Eshba, Nelli

Born in the city of Ochamchira in the Abkhaz Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in a family of Abkhaz noblemen Eshba . There were two children in the family of Razhden Eshba: Nelly and Raul. Education of children was given great importance. Thanks to her father’s rich library, Nelly Ashba became acquainted with Russian literature, which had a huge impact on her entire creative life. At the insistence of her parents, she graduated from the Moscow Law Institute, after which she worked as a lawyer in Sukhumskaya, and then in Tbilisi legal advice. Seven years later, she abandoned the profession of a lawyer and devoted herself to theatrical art. Stalin scholarship holder, N. Eshba graduated with honors from the Tbilisi Theater Institute. S. Rustaveli. In the 5th year, N. Eshba, together with graduates Amiran Taniya, Huta Dzhopua, Oleg Lagvilava, Alexei Ermolov, staged the performance “Ghosts” by Dmitry Gulia at the institute. Later this performance entered the repertoire of the Abkhaz Drama Theater and was popular with the audience. Graduation work - “Such Love” by P. Kohout. The play was staged on the stage of the Abkhaz Drama Theater and was hosted by its representative commission of teachers from the Tbilisi Theater Institute. The performance was well received by both teachers and the public. The performance also entered the repertoire of the Abkhaz Drama Theater.

In 1961, N.R. Eshba was invited to become the main director of the Abkhaz Drama Theater. At that time, the theater staged unpretentious one-act plays, understandable to ordinary people, and traveled with performances to collective farms and distant villages. The local authorities and party bodies in charge of the theater apparently believed that this was the purpose of the national theater. It was obvious that the troupe of “elders” from the theater would not tolerate changes in the existing repertoire. Initially, the coming “from the side” of any innovative director would be perceived without enthusiasm. And suddenly, a young promising professional (for the first time) director is appointed to the theater, declaring himself a mature, creatively established artist. N.R. Eshba knows exactly what she wants to see in her favorite theater. She is full of new ideas and ideas. But her creative aesthetics is not perceived by the old guard of artists. They disrupt the performances, arrange conflicts from scratch, burn the scenery ...

In the first years of work at the Abkhaz Drama Theater, N. R. Eshba created the performances: “The Naked King” based on the play by E. Schwartz (1961), “Modern Tragedy” by R. Ebralidze (1962), “Ivan Abkhazets” I. Chamagua, “Song not easy to fold ”N. Tarba. M. I. Tumanishvili wrote about her:

Nellie directed the theater like a man. The years of her leadership, in my opinion, are one of the best periods of this theater. A team of like-minded people arose in the theater, who created many interesting performances and stage images.

- source from the Abkhaz radio program "Profession-Director", 1984

Due to disagreements in the theater, N.Eshba was forced to leave the Abkhaz Drama Theater. In 1963-64, she underwent an internship at the famous Leningrad Bolshoi Drama Theater with G. A. Tovstonogov, who spoke warmly about her:

Nelli Razhdenovna Ashba I know for many years. The fact that this is a professional, creative artist is undoubted for me. With her very professional approach to the matter, Nelly Razhenovna won the sympathy of the entire creative team. Very bribed, in addition to directing, her human qualities. Therefore, the memory of her in our theater remained the kindest.

In 1964, she was invited to the State Russian Theater. A. Griboedova in Tbilisi, where she worked until 1968. Over the years, performances of the performances “Summer residents” by M. Gorky (1965), “Sofya Kovalevskaya” by B. Tour (1966), “My Elder Sister” by A. Volodin were performed.

In 1968, N. R. Eshba returned to the Abkhaz Drama Theater. Chanba also performs the “Song of the Rock” by B. Shinkuba (1968), “The Snow Maiden” by A. Ostrovsky (1970), “Don Carlos” by F. Schiller (1971), “Dzhamkhuh-Olenenok” by Z. Kanonidi Maryina (1972).

