Eighth Creative Union of MEPhI

The Union was founded at Physics and Power Engineering Faculty of Moscow National Research Nuclear University MEPhI in accordance with the Faculty Komsomol (Young Communist League) Committee decree. Its stage debut was on 13 December 1969. That particular day is considered to be the official date of the ECU foundation. Its first President was Oleg Yurievich Fyodorov, a former captain of 1962 Institute CCS (Club of the Cheerful and Sharp-witted. Russian: Клуб Веселых и Находчивых) team. Nikolay Artemyev, Mel’ko Khutsiev and Vladimir Chekhonadskiy triarchy was in charge of scriptwriting, arrangement of rehearsals and managerial issues. The Union management had been traditionally conducted by three students since then.

An oak tree and a woodpecker, a forest guard, are portrayed in the ECU insignia. The woodpecker symbolizes satire defeating the blood-suckers eaten into the country's body.

The legendary performance in 1974 "We stay!"

In 1974, the Faculty Komsomol Committee insisted on electing the only person as the head of the ECU and Valeriy Shambarov became as the President. He was in charge of solving the ECU managerial issues and his responsibilities did not cover art direction. Nikolay Artemyev, Vladimir Chekhnadskiy, Alexander Razumov, Valeriy Shambarov, Sergey Struev, Alexander Selin, Andrey Troitskiy and others were theatre directors at different time periods of the Union history.

The ECU activity is of a selfless character which is the reason for its success and steady demand for the Union throughout its long period of existence. The ECU activities cover all the available areas of its creative work starting from arrangement of social and outreach activities up to the student's theatre which is involved in not only pop sketches but in far more serious and large-scale performances staging as well.

Theatre of Social Horror project was launched in 1988 and lasted until 1991 as a part of the ECU activities. The MEPhI amateur actors and actresses showed their theatricals in different cities and towns, took part in Sem’ Ya Festival of Independent Theatres in Saint Petersburg and in the First All-Soviet Union festival of Club of the Cheerful and Sharp-witted Teams in Dnepropetrovsk. Alexander Selin, an excellent actor and a talented writer who wrote several plays, was the Manager of Theatre of Social Horror.[1]

The ECU history can be divided into four time periods.

1969 – 1984 It is the time of traditions establishing and development. It is the time of large-scale theatrical productions both by amateur authors (M. Khutsiev, V. Shambarov, A. Selin) and by professional playwrights (Felix Krivin, Evgeny Schwartz, D. Al).

1985 – 1997 Several creative individuals were making attempts of developing their creative work in a professional environment. For instance, V. Shambarov was involved in social and political journalism, A. Selin was working in television, writing scripts for TV programmes and commercials and was cooperating with CCS (Club of the Cheerful and Sharp-witted) TV programme. S. Struev started his film director's career and A. Semyonov became a poet and his poetry had been the basis of Vezhlivyi Otkaz (the Polite Refusal; Russian: "Вежливый отказ") rock-group creative development. The ECU existed as parallel activities of several small creative groups.

1998 – 2002 By M. Khutsiev, A. Selin, N. Turchaninov and Ch. Kaitukov's efforts the ECU were focused on taking part in CCS (Club of the Cheerful and Sharp-witted) team competitions. Inter-faculty competitions had been arranged, the university team had taken part in regional league competitions and Vizit team had qualified to the Major League of KVN.

2003 – present. The ECU have been working within the framework of traditional student theater of pop sketches (STPS) format. Their theatricals include short short stories, parodies and sketches. Performances are almost not staged.

