FREY Steven

Steven Fry (24.08.1957 years)

Novel of the famous British actor, writer and journalist Stephen Fry's "Liar," recently released in Russia. For the British Fry - national treasure and the only writer who has not criticized even critics. We he is better known for his roles Jeeves in the TV series "Jeeves and Wooster", Oscar Wilde in the film "Wilde" and inspectors of "Gosford Park".

- Are you an actor and writer. What more prefer?

- Being an actor is very fun and usually much more profitable, but I could have if anything to live without it. A writer's work, as opposed to acting - is something that you can do yourself. What would be with me no matter what happens, I will always write.

- What is the role played seems most important to you?

- Oscar Wilde was very important for me because I had so long admired this man and what he did. In addition, this title role, so I had nowhere to go. When you play a secondary role, then you have more opportunities to relax, because the film is not built for you. Wilde's play was terribly risky, but it became for me a wonderful opportunity.

. - You know that the Russian translation of the novel by Peter Ackroyd "Testament of Oscar Wilde's" out with your portrait on the cover (shot from the film "Wilde")? You seem to have become the embodiment of Wilde in Russia
. And in other countries, something like that happening?

- For the first time I heard. It is very touching, I'm not sure what Ackroyd knows about it. I am familiar with. I know that my portrait on the cover of some of Wilde's meetings in Japan, but I do not think they differentiate me from Wilde!

. - There are rumors that you are going along with Hugh Laurie (a partner in "Jeeves and Wooster") to appear in the TV "Sherlock Holmes"
. Is this true?

- We are really going to take Hugh's series about Holmes. But Hugh's now project on television in America, and I write the script, so it will not now. On the other hand, soon I'm going to play in a few films and TV programs.

- Hugh Laurie also wrote. You keep him in this?

- I'm not sure that he needs my support. His book The Gun Seller is really fun. Simply, he wrote very slowly - still has three children, and his publishers are going crazy in anticipation of the next book.

- In Russia, his novel "The Liar", where you destroy an idea of traditional English private school. This is a blow to English education, or on British foundations?

- Well, I think that you can, and so is called. Of course, this is a satirical look at the education and the traditional system of private education. Yet it is these schools provide us with most of our "leaders" and influential people.

- Your novels are involuntarily remind Russia discerning reader works Nabokov. What do you think of Nabokov?

- I am very pleased to think that my books remind you of Nabokov, a writer whom I admire. In my opinion, he is one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century. Like most British readers, for me, Dostoevsky, Chekhov, Pushkin - the main idols. But still, of course, Tolstoy. In my opinion, humor of Chekhov and Pushkin makes them above the rest. Great writers such as Shakespeare and Joyce, are able to present comedy as tragedy or a drama.

. - The novel "Tennis balls heaven" repeats the theme "Count of Monte Cristo" and in "Liar," the protagonist, Adrian makes everyone believe that his work - unknown Dickens novel
. Yes, and your other novels - "Hippopotamus" and "Making History" - also built on quotations. What you mean this game?

- All my life I was a voracious reader, so I find it difficult to perceive anything without looking at the thousands of books already written. It seems to me that such a connection is interesting. The original stories are very few: love, sacrifice, search. But then, as we are now composing their remarkably similar to how it was done before. Despite the new literary techniques, and greater freedom of expression of the spiritual life. Like Nabokov, I get the pleasure of literary games - allusions, parallels, and so on.

- Name Adrian - a sort of anagram of "Dorian"? Another allusion to Oscar Wilde?

- It's really easy hint. I thought that Dorian was too obvious and reboot to the idea. But Adrian has a name similar value and size. As you seer! The book includes a scene in which Adrian plays with anagrams of his name.

. - The opinion of other people for you to have any significance? Estimates of the critics or the nomination for literary prize?

. - I pretend that there is, but of course, is a great pleasure when you understand, and a huge disappointment when you raskritikovyvayut
. Usually I'm very lucky. In the end the only thing worth paying attention - that readers' letters. Know that you can make someone a nice - though a very good feeling.

- You have an audio book by JK Rowling Harry Potter. Is that - a tribute to Oscar Wilde-storyteller?

- Well, it started acting like a normal job. I occasionally do "talking books", or, as they are called, audiobooks, and they asked me if I wanted to make one a children's book called "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. I had about it have never heard. This is the first one written by JK Rowling. I did, and then she wrote another, then another and suddenly became the most famous writer on the planet. And I read these stories, which sold better than any other audio books in their history. This has nothing to do with Wilde, the truth.

. - And what you do you say about the books about Harry Potter? The fact that Russia, these books cause conflicting feelings: someone comes down on them with the mind, while others can not stand them.

. - I think that human relationships are often associated with the phenomenon of the success of these books is greater than the real value of their
. If someone were to read these books, not knowing about their popularity, he would not hate them because they are funny and cheerful. But when you read the idea that this is the most successful books of our time, and they earn billions of pounds, then it becomes clear that reaction. I think it's great stories, well told. Of course, this is not Dickens or Flaubert, but Rowling has not claimed them to be.

. - Can you tell what will your next book?

. - If I knew it! I am writing a screenplay about the early twentieth century: a lawyer shortly before the First World War becomes the guardian of his nephew, and he hates it and everything associated with it
. Maybe get a novel, not a script.

- Three of your novels have been translated into Russian. In Russia, interest in your acting and the writer's work is growing rapidly. Given this, do not want to come to Russia?

- I cherish the thought of a trip to Russia, and feel terrible that so far has not done. I promised to Valery Gergiev, the great conductor, with whom I am a little familiar, to visit St. Petersburg. I hope I'm not going to delay the journey. I will try to at least see this city and Moscow. But this is such a big country!