A theater that begins not with a hanger, but with a doll, a theater where one of the performances is included in the Guinness Book of Records, a theater where even adults can feel like children. All this is the Sergei Obraztsov Puppet Theater in Moscow. Today he will tell about the history of one of the world's largest puppet theatersAmateur. media.
Exemplary puppet theater
The Academic Central Puppet Theater (as the Obraztsov Theater was once called) was created back in 1931. The initiator of the opening was the House Art Education Children (there was one). It’s hard to believe, but at first only 12 people worked in the theater! From the very first days, the leadership of the theater was taken over by the outstanding theater figure Sergei Vladimirovich Obraztsov. By the time the theater began operating, Obraztsov was already known as a pop artist who worked in the genre of “romances with dolls” and staged puppet shows- you will be surprised - in the vaudeville genre! In addition, it was he who first showed the interaction of an actor and a doll on stage. In one of the pop miniatures, Obraztsov played the father of the Tyapa doll, which was placed on his hand. It was a real breakthrough in the field of puppet theaters.
Sergei Vladimirovich Obraztsov
Catch up and overtake
Of course, the theater intended for children was intended to educate them and teach them wisdom. But at the same time, the puppet theater was supposed to become a laboratory theater, to go ahead of the rest in the field of the puppet genre. They really loved to “catch up and overtake” in the Soviet Union. True, they were in no hurry to provide the theater with material benefits - it is not appropriate for celestial theater-goers to think about base things.
One of the main discoveries of the theater is the play “Po pike command»
Nevertheless, the troupe under the leadership of Obraztsov got down to business and carefully staged two or three new performances every year. The theater was constantly in search own style, interspersing propaganda performances and folk tales. One of the main discoveries of the theater is the play “At the Command of the Pike,” which was presented on stage in 1936. Its feature was a unique round screen, which complemented the carnival atmosphere of the performance.
Performance “At the behest of the pike” 2014
Puppet satire
Another breakthrough in the theater was the creation of the genre of satirical performance. The first tests were carried out during the Great Patriotic War, when the theater was evacuated to Novosibirsk and went with performances to army locations.
The performance “An Extraordinary Concert” is included in the Guinness Book of Records
The soldiers were shown the “Front Program” - a sort of set of parody sketches of various political topics. But the pinnacle of the satirical genre in the puppet theater was the play “An Extraordinary Concert,” which was even listed in the Guinness Book of Records!
Performance “An Extraordinary Concert”
Back to the roots
The theater also differed from many others in that it tried to be accessible maximum number spectators. The actors, arm in arm with puppets, drove around courtyards, schools, cultural centers and parks. It was then that an attempt was made to revive the fair booth as a traditional form of puppet theater. At that time I worked in the theater famous couple"Parsleymen": Zaitsev and Triganova. In 1932, the first premiere of the Academic Central Theater took place - the play “Jim and the Dollar”. The play was written especially for the Moscow theater by Andrei Globa. In 1940, the theater staged its first play for adults - “Aladdin's Magic Lamp”.
Performance "Aladdin's Magic Lamp"
After 1956, the Moscow Puppet Theater became frequent guest festivals held on the initiative International Union puppet theater workers. Numerous tours of Obraztsov's students served as an impetus for the opening of puppet theaters in Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary and the Czech Republic.
Doll housewarming party
In 1937, the theater became so popular that the government decided to give it premises in the very center of Moscow on Mayakovsky Square. But the theater moved to its modern famous building on the Garden Ring only in 1970. This is a special architectural complex, which is a model for many puppet theaters in the world. It's all about the complex sliding curtain and transforming walls, which create the effect of “running sound”.
Fairy clock
Oddly enough, initially the theater building was a dull gray block that in no way resembled a temple of art. It was then that it occurred to Sergei Obraztsov to decorate the facade with a fabulous clock, which became a real symbol of the theater. Pavel Shimes and Dmitry Shakhovskoy worked on the concept of Obraztsov’s favorite tower clock, and the clock mechanism itself was created by Veniamin Kalmanson.