• 1971 — "Woe to Him" (Russian: "Горе ему"); written by M. Khutsiev, directed by V. Chekhonadskiy.
• 1972 — "Divine Stories" (Russian: "Божественные истории"); written by Felix Krivin, directed by N. Artemyev.
• 1974 — "We Are Here to Stay" (Russian: "Нам оставаться!"); written by M. Khutsiev, directed by N. Artemyev.
• 1975 — "Thunderstorm" (Russian: "Гроза"); written by V. Shambarov, directed by A. Golikov.
• 1975 — "Chapter I" (Russian: "Первая глава"); written by – D. Al, directed by N. Artemyev.
• 1976 — "Dragon" (Russian: "Дракон"); written by Evgeny Schwartz, directed by N. Artemyev.
• 1977 — "The Flying Dutch" (Russian: "Летучий Голландец"); written by V. Shambarov, directed by N. Artemyev.
• 1978 — "Romeo and Juliet" (Russian: "Ромео и Джульетта"); written and directed by A. Selin.
• 1981 — "How are you doing here, guys?" (Russian: "Ну как вы тут, ребята?"); written and directed by V. Shambarov.
• 1982 — "The Shell" (Russian: "Скорлупа"); written by the ECU, directed by S. Struev.
• 1987 — "Theatre of Social Horror" (Russian: "Театр социального ужаса"); written by A. Selin, directed by S. Struev.
• 1989 — "Spider" (Russian: "Паук"); written and directed by V. Shambarov.
• 1982 — "Denikin" (Russian: "Деникин"); written and directed by V. Shambarov.
• 1991 — "Butcher Thompson" (Russian: "Мясник Томсон"); written and directed by V. Shambarov.
• 1991 — "Album" (Russian: "Альбом"); written by A. Selin, directed by S. Struev
• 1993 — TV programme "On the Other side of Television Picture Tube" (Russian: "По ту сторону кинескопа"); written and directed by A. Selin.
• 2002 — A student theater of pop sketches "MEPhI is 60 and we are 18" (Russian: "МИФИ – 60, а нам – 18"); written by the ECU, directed by M. Khutsiev.
• 2004 — "Helicopter" (Russian: "Вертолёт"); written and directed by A. Selin.
• 2005 — "A Nightingale Was Singing and Lilac Was Blossoming" (Russian: "Пел соловей, сирень цвела"); written by A. Selin, directed by N. Iskanderova at Moscow New Drama Theatre.
• 2006 — Sketches "In Search of a Genre" (Russian: "В поисках жанра"); written by the ECU, directed by M. Khutsiev and A. Tribelev.
• 2007 — "Parachutist" (Russian: "Парашютист"); written by A. Selin, directed by A. Anischenko and M. Belyakovich at Moscow Theatre in South-West Residential Area.
• 2007 — "Allegory" (Russian: "Аллегория"); written by A. Selin, directed by A. Anischenko and M. Belyakovich at Moscow Theatre in South-West Residential Area.
• 2008 — "Hainige’s Rescue"; written and directed by A. Selin.
• 2008 — Sketches "We Charge Attention and Pay by Lagh" (Russian: "Берём вниманием, смехом"); written by the ECU, directed by P. Kruglov and A. Selin.
• 2010 — Sketches "A Matter of Honour" (Russian: "Дело чести"); written by A. Selin and the ECU, directed by P. Krutov.
• 2010 — Sketches "Woodpecker’s Day" (Russian: "День дятла"); written and directed by P. Krutov.
• 2012 — Sketches "The Last Woodpecker’s Day" (Russian: "Последний день дятла"); written by P. Krutov and G. Krylov directed by S. Struev.
• 2012 — Sketches "On the Other Side of Kashirskoe Carriageway" (Russian: "По ту сторону Каширского шоссе"); written by P. Krutov and G. Krylov, directed by S. Struev.
• 2013 — Sketches "Physicist’s Day 1"(Russian: "День физика-1"); written by A. Selin, P. Krutov and G. Krylov, directed by S. Struev.
• 2013 — Sketches "I Came, I Saw, I Passed" (Russian: "Пришёл, увидел, сдал"); written by A. Selin, P. Krutov and G. Krylov, directed by S. Struev.
• 2013 — Sketches "Spontaneous Desire" (Russian: "Спонтанное желание"); written by the ECU, directed by S. Struev.
• 2014 — Sketches "Day 2" (Russian: "День–2"); written by P. Krutov and G. Krylov, directed by S. Struev.
• 2014 — Sketches "Level up"; written by the ECU, directed by S. Struev.
• 2014 — Sketches "How I met the Deputy Dean" (Russian: "Как я встретил замдекана"); written by G. Krylov, M. Dmitriev and A. Nilov, directed by S. Struev.
• 2015 — Sketches "Town Legends" (Russian: "Городские легенды"); written by A. Selin, directed by S. Struev and A. Gavrilov.
• 2015 — Sketches "Smart and Funny" (Russian: "Умные и смешные"); written by P. Krutov and G. Krylov, directed by S. Struev.
• 2015 — Sketches "The First Time" (Pervyi raz Russian: "Первый раз"); written by written by P. Krutov and G. Krylov, directed by S. Struev.
• 2015 — Sketches "220 versts. We Play Carnival" (Russian: "220 вёрст. Играем в карнавал"); written by the ECU, directed by S. Struev.
• 2015 — Sketches "Pretend to Be My Neighbor" (Russian: "Притворись моим соседом"); written by P. Krutov, G. Krylov, M. Dmitiriev and I. Samburskiy, directed by S. Struev and A. Gavrilov.

