THEATRE ACTRESS could see that his profile was chiselled. He looked bronzed with green eyes and I quite forgot that it was him: I thought that it was Greek god! The door closed and the picture disappeared but the image remained. I was then absolutely head over heels and, at the end of the first year, decided that I had to tell him of my love. I was anxious about this being unreciprocated and him thinking me odd but I had no time and decided to act, telling Gena my feelings. It was early in the morning and our lecture would soon begin. I arrived and waited, then saw someone already seated. It was him. I said, “Shkuratov, come here, I want to tell you that I love you. I think that you already know and yet do not. Time is passing and I’m suffering.” I opened my heart, revealing all, and then returned calmly to my seat. Our lecturer came and we began; I saw Gena writing but also glancing at me from under his arm. We married in the fourth year and, after graduation, joined the Kolas Theatre together. We’d been invited to join Minsk theatres but I made everyone fall in love with my theatre. Dudarev was originally going to Vitebsk but I talked him out of it. He was already writing fiction and poetry and went to the Young Spectators’ Theatre. Our creative and marital partnership was successful and I really appreciated Gena’s professional opinion; we’d often advise each other. As we are both leaders, we’d have been incompatible were it not for our creativity. Two such forces in the house, two strong characters and temperaments, would have led to arguments; it could not have been otherwise. When we disagreed, we simply stopped talking and, even when we quarrelled more seriously, we were able to put those differences aside when it came time to go on stage together. Once we began acting, our conflicts would pass. We also put aside such arguing when our children arrived. When people grow tired of each other, they try new experiences but Gena and I never lost interest and
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were actually afraid of losing one another — despite what others may have thought. Gena starred in many films and I was always afraid that my husband might be attracted by one of his beautiful leading women. However, he was born to be a onewoman man and treated other women only as sisters. He lacked the usual
When he began having heart problems, he managed to convince me that there was nothing to worry about. When he died, no one believed it and asked if it was a mistake or a joke. They thought his name might have been confused with Shmakov [Fiodor Shmakov — People's Artist of the USSR]. It took me a while to come to my senses afterwards, as I felt
“I love my roles, which are so various”
glint in the eye that men tend to show women. Women could never cross his line of decency, even if they wanted to. So, I trusted our marriage to last. I once asked him if he’d ever felt stronger, warmer feelings for another woman but he assured me, “Why would I when I have you?” People loved him everywhere he went and wherever he appeared: it was his gift from nature. My husband was beautiful in appearance and in his soul. People would go to theatre just to see him — as he was a wonderful actor. Even six months before his death, he was playing roles of healthy men.
like I’d been turned to stone for three months. I still can’t truly believe he’s no longer with us. Work saved me and my friends helped. In addition to the theatre, I teach acting techniques and etiquette at a modelling agency run by Sergey Nagorny, who chairs the jury of the Student Spring festival and is engaged in work with the Union of Theatrical Figures. I’ve had periods when I haven’t worked but filled them with painting, embroidery and reading. I’m not afraid of old age or loneliness as I’m never bored by my own company and always