The fabulous clock on the facade of the building has become a real symbol of the theater
This clock, measuring 4 meters long and 3 meters wide, is essentially a structure of 12 houses, each of which, as you may have guessed, corresponds to a different hour. Figures of fairy-tale characters are hidden inside the houses. At noon and midnight, all the figures are shown at the same time, but the rest of the time you can see only one character, hear the crow of a rooster and the favorite children's song “In the garden or in the vegetable garden.” However, residents of nearby houses began to complain that the rooster’s crowing at night was interfering with their sleep. So the rooster had to be switched to night quiet mode.
The famous clock on the facade of the Obraztsov Puppet Theater
Ekaterina Astafieva
I wouldn't want to go there again interesting world for children, and for adults too - the Central Puppet Theater named after Sergei Obraztsov. A business card The theater is rightly considered to be the unusual musical clock on the façade of the building. This outdoor clock provides a unique opportunity to return to the world carefree childhood and undoubtedly attract the attention of passers-by. At the time of its creation, the musical and theatrical clock had no analogues in the entire country.
A clock appeared on the facade of the puppet theater building in 1970, along with the opening of the theater on the Garden Ring. This building was designed and built specifically for the theater. During the construction of the theater, all the existing innovations of that time were taken into account - in the equipment of the theater stage, light and sound, but the facade of the building itself was an unattractive concrete wall gray, which was typical of the style of buildings of that time. However, the theater director decided to revive appearance theater with unusual, huge clocks.
Sergei Obraztsov and his theater traveled a lot around the world. And he was always attracted by medieval craftsmen, who, as a rule, were exquisitely decorated and often had mechanisms with moving figures that put on a show and attracted attention. Such clocks were hung in places of public gatherings, decorating important buildings of the city and city squares, being an indicator of the prestige of the city. Inspired by what he saw, Obraztsov came up with the idea of creating a puppet clock with figurines - fairy-tale characters and decorating with them the gray facade of the new building of the puppet theater.
The clock is a round dial around which houses are scattered chaotically fairy-tale heroes. There are twelve houses, and therefore fictional residents. So, 30 seconds before the hour the rooster crows, turning to the assembled spectators, he crows loudly and flaps his wings. At this moment, the clock hand points to the house, the doors of which open and a figurine is shown. All these actions take place to the tune of a melody familiar to everyone from childhood, arranged by N. Bogoslavsky, “Whether in the garden or in the city.” So, in turn, corresponding to each hour, all the heroes are shown one after another. At noon and midnight, twice a day, all fairy tale characters appear together, and the viewer can see the inhabitants of the entire village.
The authors of the watch are sculptors Dmitry Shakhovsky and Pavel Shimes, and the mechanism was invented by Veniamin Kalmanson. A lot of money was spent on making the watch. The dimensions of the unusual clock are 3 meters wide and 4 meters high. The watch itself is made of copper, stainless steel, brass and textolite. The clock beams, patterns and flagpole are covered with gold leaf. All fairy-tale characters are made of fiberglass. More than 50 people painstakingly worked on the production of doll “walkers”, among them metalworkers, mechanics, minters and goldsmiths.
Initially, the clock had an electromechanical device that occupied a specially designated room. Specially trained watchmakers monitored the uninterrupted operation of the clocks. Their work included servicing the clock and timely turning on the tape recording of voices corresponding to fairy-tale characters. At noon and midnight, the room in which the clock mechanism was located was filled with the creaking and hum of working units, and silence followed when all the characters emerged from their houses.
Obraztsov’s doll clocks were distinguished by their accuracy and passers-by used them to check wrist watch, considering them the most accurate after the Kremlin chimes.
Now the watch has a different mechanism and its accuracy is not great due to the lack of funds for its maintenance. The voice of the crowing rooster became quieter and muffled, although the previously ringing cuckoo kept the residents of nearby houses from sleeping. Due to this, these watches had 2 modes, day and night, the sound of which was much quieter than during the day.
Today, like 40 years ago, the hours of the Obraztsov Puppet Theater gather around them a large number of spectators, both adults and children, who are looking forward to 12 o'clock and the appearance of all the fairy-tale characters. This miniature performance, performed by puppet clocks of the last century, delights and makes children growing up in the era of high technology come again and again.