In 1974, N. Eshba was invited to the post of chief director and artistic director of the Astrakhan Drama Theater. Kirov. In the Astrakhan period, N. Eshba staged “Energetic People” based on the play by V. Shukshin, “Duel” by Mar Baijiyev , “Nameless Star” by M. Sebastian. In 1979, N. R. Eshba created his own theater-studio “Time”, in which she created the performances: “Dark-skinned Lady of Sonnets” by B. Shaw, “It Was a Peaceful Day” by L. Repina, “Dumb Wife” by A. Franc, “ Ghosts ”by G. Ibsen,“ Ivan III - Sovereign of All Russia ”based on the novel by V. Yazvitsky,“ The Enchanted Forest ”by M. Bogomolov,“ The Secret of the Old Castle ”by R. Migunova,“ The Fawn ”by R. Kanonidi-Yabrina. The performances of N. Eshba were always distinguished by rich scenery and costumes. They, as a rule, were accompanied by warm responses in the press and admired reviews of theater connoisseurs and spectators. Theater critic I. G. Myagkova said about N. Eshba:

... If you build a certain hierarchy of directors working today in the Soviet theater, then Nelli Ashba will rightfully take a place in the top ten. There are few such directors. And that is why you remember these directors, which is why you support your soul for them and wish them all the best.

In 2009, N. R. Eshba staged the historical play “Ali-Bey” by D. Chachkhalia in the Abkhaz Drama Theater. The performance was enthusiastically received by the public. Many actors (such as Anatoly Levin, actor of the Griboedov Theater, Sharakh Pachaliya, actor of the Abkhaz Theater, People's Artist of the USSR, Emil Ochagovia, actor of the Kostroma guest theater, etc.) admitted that it was very interesting to work with N. Eshba. The actor of the Astrakhan Theater, Yuri Chernitsky, said that she literally introduced the actor into the atmosphere of the performance, sensitively ensured that the actor got along with his image, helping him move and speak. Theatrical figures (E. N. Gugushvili, Doctor of Art Criticism, N. A. Gradetskaya, theater critic and director) emphasized that N. Eshba was a director-teacher. N. R. Ashba herself said:

I really like working with an actor, creating with him not only his stage image, but also the image of the whole performance ... The actor must be loved ... loving the actor, believing in him, miracles can be done.

• The Ghosts of Dmitry Gulia
• “Such Love” by P. Kohout (19)
• "The Naked King" based on the play by E. Schwartz (1961)
• "Modern tragedy" R. Ebralidze (1962)
• “Ivan Abkhazets” I. Chamagua (19)
• “Song is not easy to compose” N. Tarba (19)
• "Summer residents" by M. Gorky (1965)
• "Sofia Kovalevskaya" B. Tour (1966)
• “My older sister” A.Volodina (19)
• “Song of the Rock” by B. Shinkuba (1968)
• The Snow Maiden by A. Ostrovsky (1970)
• Don Carlos by F. Schiller (1971)
• "Dzhamkhuh-Fawn" Z.Kanonidi-Maryina (19)
• “Energetic people” based on the play by V. Shukshin (19)
• “Duel” by Mar Baijiyeva (19)
• The Nameless Star by M. Sebastian (19)
• "Dark-skinned Lady of Sonnets" B.Show (19)
• “It was a peaceful day” by L. Repina (19)
• “Silent wife” by A.Frans (19)
• “Ghosts” by G. Ibsen (19)
• “Ivan III - Sovereign of All Russia” based on the novel by V. Yazvitsky (19)
• The Enchanted Forest by M. Bogomolov (19)
• The Mystery of the Old Castle by R. Migunova (19)
• “The Fawn” by R. Kanonidi-Yabrina (19)
• Ali Bay D. Chachkhalia (2009).

• S. Bakhmeteva, “Keeping up with the times”, Soviet Abkhazia, 05.23.1965
• V. Dalsky, “The Mystery of the New Reborn”, Kiivska Pravda, 09/18/1972
• A. Mikhailov, “From Apsny, the land of the soul”, Literary newspaper, 09/07/1973
• I. Kolesova, “Don Carlos” on the Astrakhan stage, “Volga”, 04/03/1975
• E. Karneltseva, “The Parable of Love”, Priokskaya Pravda, 05/13/1980
• S. Bendt, “Against the Background of Eternity”, “Vologzhanin”, September 17, 1999
• T. Donskaya, “One Room Theater”, General newspaper, 03/27/2002.

• Eshba Nelly Razhdenovna - Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Abkhazia
• Director Nelly Ashba, her theater, her fate, her performances