Varlamov K.A., (1848-1915), actor

Categories / Art/Music, Theatre/Personalia
VARLAMOV Konstantin Alexandrovich (1848, St. Petersburg - 1915, Petrograd), actor, son of composer A.E. Varlamov. Educated at home. Took part in amateur performances. Began working on the professional stage in 1867, at the theatre of A.M. Chitau-Ogareva in Kronstadt and various provincial non-repertory theatres. In 1875 he joined the company of the Alexandrinsky Theatre and performed there until 1915. Originally, he became famous as an operetta comic actor, a simpleton in vaudevilles and comedies, playing Menelas in J. Offenbach's The Fair Helen, and Bazile in Beaumarchais's The Marriage of Figaro. In his acting, he often combined buffoonery and sharp characterization with dramatic tension and subtle lyricism, particularly as Bolshov in A.N. Ostrovsky's It's A Family Affair; Stolbtsov in The New Affair by V.I. Nemirovich-Danchenko; Shpundik in I.S. Turgenev's Bachelor; Lebedev in Ivanov; Sorin in The Seagull, and Simeonov-Pishchik in A.P. Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard. Played close to 30 roles in plays by Ostrovsky, among them Groznov in Truth is Good, But Happiness is Better, Kuroslepov in Fervent Heart, Krutitsky in For Each Wise Man there are Plenty of Fools, Berendey in The Snow Maiden, and Chugunov in Wolves and Sheep. Varlamov was drawn to roles from classical repertoire. He created many brilliant characters from works by N.V. Gogol: Lyapkin-Tyapkin, Osip, Zemlyanika, The Governor in The Inspector General, Chichikov, Sobakevich, General Betrishchev in Dead Souls, Stepan, Kochkarev, Yaichnitsa in The Marriage, Glov in The Gamblers, Proletov in The Lawsuit. Among his best-played roles are Varravin in A.V. Sukhovo-Kobylin's The Case; Skalozub and Gorich in A.S. Griboedov's Woe from Wit; Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing, and Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream by W. Shakespeare. Fabricated his unique stage-mask, used by V.E. Meyerhold in the production of J.B. Moliere's Don Juan in the character of Sganarelle, performed by Varlamov (1910). Buried in his family burial vault at Novodevichye Cemetery.

References: Старк Э. А. Царь русского смеха: К. А. Варламов. Пг., 1916; Кара С. С. Варламов. Л., 1969.

A. A. Kirillov. Beaumarchais Pierre Augustin
Chekhov Anton Pavlovich
Chitau-Ogareva Alexandra Mikhailovna
Gogol Nikolay Vasilievich
Griboedov Alexander Sergeevich
Meyerhold Vsevolod Emilievich
Moliere Jean-Baptiste
Nemirovich-Danchenko Vladimir Ivanovich
Offenbach Jacques (real name Eberst Jakob)
Ostrovsky Alexander Nikolaevich
Shakespeare William
Sukhovo-Kobylin Alexander Vasilievich
Turgenev Ivan Sergeevich
Varlamov Alexander Egorovich
Varlamov Konstantin Alexandrovich
Старк Э. А. Царь русского смеха: К. А. Варламов. Пг., 1916
Кара С. С. Варламов. Л., 1969 Alexandrinsky Theatre
Novodevichye Cemetery
Novodevichye Cemetery