Biografia
Vyacheslav Ivanovich Polunin, known as Slava Polunin, was born on June 11, 1950, in Novosil, Orel province, USSR. As a child, he was captivated by the image of Charlie Chaplin, often imitating him in school performances while also creating various other comic characters. Polunin was a popular figure at numerous school festivals and competitions. After finishing high school, he moved to Leningrad, where he founded the clown-mime theatre 'Litsedei' in 1968. He initially enrolled in the College of Economics but dropped out, later graduating from the Leningrad Institute of Culture in 1977. He furthered his studies at the State Institute of Theatrical Art (GITIS) in Moscow. He considered Yuriy Nikulin, Marcel Marceau, Arkady Raykin, and Leonid Yengibarov as his mentors.
Polunin gained fame across the USSR following his 1980 television performance of 'Asisyai,' a sketch parodying a telephone conversation between two lovers. For over two decades, he led the clown-mime theatre 'Litsedei' in Leningrad, which became the most popular pantomime show in the USSR and later Russia. In 1982, he organized and led the Mime-Parade, which brought together over 800 pantomime artists from across the Soviet Union. In 1989, Polunin helped found the "Caravan of Peace" International Festival of Street Theatres. That same year, his troupe performed in Tiergarten, West Berlin, shortly before the Berlin Wall fell. Polunin was also a founding member and president of the Academy of Fools.
Since 1986, Polunin has toured globally with his troupe 'Litsedei.' His remarkable production, "Snowshow," is regarded as a landmark in contemporary theatre. Blending comedy, fairy tale, mystery, and audience interaction, it has entertained over one million spectators in more than 50 cities worldwide. Polunin won the Laurence Olivier Award for 'Snowshow' in 1998, recognized as the best theatrical show of the year. He also received accolades from the British Critics Association, 'Time Out' magazine, and other institutions, and was named an Honorary Resident of London.
In 2001, Polunin organized the New Carnival as part of the World Theatre Olympics held in the Hermitage Gardens in Moscow. The event featured some of the 20th century’s finest mimes, including Bolek Polívka, Django Edwards, Jérôme Deschamps, Franz-Joseph Bogner, Leo Bassi, among others. He continues to collaborate with artist Mikhail Shemyakin on annual carnivals in Venice, Italy.
Vyacheslav Polunin has three sons. He resides with his wife and children in London and maintains a home in Russia.
