Favourite Soviet Comedian May Visit N.Z.

Press, Volume C, Issue 29497, 26 April 1961, Page 11

Favourite Soviet Comedian May Visit N.Z.

(N JI.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

MOSCOW. ftumieat man In the Soviet Union, is to become a Russian "expert” in the drive tor better understanding between East and West. This year, the 49-year-old comedian, whose catch phrases are quoted as often by the Russian man-in-the-street as any Communist jargon, will visit Sweden. And next year, as a result of a recent enthusiastic appraisal by Sol Hurok, the American imjwessario, he will fly to the United States for a 10-week tour incorporating four sketches entirely in English. Negotiations are also in progress for visits to Australia and New Zealand, probably later this year. Raiken is already taking English lessons.

Though the Soviet Union is officially a land of no “stars," Raikin has a ranking similar to that once held by the ballerina. Ulanova, and now enjoyed by the Soviet puppet master, Serge Obraztsov. Like them, his performances are marked by full houses, a regular fan club in attendance and a comparatively, handsome salary. His claim to fame as the clown prince of Soviet variety it founded on a brilliant and systematic debunking of the shortcomings of Soviet society and, in fact, of every strata of the nation's life, with the sole exception of the political. In his current success, a revue called "From Two to Fifty.” he plays 25 different roles ranging from a Soviet Don Juan with II children by as many women to a red-nosed official touring the country and lecturing on the evils of drink, and finishing up dead drunk.

This show, in which Raikin links the sketches with jokes and rushes around the stage for nearly two hours, has never had an empty seat. And Raikin's sallies on the shortcomings of certain features of Soviet life after 43 years of communism are greeted with roars of laughter and frequent applause from the audience.

Raikin is deadly serious about the essence of comedy. He told Western correspondents who visited him at a writers’ and artists’ rest home at Peredelkino, on the outskirts of Moscow, where he rests between performances: “I dcn’t make jokes purely for the safe of being funhy. Fun must be for the sake of mankind. Laughter must be not to kill but to cure.”

He spoke slowly, thoughtfully, only coming to life when be lapsed into one of his characters to illustrate the philosophy behind bis humour, and especially to demonstrate the art of debunking pomposity. "I can’t ever see myself i running out of characters, drying up of material for my kind of situation comedy,” he declared. "It is all over the place in the Soviet Union today, just as I am sure it is in the West. And I don’t need sex or vulgarity to pad out the act, either. “There are dozens of different kinds of bureaucrats just

asking to be attacked with the weapon of satire. Whether they see themselves- in my sketches or not, I really don’t know. But I hope they do. “Then there are ‘stllyagi’ (Russian for teddy boys), drunks .idlers, spoilt children. bad neighbours, overtalkative train passengers.” He says: "Censorship? I don't know what it means. It has never happened to me. And why should it?

My aims are the same as the State’s. More than a year ago I introduced a sketch about moonshiners. Our Prime Minister. Mr Khrushchev, recently attacked them sharply and has been doing so frequently lately. “Then one of my most popular sketches of recent years dealt with children spoilt by over-indulgent parents. Last year, Mr Khrushchev brought up the same thing at a teachers’ conference.” Raikin has risen from a naughty, six-year-old schoolboy. soundly punished for staying out late one night to visit a theatre, to his present eminence and a salary of 100 roubles (about £4o> for a performance. He averages five performances a week, and in addition he is paid for being director of the Leningrad Variety Theatre in which he stars, for television and other appearances as well as for film work.

His first public performance was as a dead merchant in a school play. After he left college, he took up acting, and although he had already played leading roles, he took a chance on playing a minor part, without words, when his friend in the company declined to do so. His portrayal of the character was an instant success. Raikin enjoyed it, too. but as he saw it as a part “appearing only once every 10 years.” he struck out on his own and became a children’s entertainer. A great favourite with Soviet children at that time—l93B

—was a Walt Disney film called “The Three Pigs,” and Raikin capitalised on this by making the highlight of his performance a game with balloon pigs. In 1939, he won an allunion variety artists’ contest and then joined a revue company. Then came World War 11. and he was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War for entertaining Soviet troops in the front line. The company kept in being after the war and Raikin soon became the star of the show, writing much of the material and emerging as one of the country’s most brilliant light entertainers. Although he studies the art of humour closely, he knows virtually nothing of the technique and delivery of Western comedians. and “banana-skin” philosophy, and the classic “on-my-way-to-the-theatre” introduction. The sole exception is the work of Charlie Chaplin. Raikin claims to have seen every Chaplin film and studied them closely. Nevertheless, his approach to the art of humour is intensely professional. His company rehearses a revue for nearly four months. And during its run it is "changed many times to keep up with topical events and the audiences’ preferences. Asked about his favourite character in the dozens ’ which he has portrayed. ' Raikin said: “I am still : thinking about it. I haven't played it yet. But I shall."