Biography of Victor Krylov

At sunset, an envious and mediocre drama, a thief and a turnher from literature, a vulgar, an impudent tradem, devoid of artistic taste and without conscience, he also did not remain in debt - laughed at Chekhov, who was “denied dramatic talent,” and Gorky hated him, publicly calling his work “an endless gimp of the fading”. The author of eight volumes! Historians consider it the ancestor of the whole genre conditionally called the "Krylovshchina", in which the philistine, pseudo -psychological, shallow plays were created, which had grandiose success only thanks to the dexterity of the writer and unassuming the general public.

However, other opinions can be found in memoirism.

However, he earned money with his own labor and enterprise, and the “thief” was only to the extent that any translator of foreign plays that adapts them to the needs of the Russian scene at that time was at that time. Victor Krylov, playwright, journalist, translator, one of the most repertoire authors of the Russian scene of the late 19th century. The lessons of a military school were born a future theater figure on January 29 on February 10 in the family of a Moscow lawyer for other sources - a notary.

He studied in his hometown in the 3rd gymnasium, which was famous for the strong teaching of technical sciences-subjects such as mathematics, drawing, mechanics, chemistry, accounting, commercial laws, history, and Latin were included in the program of teaching boys. At the summer, Victor, together with his older brother, was sent to the capital, to complete the education of a military engineer at the Main Engineering School.

We do not have sufficient information about how Krylov lived in St. Petersburg, but in the school he, accustomed to a decent family environment and a warm home hearth, was not easy. A noisy hostel, strict supervision, hundreds of eyes around, a hard barracking situation along with other students, he got up and dressed "on the drum", carefully prepared lessons in the light of the breech sebaceous candle, ate meager - drank liquid tea with rough black bread.

The marching began with an exercise in three tricks, and had to stand on one leg for a long time, while the other rose quietly and high. From this they moved to a quiet step with a high lift of the legs, and only after that the minimum time of the training watch was given to the ordinary pace and military turns of Krylov by Krylov: a compressed course of history, a few words about Pushkin, a teacher of literature introduced students to the works of Lomonosov and Derzhavin, and also read out the articles of Faddei Bulgarin, whose journalism considered the journalism exemplary.

Everything that was "not monarchical" was exhausted from the curriculum. Nevertheless, Krylov writes about all this without resentment, rather with irony. He admits that the regulations of the school was severe, but taught him to discipline, perseverance and instilled the skill of overcoming difficulties. The conditions of such a life did not favored his first attempts at writing, and even more so the fascination with the theater.

The monastery of engineering was stubbornly alienated by muses, preferring them to “serious” classes: fortification, construction, elegance of gun articles. Over the young man who tried to compose poems, chuckled, and once they stole the text, reinvented it and wrote in large letters a chalk on the board, on the fun of the whole class. Krylov was angry, composed in response to evil epigrams, continuing to read the development of his talent every free minute, unfortunately, he was completely provided only by himself.

The only mentors of Krylov were the small Apraksin book seller, who sold everything that fell into their arm - every trash and blockage; Everything that the buyer had enough funds for. And his funds were very scarce. Krylov received from his parents a ruble per month for minor expenses, and fifteen rubles a year was accumulated by gifts from relatives. Nevertheless, even on these pennies, Krylov managed to satisfy his insatiable passion for reading.

He read everything in a row: “Works” by V. Zhukovsky, “Ivan Izzhigin” by F. Bulgarin, Boulevard novels, a lovely faint books were not affordable for him, Gogol’s volume was worth so much in the Apraksin yard that this money could be bought for several weeks. Only at a later time, Krylov managed to replenish his library with worthy works. The beginning of this replenishment laid a successful case: the editorial offices of the "domestic notes" urgently needed to rewrite the play "Veteran and the newborn".

There was no time to look for a professional scribbler, the summer pupil of the school turned up - he was entrusted to him. Krylov received the ruble in silver that the school and the military academy where he would go after, and the officer rank, and teaching in the cadet corps, the favorite of glory on the professional stage, Krylov debuts in the year the play “Against the Stream”, and immediately with deafening success.

This was preceded by several events that influenced the young man, and approved his intention to connect their fate with the theater.Firstly, acquaintance with Caesar Cui, who became his closest friend and supported the desire for creativity. The first finished work of Krylov, the one -act play “There wasn’t directly” based on the story of A. Druzhinin “Polinka Sax” - was played at the bachelorette party before the wedding of C.

Kui in the house of the bride’s parents. Secondly, the publication in the newspaper "Northern Bee" Articles "Some of the Comedy of the Comedy" Woe from Wit "in the scenic sense" despite the fact that it was printed under the pseudonym V. Aleksandrov ", head of" St. Petersburg Vedomosti "V. Korsh quickly recognized the name of the gifted publicist and invited him to lead the theater column.

The feuilletons and reviews of Krylov fell in love with readers - a lively syllable, wit, interesting observations and non -banal thoughts about the art of the stage. The drama from the serf life “against the current” was written based on the story of M. The plot was built on the confrontation of a cruel and despotistical landowner with a serf musician, gifted and educated, who dared to fall in love with the Lord's daughter, and ultimately committed suicide.

