of Artists and the Union of Theater Workers of Russia, his performances always resonate, make the viewer think. Behind Krymov’s back there are a great many prizes from international theater festivals. His paintings are exhibited in the best art galleries in the world. Who is he, what does he live with, and what does he discuss at his leisure? About all this in the materials of our review.
Biography
Dmitry Anatolyevich Krymov was born in October 1954 in Moscow. His father is a well-known director Anatoly Efros, his mother is a theater critic and art critic Natalya Krymova. Dmitry was given the surname of his mother as a child, because his father belonged to the Jewish family, and in Soviet times this was a certain label. Anatoly Efros had to overcome many obstacles in his career, arising from his origin, and parents decided to protect his son's future from unnecessary problems.
Dmitry Anatolyevich followed in the footsteps of his talented parents. As soon as he received a certificate of maturity, he immediately entered the production department of the Moscow Art Theater School. In 1976, after graduation, he went to get his first professional experience
at the Malaya Bronnaya Theater. Dmitry created his first scenographic works for the productions of his father. Among the performances of those years, one can single out Tolstoy's Living Corpse, Turgenev's A Month in the Village, Williams's Summer and Smoke, Arbuzov's Recollection, etc.
Theatrical activity
Since 1985, Krymov worked on artistic productions at the Taganka Theater: “The War Does Not Have a Woman’s Face”, “One and a Half Square Meters”, “Misanthrope” - these performances saw the light with his participation. Dmitry Krymov worked not only with the Taganka Theater. The scenographer collaborated with the theaters of Riga, Tallinn, St. Petersburg, Volgograd, Nizhny Novgorod. The geography of his creative activity covers Bulgaria, Japan, countries of the former Soviet republics. The track record of Krymov-stage designer is about a hundred performances. Dmitry Anatolyevich collaborated with such eminent directors as Tovstonogov, Portnov, Arye, Shapiro, etc.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, a difficult situation developed in the country, and Krymov was forced to leave the work of the stage designer. In addition, shortly before the events of the early 90s, Dmitry's father, Anatoly Efros, passed away. According to the director and set designer, after the death of a loved one, the theater became of no interest to him. Awareness of the greatness of his father in the profession and his own helplessness settled in the soul. Then it seemed to the man that he would never enter this water again, and in his life there would be no more visual theater. Krymov Dmitry decided to do away with everything and find himself in a new business. He took up painting, graphics, and, it is worth noting, he did it very well. Pictures of Dmitry Anatolyevich were exhibited in the Russian Museum, in museums in Western Europe - France, Germany, England.
Today, the artist’s canvases are in the Tretyakov Gallery and the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts.
Since 2002, Dmitry Krymov has been teaching at the Russian Academy of Theater Arts. He leads the course of theater artists. In addition, the director heads the creative Laboratory in the theater under the name "School of Dramatic Art" in Moscow. Together with graduates of GITIS and the Shchukin school, Krymov brings to life on the theater stage his own ideas and thoughts, performances participate in international festivals around the world.
About the modern viewer
Krymov is an incredibly interesting conversationalist. With him you can discuss various issues, he has everything on his own judgment. Modern theater is one of such hot topics. Today in the world of art, the opposition of the classical school of theater and innovative approaches to the creation of performances is clearly traced. According to the director, these disputes are secondary. Krymov confidently states that the main thing today is consumer interest.
Coming to the performance, the viewer must be terribly curious. On the one hand, he should be interested in everything that happens on the stage, on the other hand, he should not fully understand the meaning of everything that happens. Understanding must constantly catch up with interest, but in the end they need to converge. Of course, the modern viewer is a sophisticated gourmet. Gone are the days when people watched everything they give. Today, everything is different. Therefore, all that is required from the director is to arouse such curiosity and interest in the viewer, and the viewer's task is to drive away skepticism from himself and try to “feed” curiosity in himself.
According to Dmitry Anatolyevich, in order to “watch” the performances of the Laboratory “correctly”, you need to do just a few simple things: come to the play, sit down, put your hands on your knees and watch. Moreover, Dmitry Krymov does not recommend wearing jackets, short dresses and shoes on a high platform - in his opinion, the viewer will be terribly uncomfortable sitting in small chairs. Of course, this is humor, but it also has a rational kernel.
Russian Psychological Theater
Today we are increasingly confronted with discussions on the topic that there is a dramatic psychological theater. Here and there calls are made to protect him (the theater) from pseudo-donation. This problem is familiar to Krymov, and, by his own admission, greatly hurts him. The director’s opinion is this: if you are a supporter of psychological theater, do not call anyone and do nothing - just do your job. Live as you preach. But at the same time, give the opportunity to another to express himself as he wants. Yes, it can be pleasant or, on the contrary, annoying, however it is necessary to put up with the fact that it exists. To oppose something new and non-standard is tantamount to opposing contemporary fine art. It is wonderful when the viewer has a choice and an alternative, and art, as you know, is limitless.
According to Krymov, a modern director should be primarily a strong personality, with his own thoughts. Of course, he just needs to be able to disassemble the work of the classical school. But this is just a skeleton, the basis for further individual constructions and fantasies.
Actual art and work with students
Dmitry Anatolyevich says that it’s unpleasant today to watch many things that are happening in Russia. There is a substitution of concepts, failure to fulfill obligations, lack of reform. For example, the director really does not like such a popular expression today as “contemporary art”. He does not understand the meaning of this phrase. Is contemporary art a cheaper form of art? How then about religion? Could she be low grade too?
Krymov also has ideas about reforms in theater education. The director is firmly convinced that it cannot be a beggar. The salaries of university teachers are a shame for the entire education system. Officials need to learn that teaching cannot be based on the sheer enthusiasm of people who just spend time with students. And in order for the theater environment to bear fruit as talented actors and productions of interest to the viewer, conditions are necessary - today they are not, physically.
Dmitry Krymov teaches his students by personal method. The director says that youth can only be taught to perceive the experience of others, but you can’t follow their path for them. The children themselves must hear their inner voice, trust him and choose the way. The experience of others only indicates that everything is possible. If something happened to another, you will succeed. It is only necessary to work hard.
Dmitry Anatolyevich Krymov: who is he?
First of all, he is the son of his homeland, devoted and loving. When asked about emigration, Krymov resolutely declares that he is not going to leave Russia. There are many reasons for this: he has students, actors, a large economy. His parents are buried here, to whose grave he has been coming for his birthday for many years. Krymov admits that today there are less and less territories in which you feel calm, but so far you can live and create, it makes no sense to leave.
He does not celebrate his birthday, he is constantly occupied by work. In addition to the most talented director, the backbone of actors is working in the laboratory of Dmitry Krymov, and the School of Dramatic Art consists of them. Among the invited people who formally do not enter the laboratory, but with whom the theater constantly cooperates, are such stars as Liya Akhedzhakova, Valery Garkalin.
Dmitry Krymov is a director who admits that he is interested in communicating with the young and watching how they achieve results. He is very demanding and scrupulous in everything. Dmitry Anatolyevich is convinced that the theatrical performance is done by the only person - the director, and he, in turn, must be surrounded by the right people - those who understand him. Krymov claims that he is interested in the opinions of others, and he is open to dialogue. However, the conversation should be constructive, in essence.
It is important for the director that at the exit of his work there should be three components: own pleasure from the process, satisfaction of the troupe's actors and interest of the viewer. If these components converge, the director receives a powerful incentive to move forward. Krymov claims that it can be cruel if something interferes with the implementation of plans. In such a situation, he always chooses the fight and is stubborn. In other cases, Krymov is a gentle person who respects and loves the people with whom he works.