“It would be best if no one knew me at all and saw me only as an image on stage!” Actor Hop openly about himself

Dr. Clown publicity photo

Aija Kaukule, “Latvijas Avīze”, JSC “Latvijas Mediji”

This week, the curtain in the Round Hall of the Valmiera Theater will be opened by the production of the award-winning play “Family” by the American author Stephen Karam, directed by Reinis Suhanovs. “Americans or Latvians – there is no family that would not have their own” skeletons in the closet “, says the actor of Valmiera Theater AIGARS APINIS on the eve of the premiere.

He has the role of a newcomer – the daughter’s new groom – in this family story. “This will be a single-family cardiogram with signs of arrhythmia. Tough and sweet at the same time. Combine The Cranberries’ heavy piece “Zombie” with Ed Shiran’s “Perfect” and you will have the right score, “adds the actor, who, by the way, is the author of the musical design of the show alongside the composer Jēkabs Nimman.

At the outset, I can’t help but ask – why are interviews with you on one hand?

A. Apinis: I like it when people find out about me as much as they see on stage. I don’t want a person to see me as Aigars from the “it’s there series” or a magazine page when I come to the theater. This is additional information that I find unnecessary. It would be best if no one knew me at all and saw me only as an image on stage. But I understand that there are people who want to see famous and famous people on stage.

Such attention to content, not just form, is in some ways evident in your own theater career. Usually studies in actors and then matures, often followed by interest in directing. You did the opposite – first a school of directing, then a study of acting.

And that’s very good, because this sequence helps me quite a lot to understand the actor’s work. Although – I accidentally got into directing studies, on the recommendation of a classmate, I entered the Latvian College of Culture so that I would not be drafted into the army. I’ve noticed that if I “flow along the river” like this, I’m fine. As soon as I started to drive the stream myself, then immediately trouble is here.

Acting though was and is a conscious choice?

Yes, in the actors a year later it was clear to me that this is what I will do. At the moment, to be honest, I’m not sure if it will last a lifetime. Every day I try to understand what I think, what I want – I’m at a crossroads – and that director is wandering around me somewhere.

I’m used to working quite a lot with directors I can call my own. In recent years – together with Mārtiņš Eihi, Jānis Znotiņš. It seems to me that I help them in the process of staging the show. And as long as no one tells me specifically – now you don’t mean anything here – in the meantime, I do.

Probably this is why I get into other “roles” in the creative teams of the show from time to time. Re, this time in the show “Family” together with Jēkabs Nimans, the creator of the musical design will count. I became a choreographer in a performance staged by Eihe (“Lieutenant Inishmora”). At once a little tired of these parallel activities, but it’s cool to try.

What motivates you to look beyond your image and see the big picture?

Somehow I’m used to it because I’m interested in it. Roles – this, of course, is interesting, especially if there is good material, and if you still connect with the director, then in general – colossal. This is also the case of “Family”, when it is cool with the director and the team and the acting work is pleasant.

What plan do you see for the show “Man needs a dog”, where you, humans, are dogs? (The show has been nominated for the Players’ Night Award in the category “Teen Show of the Year”. – UK)

The first show together with Jānis (Znotins) was “Staburag’s children” for me, we continued with “God. Nature. Work “, where one of my roles was also a dog, and then we came to” Man needs a dog “. For a long time I wore in Jānis’ ear that we need something about dogs.

Probably because I had dogs myself, which unfortunately no longer exist. One day John calls and says, “I found it!” And now there is “A man needs a dog” – a wonderful show. But the story there is not only about dogs, but about what it means to be human. It is also a story about a family, about whether a person can love or not.

Latvians love theater…

Yes, and despite the pandemic, someone is still trying to be in the theater. Of course, it is extremely strange to be on stage when the audience is thin. The first such show was “Farewell to Weapons” (director Varis Brasla).

There are 16 people in the ensemble, 22 spectators. The feeling of non-compliance is as if you were in an attempt. Much like when the pandemic started, there were empty city streets. Personally, I have no objections to distancing – it is a very good feeling that no one in the store, in line, falls on top of their existence and plastic bags. Admittedly, I haven’t been to the supermarkets since March, because I realized that there was no need to do so.

How did “Humans” or “People”, the title of the play in the original, Latvian version, become “family”? Is this generational thriller convertible from America to Latvia at all?

