ABSTRACT
One of the most famous creations of Vakhtangov-the-actor was the character of a toy manufacturer Tackleton (see Figure 14.1). Vakhtangov originated this role in the 1914 First Studio production, based on Charles Dickens’ Christmas tale The Cricket on the Hearth. Theatre audiences despised the heartless Tackleton, just as they were supposed to, according to Vakhtangov’s plan. They inwardly revolted against his cruel treatment of the kindly old toy maker Caleb Plummer and his naive blind daughter Bertha.
