Gogi Gegechkori

From archives of Rustaveli Theatre Museum:

| Nanuka Sephashvili|

Gogi Gegechkori:

            “For the first time I was baptized as an actor in 14^th public school, in forth grade. From that exact day theatre became my passion. My brother was an actor too and I decided to study in institute of theatre. In 1940 I became a student of acting faculty and I was lucky for my teachers who were perfect artists: D. Aleksidze, G. Tovstonogov, M. Mrevlishvili and others. The period in institute gave me an unforgettable experience and education, I’ve played lots of roles on training stage, I’ve discovered many professional secrets while studying in institute, I’ve believed in possibility of really making something on the stage. And at last I occurred in Rustaveli  Theatre with Akaki Khorava’s support. I remember the feeling for my first serious role on the main stage. After that was the play “First step” where I played Bakhva Farulava. These were my first steps in Rustaveli Theatre.

In 1949 “Baratashvili” was staged. The director D. Aleksidze gave me Baratashvili’s role. Three days before the premiere Rustaveli Theatre building completely burnt so we played the premiere on Opera Theatre stage. In short time Rustaveli theatre was rebuild and we moved on playing “Baratashvili” there. The play was performed more than 200 times.  This play won an unprecedented success.

It was unusual to play in “Samanishvili’s Stepmother” just because of the fact that I was performance leader and  Platon’s role performer at the same time. It was something strange, I had to transform from one role to another and find golden mean between these two.

This play had a great success, many viewers saw it, we performed it many times and it was one of the first plays that theatre took abroad like guest performance in federative republic of Germany. 

“My life is closely connected with this role and this role totally follows me everywhere."

The mystery of our profession is that you have to feel while coming out on the stage,  that you’re playing for the first time, like on the premiere. This is the secret of theatre artist’s cuisine – as for the first time.  This is very difficult. In spite of the fact that I’ve played many roles, I tried to follow this thesis.

I’ve played great roles, there were about ten roles that I’ve played well, the rests – so-so, and many of them I’ve played poorly too. I’m not that person to boast with my roles…

But if I never ever enter my make-up room, or never sit in front of my mirror and never do my make-up, I’ll be done, this will be huge full stop in my life. What can I do, I’m here in this theatre yet and playing a little bit…”   
 
Contemporaries about Gogi Gegechkori:

M.Tumanishvili:

“Gogi  Gegechkori is an artist from the bottom to the top. His talent is gifted from nature, he is very hardworking and organized person. Gogi Gegechkori’s talent is limitless, his pallete is full of different colors. He is completely devoted to his job.”


Medea Chkakhava:

We’ve gone through a school with G. Tovstonogov, M. Tumanishvili  when we were young we became intimately linked with each other that we couldn’t  live separately without one another. We are working on a new play nowadays and when I begin thinking at home, I’m thinking about him, because he is my partner, I have to convent every new scene that I think over with his thoughts. The feeling of partnership means respecting each other and it means total exclusion of selfishness.

Gogi is a remarkable partner, he is also very interesting for the director, because he always comes with new suggestions on the rehearsals. He is creative, hardworking, studious…”

Natela Ururshadze:

“sometimes a person is the same everywhere, sometimes radically different. Gogi is very strict but firstly with himself. But in general he is mild person but he has huge inner discipline.

Once  in the market the saleswoman recognized me and couldn’t  recognize Gogi. It seemed that lady didn’t go to the theatre or to the cinema, but she was watching television. Gogi was mad, this is the inner nature of a real artist, because their profession leaves only popularity and people’s love for them.  When we got married he was playing “Baratashvili” and I could freely say that I married to a romantic poet but time has passed and this poet transformed into the wolf from “Chinchraka”.  I was kind of terrified but I didn’t know what was waiting for me next. After a little while there was born a murderer, recidivist Tigran Guloian which lives longon this stage yet. After came witch in “Macbeth” and I thought that it was the end of my torment but no.  Now Gogi has a new role of perdon from the afterlife and now you decide the beginning and the ending of this part of my life”.

Vasil Kiknadze:

Gentleman of Georgian theatre- I often repeat these words while talking about Gogi Gegechkori.

Georgia has planty of artistic talent, sometimes I think that whole Georgia is an artist – in general Georgian always plays some role. Akhmeteli was first to say that. And before him ages ago foreigners said that Georgians always play to show and perform, but the be a real gentleman is totally different.

       I’ve worked with Gogi Gegechkori for 10 years in Rustaveli Theatre. There were happy years. He gave me so much human and creative happiness. I met him while being a student. Gogi Gegechkori went through a big creative path. He must be happy that he never stopped in thins investigation of that little grain that was shining out from his spirit. And the audience was happy because that light beam shone into their soles too.
 if I begin listing Mr. Gogi’s roles there won’t be enough paper, each face is separate theme to talk.  There are lots of things that belongs to history like Georgian acting art which is aged more than half of the century.

This is a great wealth!

Translated by Tatia Tukhashvili