The Latvian “people” didn’t really sound, because the essence of the play is about a family that meets on Thanksgiving Day. We don’t celebrate it in Latvia, but we have family reunions and celebrations. There is the same joy of meeting, upliftment, awkwardness.

The family for three generations comes to visit the daughter, who has started living with my friend, whom I play. My hero is a real American who joins another American family with very strong Irish roots. He tries to be good, he is ready – he made sure everything was delicious, he took care of the environment – everything is “eco” and “bio”.

I myself have been in a situation where I have to get to know my girlfriend’s family, and I know very well what it means to feel uncomfortable. The show is basically one restless family cardiogram that jumps up, down – a little towards the arrhythmia. If I were a spectator, this would be a show I would definitely like to see. The whole ensemble of actors plays virtuoso, interesting and unpredictable here.

You are working with director Rein Suhanov for the first time.

Rhine is really wonderful, and I admit that I have completely changed my mind about his work. Once, after one of the theater festival concerts, which Reinis created together with Jānis (Znotins), I thought – how can it all be put together on a board.

And, you can see how time goes by and the same guys have managed to find a common language even in several shows. Rein has a huge amount of positivism and, most importantly, the courage to make mistakes.

What took courage this time?

I don’t feel comfortable singing, but here it will! As the creator of the musical design, I am to blame for it – I have thrown this glove myself, and now I have to lift it myself. Duel with yourself.

I will sing from the heart and as I can. But you need the most courage when playing something that connects with your personal problems. In fact, almost no role is unrelated to one’s own experience.

Legend has it that at the age of thirty-three you once dared to play a show coming directly from the hospital. Now that the threshold of round 40 has been violated, would you do the same for theater?

No! In your youth, during your studies, you throw yourself into the theater quite hot-blooded. However, I now realize that health is more important, that theater is not a lifetime. Taking care of yourself is normal.

Looking at what’s happening in theaters right now, isn’t an actor’s position more precarious than ever?

If one day an artistic director comes and says that I do not fit him in this theater, do nothing. After the Academy of Culture and the New Riga Theater, I was almost the only actor of our course, who is not in any theater, but then together with my classmate Andrejs Jarovojs we created the Gertrudes Street Theater.

At that time, it was the very beginning, I threw in a circle for four years and got a little tired of it until I got to Valmiera. Of course, the idea of ​​independence comes to mind for every actor from time to time. But now is not the time. The only thing I know clearly now is that you need to save the first installment to buy the fields. I want to live outside. Already now, every Monday morning to evening, I spend time at Smiltene Secondary School, where I teach theater.

So can you shed light on what’s really going on in the mysterious, new drama hours?

Through theater games and conversations, I try to unleash the courage of children and young people – to understand what they like, to express their opinion. I learn not to be afraid of people, to talk to them.

This week was a full day at school, and when five hours ended, I realized that I was not empty, but on the contrary, full of energy. Interacting with young people and realizing that what I bring there works is a giant drive to act. For the same reason, I have also been a Dr. Clown for five years.

What is this “pandemic season” ahead of you?

Immediately the premiere (October 9) at the theater will be the performance “Lieutenant of Inishmore” postponed from April, which we have already performed at the Valmiera Summer Theater Festival. This is also a show with very good material and very interesting to play. Looking at what’s ahead, I know this will be the year of American authors for me.

After the brilliant appearance in the role of Boga in the film “Kolka Cool” is there any hope to see you on the screens again? I understand that the era of series is over, although the actors claim – they are helping to warm the muscles of the film.

It’s a series of scams – nothing can be trained there. I don’t see anything more than an opportunity to earn a little there. Yes, I filmed a couple in the series “House of Angels” a long time ago, and I was in a good mood last year, so I accidentally agreed to one series “Everything New”.

However, in principle, it seems to me that time has fallen to the ground. But in the film “Kolka Cool” I am “one hit wonder” .

I have stopped going to the tests, I have never been particularly lucky there. I understand that racing is not my way. If a director specifically invites me, I’m ready.

That’s how Jevgēņijs Paškēvičs saw me “Kolka Cool” and invited me to film his new film “What Silent Gerda Knows” (premiere on October 22, at the festival “Riga IFF”).