First-year Student's Day is celebrated annually on 1 September. The ECU have conducted a theatrical performance for the first-year students of all faculties since 1 September 1974. Although the content of the performance changed throughout its history starting from parting words of ‘Scholar Elders’ to the first-year students, Higher Education game and amusement arcades to a concert of all on-stage performance groups of National Research Nuclear University MEPhI the ECU have constantly taken part in that important event.

The first-year Student Outdoor Convention is held annually on the 2–3 September weekend. The tradition was established by the ECU members in 1974 when the first convention of that type was held in Tuchkovo. The agenda included Faculty F first-year students outdoor trip, student's ‘horror path’, a memorial meeting at Moscow defenders’ obelisk and a night concert. There usually were some sport completions and give-away prize ceremony on the second day. The tradition of September conventions has existed since then and only the convention venues in Moscow Oblast were changed.

1980. The coldest convention of ECU in the village of Sknyatino

May Student's Convention in Sknyatino (held annually on 1 May). It is strictly the ECU event. The tradition was established on 1 May 1975. That day a group of the ECU students covered 165 kilometers to reach Tver Oblast (to the village of Sknyatino) to relax in the lap of nature. There were so many people willing to go to Sknyatino in 1976 that the persons charge had to divide them into teams. Creative and sport competitions were held then. The tradition is still alive and more than 100 people go to the village every year.

April Fools’ Days (held annually in April). The first April Fools' Day of Moscow Technical Universities was held on 1 April 1973. A large concert was arranged in Zamoskvorech’ye Community Centre and apart from the MEPhI ECU, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow Power Engineering Institute, National Research University of Electronic Technology and Kurchatov Institute student teams had taken part in it. Afterwards the event title changed to Day of Laughter, Fool's Day and Woodpecker's Day. Presently, the ECU arrange a four-day event with a diverse programme. A large humorous concert is held on the final day. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow State University, Moscow Aviation Institute and the MEPhI ECU teams take part in it.

Propaganda teams. They are small creative ECU teams which used to go on tour to remote areas of the country in the Soviet times. The first propaganda team went to Naberezhnye Chelny in 1974 when Kamaz was being erected. The team members showed sketches, declared poems and sang hiking songs for the construction site workers. Afterwards, there had been a series of trips to different border military districts with concerts conducted for border patrol soldiers with the following agitation for entering the institute. The final trip of that sort was made in July 1989. We hope to breath a new life to that tradition.

Winter farewell party. Winter farewell party was conducted by the ECU in cooperation with Esta MEPhI ballroom dance studio in March 1977 – 1979 not far from Zvenigorod. It was a theatrical performance which included dances, down heel sledging, blins (pancakes) eating and seizure of snow fortress. Afterwards Esta MEPhI were completely in charge of the event arrangement.

The ECU school. The ECU keep on trying to recruit its new members and to invite new first-year students with a creative potential. Each year the freshmen have classes conducted by experienced ECU team members. They try to master the basics of text and playwriting, stage movement, elocution, vocal and dancing. Only a year later on coming through initiating of Ordination they become full-fledged members of the Eighth Creative Union.

