Sergey Peregudov: Waiting for Hamlet Shouldn’t Stop You from Speaking Your Truth
Sergey Peregudov: Waiting for Hamlet Shouldn’t Stop You from Speaking Your Truth
Sergey Peregudov is a renowned theater and film actor from St. Petersburg. Millions of viewers know him from his roles in films and TV series such as “Crime and Punishment,” “Special Agent,” “Love Adjutants,” “Contribution,” and “Union of Salvation.” While his film work is readily available online, his theater performances can only be seen in St. Petersburg at the Lensoviet Theatre. We had the pleasure of speaking with Sergey about theater, his roles, his views on art, and his musical preferences.
St. Petersburg: A Warm Welcome
Sergey has lived in St. Petersburg for nearly 20 years. Despite the city’s reputation for being harsh and unwelcoming, Sergey’s experience was quite the opposite. “The city welcomed me warmly and delicately,” he recalls. “It accepted me as one of its own, without any tests or trials.”
Sergey initially came to visit his classmates who were already living and studying in St. Petersburg. He arrived from Volgograd, where he was pursuing an economics degree, just to relax and explore. By chance, he visited the theatrical academy on Mokhovaya Street (now RGISI), driven by curiosity. “You know how you sometimes walk into a store with no intention of buying anything, just to look around, and then you end up buying a car because you love it? That’s what happened to me,” he explains.
The Russian State Institute of Performing Arts (RGISI)
RGISI has nurtured many talented actors, including Mikhail Boyarsky, Konstantin Khabensky, Mikhail Porechenkov, Anna Kovalchuk, and Sergey Peregudov. “It’s the only state theater institute in St. Petersburg,” Sergey notes. “There are many in Moscow, but in St. Petersburg, it’s unique and irreplaceable.”
The Secret to “The Miracle Worker’s” Longevity
“The Miracle Worker” is a touching and kind play about a blind girl learning to live a normal life with the help of those around her. According to Sergey, the play’s value and secret to its longevity lie in its ability to disarm any viewer. “It’s a powerful, inexhaustible, touching, and sentimental story that leaves no one indifferent,” he says.
Sergey emphasizes the importance of engaging the audience’s emotions: “When people don’t engage their hearts, souls, and emotions—the strings that culture is responsible for—if these strings aren’t touched, people become hardened and turn into animals who only need to eat and sleep.”
The actors in the play strive to resonate with all the notes set by the author. Despite the play being 19 years old, the cast continues to perform with the same passion and dedication. “The secret to its longevity is in the story we tell the audience, not in our incredibly genius acting,” Sergey humbly admits.
Captain Keller: A Softer Side
In the play, Sergey portrays Captain Keller, a character known for his toughness and demanding nature. However, Sergey’s portrayal brings a softer, more touching side to the character. “When we first released the play, I was a young student trying to portray a family patriarch,” he recalls. “Over the years, I’ve come to understand that the audience isn’t interested in watching a purely harsh and despotic character for three hours. I try to make him more human, multidimensional.”
Sergey believes that any role should evolve. “In every play, there are sharp and painful situations that change the characters. It’s fascinating for the audience to observe this process,” he explains.
Addressing Important Social Issues
The play “The Miracle Worker” is also relevant because it addresses the issues faced by people with disabilities. “Compassion, when our hearts respond to people living among us who are a little different, isn’t that what’s important today?” Sergey asks. “Life often forces people to become tougher. Our play is for those who have forgotten that they are not alone on this planet, that not everything is simple, and that not everyone around us is healthy.”
The play aims to dust off the hearts of the audience, bringing them back to earth and encouraging them to reconsider their attitudes towards people and charitable foundations that support them.
Charitable Work
Sergey is also involved in charitable work as a trustee of the social aid foundations “Give Me Wings” and “Faith and Hope.” These foundations aim to draw society’s attention to the problems faced by children and adolescents in orphanages, children’s homes, and difficult life situations. “I think this play served as a catalyst for my involvement in this direction,” Sergey says. “Every person has an innate desire to help and respond to those in need.”
However, Sergey acknowledges the challenges faced by charitable foundations today. “Trust is the main issue. People need to understand that their donations are going directly to those in need. Unfortunately, there are many scammers even in this field, which makes it difficult for foundations to gain trust.”
Playing Claudius in “Hamlet”
In Yuri Butusov’s production of “Hamlet,” Sergey plays King Claudius. He believes that even negative characters should not be portrayed one-dimensionally. “Every actor knows that when playing a good character, you should find where they are bad, and when playing a bad character, you should find where they are good,” he explains.
Sergey finds that playing a negative character offers a broader palette for the actor. “It’s much more challenging to play a positive hero because they shouldn’t be entirely angelic and perfect. You need to add some flaws to make them human and relatable,” he says.
