ALEXANDER (in a rage, in his own voice): There are a lot of people in the troupe. Actresses sit idle, so no, the Director saw some of his own zest in dressing up a man as a young lady. (As emotionally as possible, pulling off the remnants of outfits, wiping the Marafet from the face) What should I do with my voice? With your belly? (he shakes his stomach with his hands.) It's not very clear what happened here. I had to not eat for a month, and what is most offensive – not to drink!

Artist – do not drink! Can you imagine what it's like? This is crazy! This constant transformation of learning roles, a change of scenery, environment and even time! The emotional state from the frying pan into the fire. And I don't have to drink? And then here on the stage to play a secular young lady and a gentle, not squeaky voice to release thin, pliable passes to representatives of the Palace intelligentsia? I'm ready to run them down with my bare hands, because they sneer at me, and I'm here in this rags anneal… And at the same time, I need to be playful, high-minded, moderately frivolous, but still high-minded young lady with them.

He puts his hands on his hips and exhales hopelessly.

ALEXANDER (somewhat distantly): Business… the

Director's annoyed voice is heard through the megaphone (a businesslike, not too positive voice in the recording): something doesn't suit you, Alexander? We can find a replacement for you, if everything is so fundamental!

ALEXANDER (apologetically, making excuses, looking for the Director in the audience): No,no, it's all right! I agreed to this. And lost weight and prepared… This is all true… a moment of weakness. Stress comes out. It seems to be out, we can continue. (After a short pause, changing his tone) Excuse me. (Somewhere behind the scenes) Bring a fan, please.

The music for ballroom accompaniments corresponding to the time of the episode is played again.

Alexander reluctantly pulls on ladies ' outfits.

ZTM.

6 SCENE. REVELATION

Dim lighting.

Alexander weary gait goes on stage in his. In ordinary everyday clothes, without makeup, hairstyles, as I used to go in everyday life.

Tired, good smiles.

ALEXANDER (somewhat self-denying):

now the troupe has dispersed… and the Director has Left the theater.

I'm here alone now, as often in the evening.

Yes, not always successful, but still an innovator,

Not so the soul trembles when people are crowded around.

He sits on the stage floor and looks around the room with a warm, kind smile.

ALEXANDER (heartfelt, from himself): I'm so tired of playing other people's roles… living other people's lives. I gave so much energy, effort… left so many other people's emotions here on the stage… I miss my life so much, the moments when I don't have to play… When I – I! And this almost never happens. The rehearsal, the game, the circumstances in which I, (addressing the audience) like all of You, have to play certain roles. The role of father, mother, husband, son, friend, girlfriend, mistress, and so on…

You know… there are a lot of people… people who like to live other people's lives. That's right love! They like to stick their nose everywhere, which is not very desirable for a visit. They try to command, or manipulate other people's lives…, teach and teach everywhere, especially when no one asks them to. Especially when no one needs it. There are people… who just can't… they just don't know how to live their own lives… Most often, only because they simply do not have their own life as such. Either because it failed, or because once, for some reason, their lives just ended. It happens. I do not judge, but rather sympathize. Anything can happen. .. it also happens that life is over, but the person still exists. And he has no choice but to meddle in other people's lives, to live other people's lives…

What I want to say… Perhaps such people… They would be able to bring great benefit to society not by forcing others to live, or relatives, or friends… in a word, other people by interfering in their lives and trying to rule something there in their own, as it seems to them, the right way. And… perhaps such people would be useful in a different way… maybe just the actor's fiefdom needs such people… Imagine what artists, writers, and screenwriters would be like today… artists and musicians… If these people only lived by what they did. And not because this is their job, but because these people simply can't live any other way, and they don't want to. If such people would give themselves with complete immersion, with complete self-denial, with complete dedication in the lives of others that are necessary to society, expressed in lines, paintings, music, or in acting on stage or in movies…

It seems to me, history knows such cases… And all these cases, as a rule, Yes… they cause trembling feelings and sometimes pity for the fates, but always admiration for what and how a person did… How he lived someone else's life.

Be an actor… Or any creative figure – this in the eyes of many people is nothing more than pampering. It hurts me to hear how the children of actors in schools classmates shout with mockery: "Yes, your dad except for making faces on stage and nothing else can do." Low bow to parents who, hopefully, inadvertently, Express such conclusions, especially with children's ears. And then this mechanism is unwound to the harassment and psychological trauma of children whose parents put their other people's lives on the altar of art…

After all, art… this is all done not for the sake of money, not for the sake of profit and not for the sake of fame… if we are talking about real art, art by vocation, and not by the breath of a magic powerful wand. This is why we are often not taken seriously. We simply cannot be understood, and misunderstanding, alas, often generates condemnation.

Friends…, do not try to judge…, do not try to judge anyone, because life is really not a simple thing, and it is not easy to understand it with the human mind. Isn't it better to put in a good word for an actor, writer, musician, sculptor or artist, even if he drew a black square, and caused countless people to ecstasy and admiration… Yes, let them… He's good. There are many things we don't understand, and many things we try to condemn. .. if each of us tried to highlight positive, understandable positive aspects from any situation, and not focus on ignorance, which, alas, Is a lot without our participation, then… maybe the world would become a little brighter, more colorful, iridescent and all this a little more beautiful.

Alexander gets up from the floor, goes to the front of the stage for the final line.

ALEXANDER (heartfelt, from himself): Yes… Every one of us, no matter what kind of profession we are, we are all actors. William Shakespeare spoke the truth: "The whole world is a theater. In it, women and men are all actors. They have their own exits and exits. And everyone plays more than one role."

In the end, it is not so important what role you played in the theater of life. Positive, negative, major or minor, or maybe just episodic… What matters is how you played it!

Friends… whatever it was… let's play our roles efficiently! With the soul, so that the second take was not needed! So that the first attempt mesmerized with its game. After all, our presence here, it is in any case episodic, no matter how many years we live ten, fifty or a hundred. Against the background of eternity, this is less than the smallest fragment. And if so, then let's at least strive to wear the proud title of "King of the episode".

If we succeed, it is already a success!

Music!

A CURTAIN

Novosibirsk, September 2020

Dramatic Comedy for 1 hour and 15 minutes.