Vasilyev P.V., (1832-1879), actor

Categories / Art/Music, Theatre/Personalia
VASILYEV Pavel Vasilievich (1832-1879), actor. Graduated from the Moscow Drama School (1850). In St. Petersburg, succeeded A.E. Martynov, who had strong impact on him in the 1850s, in the Alexandrinsky Theatre's troupe (1860-64, 1865-74). A mainly comic actor, Vasilyev tended towards profound psychological portraits of lower-class characters, underlining the dramatic aspects of his characters. The dominant theme of Vasilyev's works is the tragedy of the "small man" and the insistence of his dignity. Vasilyev became a mouthpiece for the democratic trends rising in the 1860s, creating a set of "people's" characters. In general, he was admired by Pochvenniky (a movement associated with Slavophils) and disliked by Westernizers. The small amount of theatrical devices in his acting was supplemented by spontaneous inspiration and great passion. Vasilyev mainly performed roles from Russian plays, above all those by A.N. Ostrovsky: Lyubim Tortsov (Poverty Is No Crime), Tikhon (The Storm), Podkhalyuzin (It's A Family Affair), Balzaminov (The Holiday Dream Before Dinner, You Get What You Go For), and Krasnov ("Grekh da beda na kogo ne zhivet"). Other famous roles included Osip in The Inspector General, Kochkarev The Marriage N.V. Gogol, Rasplyuev in The Marriage of Krechinsky by A.V. Sukhovo-Kobylin, Kuzovkin in I.S. Turgenev's Fortune's Fool, Mikhailo in Ill-Gotten Gains Never Prosper by A.A. Potekhin, and Ananiy in Cruel Fate by A.F. Pisemsky. In 1868-74, he lectured at the Petersburg Drama School. From 1875, he worked in the provinces.

Reference: Мордисон Г. З. Жизнь актера Павла Васильева. Л., 1972.

A. A. Kirillov. Gogol Nikolay Vasilievich
Martynov Alexander Evstafievich
Ostrovsky Alexander Nikolaevich
Pisemsky Alexey Feofilaktovich
Potekhin Alexander Antipovich
Sukhovo-Kobylin Alexander Vasilievich
Turgenev Ivan Sergeevich
Vasilyev Pavel Vasilievich
Мордисон Г. З. Жизнь актера Павла Васильева. Л., 1972 Alexandrinsky Theatre
Theatre College