Perfect diction, a powerful voice and essential poetry: artist Yelena Olenina on theatrical stereotypes
The world
of theatre is surrounded by numerous stereotypes — including those related to
an actor's work with poetry and the spoken word. Yelena Olenina, Honoured
Artist of Russia, member of the Union of Writers of Russia, director, teacher
and actress of the Moscow Drama Theatre "Chelovek"
("Human"), shared her professional perspective on some of the most
common assumptions. In a rapid-fire "True or False?" interview for
the Press Office of the National Centre RUSSIA, she both confirmed certain
widespread beliefs and encouraged audiences to look at familiar ideas from a
different angle.
1. Is it true that a good actor must have perfect diction?
"Not necessarily. Many actors perform brilliantly on stage despite having weak or imperfect diction. There have even been many outstanding actors with speech defects who turned them into their trademark feature. I know many actors whose diction is far from perfect, yet they are absolutely brilliant," says Yelena Olenina.
2. Is it true that there are poems every actor should know?
According to the actress, there are indeed certain poems that can be considered
essential. As an example, she cited Boris Pasternak's poem " It Is Not
Seemly to Be Famous".
3. Is it true that poetry should be read loudly?
"Absolutely not. Poetry should be read. How it is read is another matter
entirely," Yelena Olenina counters.
4. Is it true that theatre struggles to attract young people?
"I would disagree with that. It seems to me that it is not difficult at all. Young people are very eager to engage with theatre, and a great many young audience members attend performances today," the actress admits.
5. Is it true that talent matters more than hard work?
In Yelena Olenina's view, the issue is not so much the relative importance of
talent and hard work, but rather a person's ability to turn natural gifts into
tangible results and the daily choice between working consistently and waiting
for inspiration. "Hard-working people sometimes outperform talented people when talent is
lazy. Personally, I find a talented but lazy person less interesting than
someone who is diligent, even if they are less naturally gifted. People who are
willing to work always achieve more and reach greater heights," she says.
Yelena Olenina opened the creative programme of the exposition project "Legacy. Theatre. The Greats", dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the Union of Theatre Workers of Russia and organised with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives. She delivered a masterclass for guests of the National Centre RUSSIA on stage speech entitled "The Poetic Word on Stage: Experience, Practice and Meaning".
Visitors can attend the exposition and all accompanying events free of charge
upon prior registration via the official website. The exposition runs
until 25 September.
