Now that everything becomes an article of trade; stars are created by producers, agents and image- makers; there are only few people who manage to exist beyond artificial laws of showbusiness. Oleg Menshikov is undoubtedly one of them: he has gained the audience's love not because of adverts, promotional campaigns, tabloids and VIP-parties, but only thanks to himself. Moreover, he never acts in modish TV series, tries to get in touch with moneybags and powerful people (they are much more likely to seek his company), or cares about the media attention.
Today Oleg Menshikov is 40 years old.

- For the second time - two years ago and this autumn - you are releasing a performance on your birthday. Is it a pure accident?
- Certainly. If you depend on your birthday, it's better to do nothing at all, shrink into a shell and lay waiting for the next anniversary. We should have released "Kitchen" much earlier, but it happened so that the performance is released on my birthday. We'll see what kind of gift it'll be.

- Has the time gone by differently, since the day you became a director?
- Yes. There is not enough time at all, but it's even good. The days became fuller; I try to do more things during the day. Only now I understand how selfish all the actors - including me - are. How much pain we bring to directors! On the other hand, I guess, such state of affairs is normal. A director has to take responsibility for everybody. Although I am still afraid of this word - "directing". They believe one should stage at least ten performances, before a person can call himself a director. And I think it's true.

- You withdrew "Woe From Wit" from the stage despite the fact it was always sold out and gathered full houses. After a very short pause you are staging a new performance. When do you find time to recover? What's the rhythm of your life based on?
- I try to gather people who are interested to me and to one another - those who are interested in me too. We try to do a common thing. I know that I can put my energy into them. I know that I can direct, suggest something to them. Moreover, directing can be perceived only when people work together, when they create a performance together. And some intense rhythm is absolutely necessary here. But it is also a great joy! It's just wonderful, when you are surrounded by understanding people and can suggest ideas non-stop. Therefore, it's not just necessity, but also freedom.

- Do you think sometimes that it's your last birthday in the twentieth century? And you'll be 41 in a new millenium. Does it mean anything to you?
- Now the performance is the only thing I worry about. I don't care much for the century. A new century, a new day, a new year - those are just figures, aren't they?

- Pasternak used to say that every person has his inner age. From this point of view, how old are you? You seem to have much boyishness in your character.
- Really? Then it means there are still some joys, some hints at the freshness of perception. But you know, when I start thinking about it, all the boyishness disappears somewhere.

- Maxim Kurochkin, a playwright, and many actors, who work with you on the performance, are very young. There is no one you could share responsibility with. Doesn't that scare you?
- I must cope with it, if I chose this way. I realized perfectly well, what I was about to do. Well, no, I didn't, but I could guess. And now I begin to understand everything. However, this is a pleasant responsibility, it's not a burden. Besides, it is a mutual process; and guys, who work with me, also - I hope - take responsibility for me. Quite a different thing is that if something is wrong then I should account for that; and if it's a victory then it's everybody's victory.

- Why did you choose a small "Kitchen" after Famusov's big manor-house?
- Kitchen attracts me as a scene of action. Besides, it's also the fact that a new person comes and starts to accommodate himself there. In a strange world of odd people… Well, the rest will become clear during the performance. I can say one thing - it's not about everyday life.

- Was one of the main roles written especially for you?
- No, I wanted to get a small role. But Maxim began to expand it, the character became wider. It's not the main role, but one of the leading ones. Actually, I am not too eager to play leading roles in my performances. It's much more interesting for me to… so to speak, compose a performance.

- In a new play your character says, that he is not a super human, on the contrary - he is even less than a human, because he has to abandon many things. Do you agree that to achieve high aims asceticism is necessary?
- Well, one should think about such things.

- Also, in the play, there are such words that when a hero makes a mistake he loses all his magical qualities.
- Well, a hero - yes…

- What about the director?
- One of the fatal mistakes is lying to yourself trying to justify your behaviour. This eventually leads to a catastrophe. A person should be honest al least with himself.

- I heard, Nikita Mikhalkov was about to shoot "Burnt By The Sun - 2". What do you think about it?
- It's great! Every Mikhalkov's offer is great. He came up to me at the Idol Awards and said, "We are to shoot 'Burnt By The Sun - 2'." He was very pleased. I answered, "Do you know, I was killed in the end?" But it turned out my character survived. I wish I knew it before.