Georgian Theatre Day celebrated at Rustaveli Theatre
By Mariam Mchedlidze
Monday, January 20
Georgia has a 164 year tradition of celebrating Georgian Theater Day. On January 14, the Rustaveli Theatre invited art-lovers to the documentary film The Portrait of Ramaz Chkhikvadze directed by Aleksandre Rekhviashvili. The event was held in connection with the National Day of Georgian Theatre.
Ramaz Chkhikvadze was an honored actor performing on a stage for most of his life. He dedicated his life to Georgian theatre. Because of his great talent and distinct originality in his creative work, Ramaz Chikvadze became a bearer of the Public Artist title.
In 1973 he was rewarded at The Moscow International Film Festival as the best actor. He received an award from Kote Marjanishvili Theatre in 1974 for the role of Kvarkvare. He was not only admired in his homeland, but in many foreign countries as well. Chkhikvadze was rated very high in Great Britain for his acting in Shakespeare’s plays.
After his death in 2011, the push to make film about his life had been strengthened. Rekhviashvili’s film reminded the audience about the unforgettable aptitude for dramatic reincarnation. The actor’s friends’ interviews were used in the documentary picture accompanied with archived material describing Ramaz Chkhikvadze’s professional and personal life. The film showed how he managed to learn the personality of a character, perceive it exactly and then individually improvise with the help of his inexhaustible imagination.
Rustaveli Theatre actor Zhanri Lolashvili said while exploring his role, Chkhikvadze had always been enthusiastic and became a completely different person with hundreds of faces.
Artistic Director of the Robert Sturua Theatre said the late actor was brilliant while working on the play Kvarkvare. “It definitely was a new style of acting. It was a period when I found myself as a director. He is and always will remain a part of my soul. I can never express how great an artist and person he was,” Sturua said.
According to actor Kakhi Kavsadze, Ramaz Chkhikvadze used to give away happiness and love at every moment of his life. He was really wealthy by this. He gave out love.
An exhibition also dedicated to Georgian theatre pioneer Giorgi Eristavi’s 200th anniversary was held at the Rustaveli Theatre. Moreover, a newspaper named Georgian Theatre Day was also presented. The Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection co-sponsored the events.
