The actor could be burned alive on the stage. During the performance cap on the head of Vladimir Steklov caught fire, and Margarita Terekhova tried to rectify the situation and found an ingenious way out of the situation.
Fashion going to the movies appeared in Russia in 1996. In large cities one by one starting to open up rooms with Western sound system – Dolby. In Moscow near Pushkin square, built the first cinema “Kodak” – red velvet seats, popcorn… ticket queues. All as abroad. And rolled it exclusively in Western films, as cinema was in decline. But to look at the game of our actors have always been in the theater in the spring of ‘ 96 treacherous Milady from “D’artagnan and three Musketeers” Margarita Terekhova got his last role on the stage.
“When I decided to make his “beloved friend” by guy de Maupassant, we knew that Mrs. Walter should play Rita – says the Director Andrey Zhitinkin. – She was 53 years old, but she still rightfully considered himself a sex symbol, so cautiously took the proposal to fulfill the role of age. I remember we ran into her in the hallway of the Theater Mossovet. Our conversation was short. Spur of the moment I blurted out: “Margarita Borisovna! Maupassant without Terekhova is like tap without water”. She was numb. Was thinking a few moments, and then exclaimed in French: Bel ami, which means “Dear friend”. And Russian added: “of Course, I’ll play”.
Before the start of rehearsals colleagues tried to intimidate me, they say, many wanted to work with Margo, but nothing worked – she is fond of quarreling, bring the noise. She’s got a will of Bulgakov’s Margarita is uncontrollable, unpredictable. Blaise proved it more than once. But we are perfectly together. One of the performances was almost ended in tragedy. The husband of Madame Walter was played by actor Vladimir Steklov. In the novel, the couple complicated relationships, they often quarrel. So, I came up with this scene: when the night hero Domogarova – journalist Georges duroy – takes away their daughter, Rita and Volodya appear in nightgowns and caps. They begin to argue, in the hands of these candles. Then still allowed to use open fire, not that recently even banned to smoke in order to fire safety.
Imagine the action, the actors talk, and then the brush cap Steklov hits the flame and lights up. The actor continues to play, completely oblivious. Rita has been simply brilliant – literally began to beat Volodya, in a frenzy hands whipped in the face, if only imperceptibly to knock down the flames.
The audience did not understand. And I was standing backstage, white as a sheet, realizing that fire can for life to disfigure the face of Steklov. Margo getting so angry that slapped him in the face. Volodya was enraged so much that he pushed away and grabbed her hands, began the real fight. And then he turned around and went backstage, where she burst into a swear words. Shouted: “What the crazy is? How produce on stage? She’s not herself!”
And then removed the cap and saw that the burned half. Terrible touchy Steklov realized that Rita had saved him, and fell on his knees before her. There was a scene when the heroine Terekhova came to the editorial office of the journalist – Domogarova and they drank champagne. When he collected the sets, the prop guys took me aside and said, “Andrey Albertovich, we will find a beautiful metal glasses, but, please, let’s not order a glass situation will break them in first performance.”
About what was discussed, I realized only after a few times. I was again called and the repo man showed one of those glasses, who had been in the hands of Rita, it’s the living space was not continuous indentations from fingers. Imagine her thin fingers were able to push the metal, so she was immersed in his passionate role. By the way, these glasses, we then gave to the Museum of the Moscow Soviet Theater.
The play has traveled almost the whole of Russia, visited America, Israel, Europe. Terekhov and everywhere was received with great love. She felt it and never let the viewer. For this role, learned the French language. And once brought to the theatre a postcard with a picture of the Billboard first production “beloved friend”, which was bought in an antique shop in Montmartre in Paris long before our performance. Unfortunately, the role of Mrs. Walter was her last as in the theater, and cinema.”
Raising money for Batalov, Terekhova and Fateeva turned into a scandal
In 2005, doctors diagnosed actress Alzheimer’s disease. Not once talked about the plight of legends. Not so long ago the name on his stage reappeared in the news – the house of the actor has announced the collection of funds for her treatment. However, the daughter of the stars have denied this information, stating that Margarita Borisovna, despite the difficult conditions, able to take care of themselves.