MEPhI Club of the Funny and Inventive People. It is an integral part of the ECU which was finally formed at the end of the 1990s. V. Shambarov remembers that "In 1969 when the ECU was established there were several groups of the guys. One group which included Kolya Artem’ev and Nina Gulova wanted to establish a theatre. The guys from the other group headed by Khutsiev wanted to take part in Club of the Funny and Inventive People (KVN) competition. As they had come to an agreement they established something in between, a theatre of KVN style."[2]

In 1974 the ECU shot their first short feature film "Monday or No Words about the Patient" (Russian: "Понедельник, или о больном ни слова") (directed by N. Artem’ev featuring M. Khutsiev). The plot was about a student who was preparing April Fools' Day's tricks for his neighbors and his girl-friend was trapped instead. In 1979 Alexander Bolgarov shot an auteur ten-minute film "Corridor" (Koridor Russian: "Коридор"). The film can be stuck in memory for both real life events took place in a student's hostel in the morning and for student night and day dreams about joys of life. Short feature film "Stulker" (Russian: "Стулкер") directed by A. Khipko based on original script and shot in 1979 is a parody of Stalker (1979 film) directed by Andrei Tarkovsky. The main events took place in a student's hostel and its vicinity instead of the "Zone" (starring A. Selin, A. Igomonov, A. Shramko and others).

In 1983 a coloured documentary about MEPhI health camp in the Volga River area was shot (script by A. Khripko and A. Sheblakov).

In 1990 the ECU shot an introduction video of MEPhI KVN team required for participation in the First All-Union KVN Festival in Dnipropetrovsk (script by A. Selin, directed by A. Yazlovsky). It was a parody of a famous The Government Inspector by Nikolai Gogol. The action took place in the National Opera of Ukraine and Alexander Maslyakov was thought to have been the Governor of the Town. Auteur short feature film "MEPhI and a Dorm" (directed by Yu. Antushev 2001) was devoted to the students’ native Chair and to those who live in a dormitory. A striking story was shot several months before the author's death. A short feature film "Only You and Me" script by P. Markelov, directed by D. Golovkin) shot in 2007 as a part of KVN video competition told about human relationships and supernatural forces interference with them.

In 2007 communication service provider MegaFon Moscow initiated holding a video clip festival devoted to different types of the provider services. A video clip should have been based on the auteur script which was perfectly made. The ECU video clip "Look for a Girl" won the Grand Prix (written and directed by V. Budrik, shot by D. Golovkin).

2014. The ECU team members on the stage of MEPhI assembly hall with their show "How I met the Deputy Dean".

• 1975 performance "Thunderstorm"; written by V. Shambarov, directed by A. Golikov won the laureate title at Moscow contest devoted to the 30th anniversary of Eastern Front (World War II).
• 1976 performance "Woe to Him"; written by M. Khutsiev, directed by V. Chekhonadskiy was awarded with diploma of 3 degree at the First All-Union Contest of Working People's Artistry.
• 1976 performance "Divine Stories"; written by F. Krivin, directed by N. Artem’ev based on Felix Krivin’s stories was also awarded with diploma of 3 degree.
• 1987 performance "Theatre of Social Horror"; written by A. Selin, directed by S. Struev was awarded with The Best Stage Director Certificate at the Theatre Festival in Dnipropetrovsk.
• 2007 the ECU commercial won MegaFon Contest.
• 2010 Sketches "A Matter of Honour" directed by P. Krutov was awarded with the laureate diploma at XX International Festival of Student Theatres of Pop Sketches "Kursk Anomaly 2010".
• 2012 Sketches "Ruffs 2012" directed by A. Selin was awarded with a laureate diploma of Humorous and Satiric Song and Poetry Festival in Scenic Clownery category.