The performance was played only twice, and then shot under a formal pretext in fact - for censorship reasons, but two ideas were enough for the author to be seriously spoke. Seriously strengthened the literary and theatrical reputation of Krylov and the translation of the Lessing drama "Nathan Wise", and acquaintance with A. Ostrovsky, who at first favored him and gave wise advice. Every year, strengthened in the theater world, Krylov works day and night - he reads, studies the contemporary state of the stage, looks retired after the premiere of his play “To the World”, he finally forgets about the career of a military engineer and teacher of drawing geometry, completely surrendering to the theatrical work and becoming the most prolific drama of his era.

In the 10th years, the rivalry of Krylov and Ostrovsky began for a place in the repertoire in - - 29 plays, performances. Three or four premieres a year in Alexandrinsky and small theaters and the same amount in the province; Publications in "Russian Thought", "Bulletin of Europe", "Artist", "Picturer" translations, preparation of benefits, adaptation of foreign novelties and adaptation of the classical foreign repertoire in the Russian forth Actors loved Krylov for always taking care of winning roles.

The beneficiaries constantly needed new material, and already knew - from Viktor Alexandrovich they would certainly receive it. He wrote on socio-political and social topics “Zemstvo”, “In the spirit of time”, “Woe-building”, “Family”, “Nadia Maronova”, “In the wilderness of Siberia”, “Poison of Life”, “The city is abolished”, and on the historical “ruler of Sofia”, “Pyotr Great”; He staged prose, translated the “well-made plays” by V.

Sarda, A. Dumas-Sin, L. Galevi, A. The play “Zemts” was first missed by censorship, then staged under the name “Snake Gorynych” by her hero, the chairman of the district zemstvo council, not a single event in his department is without theft, members of the council appropriate zemstvo money. And the peasants are ruined for penny arrears, by force they drive to the gatherings to sign the gratitude address Petrovskaya I.

What is not a social drama? True, over time, such works in Krylov’s work gave way to comedies and entertaining trinkets, jokes and farms accepted by the audience “with a bang” “Pun”, “Pamper” and many others. In the year, one of the Moscow newspapers, referring to the wide repertoire walking of Krylov’s plays, suggested that the Moscow Small Theater joked Viktor Krylov theater. In fact, that neither the performance, the play of Viktor Krylov is to attack, and nothing more!

If at first the playwright still tried to reflect and analyze reality, reflecting on the hopelessness of provincial life, corruption, bureaucratic lawlessness, the fate of intelligent people, then in X he finally switches to a safe and commercially profitable theme: love and downs, money difficulties, conflicts with mother -in -law and mother -in -law, estate prejudices.

Evil languages ​​dissolved rumors that he allegedly did not write his plays at all, but only translates little -known French texts, changing the titles and surnames of actors. However, even ill -wishers recognized Krylov’s art in writing natural dialogues, skill in constructing intrigue, entertaining and staging ease. Her main images are standardly closed in the notorious love triangle: husband - wife - lover mistress.

Her dramatic positions are stencil. But the author knows the scene very well. He knows how to give the most template situations very impressive. He specifically writes roles in the calculation of the creative features of one or another leading actor, reaching Danilov’s specific theatricality - about V. Whatever “specific” this lightweight drama, it made it possible to create bright performances with interesting and memorable acting work.Davydov, Varlamov, Savina, Strelskaya in the comedy “Blood” the author introduces the audience to three daughters of the poor landowner Krazhtin, who dreams of marrying a wealthy person.

Princess Suramskaya comes with his son Bobi to choose his bride. She likes the “scientific” faith and “economic” Nadia. The sisters are already dividing the groom among themselves, they are jealous of him, but the young man is attracted by the cheerfulness, mockery and liveliness of the “disrupted” of Luba. Of course, Lyuba wins and marries Bobi. In the comedy, it is not difficult to notice traces of vaudeville intrigue, and many situations were really borrowed from the old vaudeville of the years, but with what brilliance Maria Gavrilovna Savina played in the “disorder”!

As the audience loved her in this role, enthusiastically applauded the actress with regard to borrowing, the following case described by B. Nikonov is very indicative: “Criticism first reacted to Krylov’s works very favorably, but then a different evil language began. The newspapers claimed, for example,“ to the world! But no matter how much he insisted, so that he was indicated from which, from this, he could not achieve at that time his house in Moscow occupied a whole quarter; From the Society of Drama Writers, he received income, which was half the reward of Ostrovsky, and the cash was hundreds of thousands.

At the same time, Viktor Alexandrovich led a moderate lifestyle, did not drink and did not smoke, and out of luxury allowed himself only travels that he loved passionately. Then he never skimp on amenities: he always drove in the first grade by rail and stopped at the best hotels. At home, he was bread and, like a true Muscovite, loved guests at his dinner table. The myth of his greed was partly generated by the refusal to take part in charitable dinners.