Bryantsev A.A., (1883-1961), director

Categories / Art/Music, Theatre/Personalia
BRYANTSEV Alexander Alexandrovich (1883, St. Petersburg - 1961, Leningrad), director, theatre worker, People's Artist of the USSR (1956). Graduated from the Historical Philological Faculty of Petersburg University (1908). One of the founders of the Soviet Theatre for Children and the Youth. In 1904-19 he was an actor and director at the Gaydeburov and Skarskaya Public Theatre of the Ligovsky People's House, holding the same job at the First Traveling Drama Theatre (in 1917-19 the Workshop of Travelling Drama Theatre). He staged over 60 plays in these theatres, including Two Brothers based on M.A. Kuzmin's work, the first performance for children, produced in 1918. Subscribed to Gaydeburov's idea of theatrical enlightenment. Advocated the principle of "schematisation" and the simplification of expressive means. In 1919, together with Gaydeburov he founded the theatrical department of the Petrograd Distance Education Institute, where he lectured. In 1920-21 he worked as a pedagogue in the Petrograd children's homes. In 1921, he established the Young Spectators' Theatre (TYuZ, opened in 1922), heading it until 1961 (35 Mokhovaya Street, the former hall of Tenishevsky School, today the Student Theatre of the Academy of Dramatic Arts; memorial plaque installed). He worked out a method that served as a basis for various children's theatres through the USSR, combining art and education. Staged 48 plays at the Young Spectators' Theatre, including The Little Humpbacked Horse based on P.P. Ershov's book, Gusi-Lebedi by N.S. Pyatnitskaya and S.Y. Marshak, E.L. Schwarz's Undervud (jointly with B.W. Zon), The Inspector General and The Marriage by N.V. Gogol, D.I. Fonvizin's The Minor, and works by Alexander Pushkin, A.N. Ostrovsky, and J.-B. Moliere. Promoted the opening of similar young spectators' theatres in various regions throughout the USSR. Took part in a project for a new building for the Leningrad Young Spectators' Theatre. Wrote books and a great number of articles, including Simplification of Theatrical Settings (Petrograd, 1917 and 1919), Artist of the Theatre for Children (Leningrad, 1927), and memoirs, extracts of which are published in the collection titled A. A. Bryantsev: Memoirs, Articles, Speeches, Diaries, Letters (M., 1979). In 1950 he received the Stalin Prize. Buried at Literatorskie Mostky. In 1970 a street was named after Bryantsev, and in 1980 the Young Spectators' Theatre was also given his name.

References: Зельцер С. Д. А. А. Брянцев. М., 1962.

A. A. Kirillov. Bryantsev Alexander Alexandrovich
Bryantseva St./Saint Petersburg, city
Mokhovaya St./Saint Petersburg, city, house 35
Зельцер С. Д. А. А. Брянцев. М., 1962 State University, St. Petersburg
Young People's Theatre
Tenishev's School
Literatorskie (Literary) Mostki, the museum-necropolis
Theatre Art Academy
1922