• Alekseev Erik is a satirical draughtsman, cooperated with Literaturnaya Gazeta in 1970s and was in charge of wall newspapers and stage decoration in the ECU.
• Kachalov Vladimir graduated from MEPhI with honors, worked at nuclear power plant BN-350 in Aktau then in the CPSU Central Committee, Cabinet of Ministers of the USSR and Ministry of Nuclear Energy of the Russian Federation. Presently he is the Development Director of OOO Intersertifika-TYuF. He was awarded with a prestigious Ivan Ilyin medal (the medal is named after a Russian philosopher). He was in charge of organizing affairs in the ECU.
• Khripko Anton is an actor, an author and a performer of a number of poems and short short stories, a theatre satirical draughtsman during his university days, an organizer and an administrator of the ECU First-May conventions and author of a popular book "How to Learn a Foreign Language" (2004), PhD in Economics and the owner of more than 40 invention patents issued both in the USSR and in Russia.[3]
• Khutsiev Mel’ko (1950–2013) is a publicist, writer, social and theatrical activist and Shcherbinka Legislative Assembly member. Also, he is of the founders of the ECU and the author of plays Woe to Him (1971) and We are here to stay (1974).
• Krutov Pavel is an actor, a screenwriter. He led the ECU from 2004 to 2006 and from 2009 to 2013. One of the organizers of the Interfaculty games KVN, Days of the Woodpecker and the Days of the Physicist.
• Philippov Victor is the leading actor of the ECU in 1970–1980, the main roles in several performances. One of the leaders of the first set of the ECU School in 1973–1974.
• Razumov Alexander is a writer, Fyodor Dostoyevsky scholar and an author of book ‘the Karamazov brothers. Read the unwritten sequel of the great novel’ (The Brothers Karamazov. Chitaem nenapisannoe prodolzhenie velikogo romana (2013).[4] He was one of the ECU administrators during his university days, took part in the ECU performances "Woe to Him" (1971), "Divine Stories" (1973), "We are here to stay" (1974) and "Dragon" (1975).
• Selin Alexander (1958–2014) is a writer, stage director, literature activist and the author of two novels and storybook New Romantic (Noviy Romantik Russian: «Новый романтик»). Also he was one of the ECU administrators and an author of plays and short short stories.
• Semyonov Arkadiy is a Russian rock poet, one of the founders of rock groups the "27th Kilometer" and the "Polite Refusal" (Russian: "Вежливый отказ") and an author of some of their songs. He was one of the ECU administrators and an author of plays and short short stories.
• Shabanov Viktor is a composer and singer of hiking songs[5] and a composer of the music for We Are Here to Stay (1974) performance.
• Shambarov Valery is a publicist, writer and an author of books on the Russian history and history of other countries. He was one of the ECU administrators, a playwright, a stage director and the editor of Yellow Press (Russian: «Йеллоу пресс») self-published album.
• Sharov Eugene is an actor, poet, graphic designer of wall newspapers in the ECU in 1970–1980, head of the ECU agitation brigades on KAMAZ (1974) and in the construction team of the Kirillov (1977, 1978).
• Struev Sergey is Ph.D. in Engineering Science, an actor, a film and TV director, one of the ECU stage directors and the director of the ECU performances "Shell" (1982) and "Theatre of Social Horror" (1988).
• Turchaninov Nikolai is the author of texts, the poet and actor of the ECU in the 1990s. In recent years, he works as a practicing yoga trainer.