On Friday evening, let's relax a little after everyday work and get acquainted with one more Moscow beauty. Namely, let's go to the theater with the most unusual clock in the capital.
The extraordinary puppet theater created by Sergei Vladimirovich Obraztsov is one of the attractions of the city of Moscow. Not only do exciting performances take place here, but there is also a specialized library and museum theatrical puppets and an animal clock decorating the building's façade.
The metal clock of the Obraztsov Puppet Theater has become a kind of calling card of this place. They have their own, albeit small, but entertaining story. The appearance of the clock on the facade of the theater building, located on Garden Square, is associated with its opening in 1970. The construction of the new building was carried out in compliance with all requirements regarding stage equipment, lighting equipment and sound equipment.
But for some reason the architects forgot about one important detail. They didn’t think about the facade of the building, but the theater begins with the facade. Built of gray concrete, the building did not look entirely cheerful.
And then the head of the theater, and he was Sergei Obraztsov, decided to correct the situation. He proposed placing an unusual clock on the wall of the building, which would decorate the facade.
For many years, touring the world with the Puppet Theater, Sergei Obraztsov was interested in clocks, mainly tower ones, which he saw in different cities. It was they who proposed the concept, which the sculptors Dmitry Shakhovsky and Pavel Shimes undertook to implement. The creation of the clock mechanism was undertaken by Veniamin Kalmanson.
Height of the clock on the wall puppet theater is 4 meters and length is 3 meters. This is a kind of unusual ensemble consisting of twelve houses that correspond certain hours, and in each of them puppet characters from famous fairy tales “live”.
Every hour the door of the corresponding house opens, and a figurine of one or another puppet hero appears, the cry of a rooster is heard and the sound of the familiar melody of the song “In the garden, in the vegetable garden...” from childhood. And twice a day you can see all the fairy tale characters on the clock at once. This happens at noon and also at midnight.
There is a legend about the clock of the Obraztsov Puppet Theater and its characters, which is known to everyone who is not indifferent to strong alcoholic drinks. During times Soviet Union It was possible to buy alcohol in the store only from eleven o’clock in the afternoon. So, drinkers gathered at the grocery store, which was located not far from the theater, and waited for the long-awaited time to come. The fact that the long-awaited 11 o'clock had arrived was informed to them by the wolf, the “resident” of the house, who replaced the number eleven. Since the wolf was holding a knife, jokes immediately arose about the wolf being ready to cut up the snack! For a long time afterwards, people called 11 a.m., the time when alcohol was sold, “the hour of the wolf.”
The clock, made more than 40 years ago, still delights theater visitors and passers-by.
By the way, at night the clock operates in a special quiet mode so as not to wake up people living nearby.
There are many different famous clocks in Moscow, but the clock on the building of the puppet theater named after. Obraztsova differs significantly from their “colleagues” in their rather extravagant appearance. Like others, puppet theater clocks have, albeit not a very long, but still entertaining history.
A clock appeared on the building of the puppet theater in 1970, along with the opening of the theater itself on the Garden Ring. This was a new building that was designed and built specifically for the theater. It took into account the latest requirements of the time for stage equipment, lighting and sound equipment. But for some reason, the architects forgot one important detail: the theater begins with a hanger, or rather, with the facade of the building. The building itself was an uninteresting gray concrete structure, typical of urban Soviet style late 60s – early 70s. In order to somehow rectify the situation, Sergei Obraztsov - at that time the head of the Puppet Theater - decided to decorate the facade with an unusual clock.
Over the years of its existence, the Puppet Theater toured the world a lot, and Sergei Obraztsov always showed great interest in the various tower clocks that he saw in other cities. It was he who proposed the concept, which two sculptors, Pavel Shimes and Dmitry Shakhovsky, undertook to implement, and the clock mechanism itself was created by Veniamin Kalmanson.
