Belarusian playwright Alexey Dudarev, extremely popular in late 70s and early 80s, wrote "Private Soldiers" about the last days of the Great Patriotic War and the play were just in time for the 50th anniversary of the Victory. It was 1985…
"Private Soldiers" were staged by several Moscow theatres simultaneously, and the CTSA was among them. Oleg Menshikov played "quite a boy" (Dudarev's remark), Lyonka, nicknamed Dandelion, a young scout, picked up by the soldiers somewhere at the burnt Belarusian land. Lyonka's mother and little sister were murdered in front of him. His village was burnt down. During the fire a burning fire-brand fell over him. Later lying in delirium, he fancied it was God who came to him, "took the sun off the sky and began to pull it over his head..." Lyonka survived, but remained "marked" by that fire: burnt-haired, and received the nickname Dandelion.
...Even after what he went through, Dandelion kept ardent faith for life and lively interest in it. He, as a child, still values friendship. He credulously falls in love with nurse Lida, who is older than him, more experienced and sophisticated. But it is Dandelion, who Lida loves and chooses from the circle of men, lusting for woman's caress at war. Each of them would be happy to be with her, but she is tamed with the devoted faithfulness of the boy, who seems to lock the whole world on her, and may be forever. For him she is a beloved, a mother, a sister, the life itself. But another misfortune waits for him - Lida drowns at the ford. It seems Dandelion will finally collapse after Lida's death. His only support disappeared - how to go on living? But Oleg Menshikov insisted to draw the image of his young grey "son of war", leaving him, in spite of all the tragedies, the lust for endless run of life, for happiness - as the essence of human existence, accepting gifts and losses. Only with an exception - he didn't want to return home, to his village. "I want to be where there are no burnt ovens", he said in the end with quite and uncertain hope. "Where it is very silent…"
He needed silence to find his way in the world again. He reminded a small icon lamp, protecting it's light from the cruel winds of history. And thus preserved the right to hope.

(from the book by Elga Lyndina "Oleg Menshikov", Moscow - Panorama, 1999)

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