Yevgeni Grishkovetz is a popular Russian writer, dramatist, stage director, and actor. Once he was a sailor. Nowadays he is called “a one man theatre”, and “a one man band”: he is widely known as the author of witty soliloquy plays, which he stages and performs himself. For a surprisingly short period (just about three or four years) Grishkovetz managed to rise from a provincial film director known only in close theatre circles to a crowd-puller praised by mass media and distinguished by juries of the most prestigious awards.

Grishkovetz has made nearly a cult figure of our time, a sort of a mouthpiece of modern Russian intelligentsia. He speaks about things which are quite clear and kindred to those who still can refer themselves to this almost extinct class. It is quite understandable why Grishkovetz as a story teller is so minimal and primitive in style. His writings seem to be intended for children, or rather, look like school compositions: in simple words and simple sentences, with lots of repetitions. He avoids weighty syntax, sophisticated reasoning, and ponderous descriptions. He focuses on the soul quivering from pricks and injections of life. The author does his best to imitate naivety and simplicity, so that the soul would not conceal itself frightened of this close scrutiny.

Yevgeni Valerievich Grishkovetz was born on February 17, 1967 in Kemerovo city (Siberia). In 1984 he entered the Philology Faculty of Kemerovo State University and graduated only in 1994 as in between the university studies Yevgeni found himself serving in the Pacific Navy - the experience lasting for three years. Upon demobilization he returned to the university, where he played in the students’ theatre of pantomime and took part in various theatre festivals. In 1990 Grishkovetz founded the independent theatre “Lozha” (translated as ‘theatre-box’) that staged ten play productions within seven years of its existence. In 1998 Grishkovets moved to Kaliningrad city.

November 1988, when his play How I Have Eaten a Dog was performed for seventeen viewers in the smoking room of the Russian Army Theatre in Moscow, became the turning point in life of Grishkovetz: the doors to the capital audience opened wide.

Grishkovetz has staged authorial plays OdnovrEmEnno (Simultaneously), Planeta (The planet), Drednouty(Dreadnoughts), Osada (The Siege), Titanic, po Po and published a number of his books: collected plays Gorod (City) (2001), Kak ya syel sobaku (How I have eaten a dog) (2003), the novel Rubashka (A Shirt) (2004), the story Reki (Rivers) (2005), and collected stories Planka (2006).

Along with his success in literature and theatre Grishkovetz has shown his talent as a narrator by recording two albums of his own texts recited to the accompaniment of the Bigoudi band. The albums were titled Seichas (Now) (2003) and Pet’ (To Sing) (2004). Grishkovets comments on this creation as follows: “I am not good at singing. More than that, I do not sing at all. I like the way others sing, and I wish I could sing myself, but both of the albums with Bigoudi reproduce a non-singing man’s voice, just the one which can set at ease thousands of people who want to sing but will never be able to sing”.

This versatile actor has also played some supporting roles in a number of remarkable Russian films, such as The Stroll, Not by Bread Alone, and The First Circle.

Grishkovetz lives in Kaliningrad and tours a lot with his theatre productions which have become classical within just a few years. He tours both in Russia and in Europe where he has turned into a welcome guest at many prestigious festivals.

When taking the stage Yevgeni Grishkovetz is wont to thank the audience: “Thank you for having bought the tickets. You pay the money I live on”.

Links:
    The official site of Grishkovetz
    Grishkovetz’ fan club
    Grishkovetz on imdb

Sources:
    ru.wikipedia.org
    info.tatcenter.ru
    peoples.ru

Vera Ivanova and Mikhail Manykin