The clock has dimensions of 4 meters in height and 3 meters in length, and is a unique ensemble of twelve houses, indicating each hour, containing various fairy-tale doll characters. Every hour, one or another figure appears from the corresponding house, a rooster crows and the melody of the song “Whether in the garden or in the vegetable garden”, familiar to everyone from childhood, plays. At the same time, all the characters of the twelve houses appear twice a day - at noon and at midnight. At first, the rooster crowed every hour, including at night. But after numerous complaints local residents For those who found it difficult to sleep, the clocks were modified and they now have day and night (quiet) modes of operation.
One of the legends known to all lovers of strong alcoholic drinks is associated with the figurines and the Puppet Theater clock itself. IN Soviet time alcohol was sold in stores only from 11 o'clock in the afternoon. This hour was eagerly awaited by many who had been overcome by an unpleasant hangover in the morning. Visitors to the grocery store located nearby the Puppet Theater were also waiting for him. And then the wolf, who “settled” in the house replacing the number “11”, informed them about the arrival of the long-awaited 11 o’clock. The wolf had a knife in his hands. Great jokers said that the wolf had waited in the wings and was getting ready to cut the snack. Since then on long years 11 o’clock in the morning, when the sale of alcohol began in the USSR, began to be called “the hour of the wolf” throughout the country, precisely thanks to the clock of the Puppet Theater.
And today, like many years ago, “Village of Animals” attracts a large number of spectators who want to watch the next appearance of the dolls. Even in the age of high technology, small children look with great admiration at this seemingly simple mechanism from the past.
Moscow is a city rich in various famous clocks, however, the clocks of the Obraztsov Puppet Theater differ significantly from their “brothers” in their extravagant appearance. They have their own, albeit small, but interesting story.
The appearance of the clock on the facade of the theater building, located on Garden Square, is associated with its opening in 1970. The construction of the new building was carried out in compliance with all requirements regarding stage equipment, lighting equipment and sound equipment.
But for some reason the architects forgot about one important detail. They didn’t think about the facade of the building, but the theater begins with the facade. Built of gray concrete, the building did not look entirely cheerful. And then the head of the theater, and he was Sergei Obraztsov, decided to correct the situation. He proposed placing an unusual clock on the wall of the building, which would decorate the facade.
For many years, touring the world with the Puppet Theater, Sergei Obraztsov was interested in clocks, mainly tower ones, which he saw in different cities. It was they who proposed the concept, which the sculptors Dmitry Shakhovsky and Pavel Shimes undertook to implement. The creation of the clock mechanism was undertaken by Veniamin Kalmanson.
The height of the clock on the wall of the puppet theater is 4 meters, and the length is 3 meters. This is a kind of unusual ensemble consisting of twelve houses that correspond to certain hours, and puppet characters from famous fairy tales “live” in each of them.
Every hour the door of the corresponding house opens, and a figurine of one or another puppet hero appears, the cry of a rooster is heard and the sound of the familiar melody of the song “In the garden, in the vegetable garden...” from childhood. And twice a day you can see all the fairy tale characters on the clock at once. This happens at noon and also at midnight.
At first, as soon as the clock was installed, the residents of the city heard the crow of a rooster every hour, which prevented them from sleeping. Numerous complaints poured in, as a result of which the watch was revised. Now they had daytime operation and quiet nighttime operation.
There is a legend about the clock of the Obraztsov Puppet Theater and its characters, which is known to everyone who is not indifferent to strong alcoholic drinks. During the Soviet Union, you could buy alcohol in a store only from eleven o'clock in the afternoon. So, drinkers gathered at the grocery store, which was located not far from the theater, and waited for the long-awaited time to come. The fact that the long-awaited 11 o'clock had arrived was informed to them by the wolf, the “resident” of the house, who replaced the number eleven. Since the wolf was holding a knife, jokes immediately arose about the wolf being ready to cut up the snack! For a long time afterwards, people called 11 a.m., the time when alcohol was sold, “the hour of the wolf.”
To this day, as before, many spectators gather at the “Village of Animals” who are eager to see the appearance of puppet characters. This simple mechanism, which came to us from the distant past, evokes admiration among young children living in our high-tech age.