• Vetlina N. The ECU are performing. Gazeta Kamskie Zori (Kama Dawns), 27 July 1974, p. 4 (in Russian).
• Photo report on The First-year Student Day in MEPhI. Gazeta Moskovskiy Komsomolets (Moscow Comsomol Member), 8 September 1974, p. 4 (in Russian).
• Photo report on Winter Farewell Event by V. Stepanov. Gazeta Komsomolskaya Pravda (Komsomol Truth), 16 March 1977, p. 4 (in Russian).
• Photo report on MEPhI First-year Students’ Convention by V. Stepanov. Gazeta Komsomolskaya Pravda (Komsomol Truth), 17 September 1978, p. 4 (in Russian).
• Kozlov M., Tikhonov O. The Creative Union are celebrating jubilee. Gazeta Inzhener-fizik (Engineering Physicist), 23 December 1974, p. 2 (in Russian).
• Perezhogin V. Theater season of MEPhI students. Gazeta Inzhener-fizik (Engineering Physicist), 16 October 1976, p. 2 (in Russian).
• Tregubova E. Festival of Humour. Gazeta Inzhener-fizik (Engineering Physicist), 20 April 1974, p. 2 (in Russian).
• Sokolov A., Podkidyshev A. Unforgettable event. Gazeta Inzhener-fizik (Engineering Physicist), 6 October 1975, no. 30, p. 2 (in Russian).
• Levin A., Bystrov A. Beyond April Fool's Day traditions. Gazeta Inzhener-fizik (Engineering Physicist), 18 April 1986, p. 2 (in Russian).
• Chebykin R. KVN. Losing which was almost equal to winning. Gazeta Inzhener-fizik (Engineering Physicist), June 1998, no. 11–12, p. 8 (in Russian).
• Arkhipova E. Shambarov's buddy tales. Gazeta Inzhener-fizik (Engineering Physicist), June 1999, no. 10–11, p. 8 (in Russian).
• Matushkina A. Hurrah! We have won! Gazeta Inzhener-fizik (Engineering Physicist), June 1999, no. 10–11, p. 8 (in Russian).
• Kotel’nikov P. Convetion. Gazeta Inzhener-fizik (Engineering Physicist), September 1999, no. 12–13, p. 4 (in Russian).
• Matushkina A. You can do your utmost but the ECU will win anyway. Gazeta Inzhener-fizik (Engineering Physicist), November 1999, no. 16–18, p. 14 (in Russian).
• Kivinov A. Let's get acquainted. Gazeta Inzhener-fizik (Engineering Physicist), September 2001, no. 11–12, p. 4 (in Russian).
• Oganesyan A., Moskinov A. Let us be congratulated on. Gazeta Inzhener-fizik (Engineering Physicist), October 2001, no. 13–14, p. 5 (in Russian).
• Moskinov A. What if we join our efforts? Gazeta Inzhener-fizik (Engineering Physicist), December 2001, no. 16, p. 2 (in Russian).
• Moskinov A. Friendly match of century: MEPhI vs MSUCE. Gazeta Inzhener-fizik (Engineering Physicist), December 2001, no. 17–19, p. 5 (in Russian).
• Kalmykov P. MEPhI is 60 and I am 18. Gazeta Inzhener-fizik (Engineering Physicist), November 2002, no. 15–17, p. 5 (in Russian).
• Arephinkina R. We have won. Gazeta Inzhener-fizik (Engineering Physicist), no. 18–19, December 2004, p. 5 (in Russian).
• Chepurnova A. Physicists and lyricists with voice recorders. Zhurnal Studencheskiy Meridian (Student's Meridian) 2005, no. 8 (in Russian).
• Getmanova T. ECU veteran Gazeta Inzhener-fizik (Engineering Physicist), no. 14–16, October 2005, p. 4 (in Russian).
• Shal’nova I. They have taken part in competition in Sochi. Gazeta Inzhener-fizik (Engineering Physicist), February 2006, no. 1–2, p. 7 (in Russian).
• Sil’tsova V. В. Thank you MEPhI students for your support it helped me to stay on the top of the wave. Gazeta Inzhener-fizik (Engineering Physicist), no. 16–17, December 2013, p. 8 (in Russian).
• Lampskiy L. Physicist’s Days and not only that. Gazeta Inzhener-fizik (Engineering Physicist), no. 7–8, April 2014, p. 6 (in Russian).
• Krylov G. The Eighth Creative Union- who are these people? Story about old organization with young team. Gazeta Inzhener-fizik (Engineering Physicist), no. 16–17, November 2014, p. 8 (in Russian).
• Krylov G., Struev S. Engineering actors and other A. Selin’s characters. Gazeta Inzhener-fizik (Engineering Physicist), March 2015, no. 5–6, p. 10 (in Russian).
• Litvinenko A. Physicist’s Days in National Research Nuclear University MEPhI. Gazeta Inzhener-fizik (Engineering Physicist), no. 7–8, April 2015, p. 8 (in Russian).
• Beshkenadze A. Let theatre be in KVN format.
• Khutsiev M. Minor Booker prize.
• Safaraliev G. First-year Students’ Event in Kolomenskoe.

• The ECU MEPhI official website
• "Eighth Creative Union". MEPhI Encyclopedia.
• The ECU MEPhI forum
• The ECU MEPhI in в YouTube