Ranevskaya

Before you is a book that cannot exist. Paradoxical and unexpected, like its heroine – the great actress Faina Georgievna Ranevskaya. Much has been written about her, and each time we encounter a different Ranevskaya, changeable and unique. However, the... book by Gleb Skorokhodov holds a special place. Its value lies in the fact that the author recorded his conversations with Faina Georgievna for many years and then compiled them into one volume. But therein lies its main complexity and trap. Reading these records, it is very difficult to understand whether we are dealing with a peculiar mythology of Ranevskaya, in which she herself believed, or with an example of her brilliant performance tailored for a single audience – her chronicler. It is all the more surprising that the book, at the insistence of Faina Georgievna, was not published during her lifetime. However, in addition to the greatness of her talent and personality, the author managed to convey such character traits of the beloved actress that we usually do not want to see in those we sympathize with. Perhaps Ranevskaya understood this. And yet this book must exist: it is the voice of Faina Georgievna, her thoughts, emotions. Thanks to the effort and patience of Gleb Skorokhodov, his love for the actress, we can converse with her even decades after her departure, recall her brilliant roles, learn about her life, hopes, dreams, about how she and similar people – true Masters, in love with their craft – created great art, of which we are rightly proud.