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| Sergei Solovyov, Viktor Chepkasov aka Lenin ans Tzar Nicholas |
But Sergei Solovyov, a Lenin impersonator in Moscow's Red Square was
detained by the police after complaints from street vendors reportedly "aggrieved"
by his appearance and foul language - a charge he denied. His partner
Viktor Chepkasov, a Tsar impersonator who was dressed as Nicholas II,
Russia's last Tsar complained that it was 'police harassment'.
He also alleged that the complainants "traded incense and begged for money on the square". One was an Orthodox Christian, and the other a Hare Krishna follower .... When Mr Solovyov was taken before a judge, accused of hooliganism, Mr Solovyov told police: "I did not use obscene language. I am not capable of such a thing." His defence asked for the two complainants to be produced and also for time to summon their own witnesses ..... at which point Mr Solovyov fell ill with high blood pressure and was rushed to hospital
Speaking to LifeNews, "the Tsar" said police had been harassing the impersonators for years. "They periodically try to arrest us, on the most absurd pretexts: answering the call of nature in a corner, swearing or insulting a citizen."
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| Happy together "Lenin" and "the Tsar" |
According to reports from Russian new agencies, both "Lenin" and "the Tsar" were arrested in an incident in 2009 along with a third impersonator "Brezhnev" who apparently "betrayed" his fellow look-alikes by writing a denunciation of "the Tsar" .... luckily Stalin wasn't involved in either incident, or there would have been real trouble.
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| "Lenin" and "Stalin" - Red Square |
Where was 'Rasputin' when they were 'disputin'? I know that he hangs out in Red Square with the others, because I have been there and seen him!
ReplyDeleteHa Ha! I think the Rasputin guy no longer operates as a tourist act anymore. At least not in red Square.
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who teaches English in Moscow, and she said that there's been a clamp down on these street acts over the last few years, after one turned up looking like Yeltsin.
Apparently this was too near to the current leadership, so there were some 'licence' issues created.
. at which point Mr Solovyov fell ill with high blood pressure and was rushed to hospital
ReplyDeleteIsn't that carrying the resemblance to Lenin (who died of a stroke) a little bit too far? Talk about dying for your Art!
I hadn't noticed that last 'performance art' mimics life part of the story .... strange how these things work out.
ReplyDelete