Postcard from Bishkek

Ever now and again when preparing these postcards, I come across a “little gem” … an interesting story which works on several levels, such as: human interest; containing a mystery and  inspirational – even a touch of tragedy.  The story of Bakken Kydykeeva is one of those.

A woman of modest education but great talent, who defied the approbation of those around her and went on with a great dedication to rise to the top of her profession and achieve acclaim.

It’s not exactly clear when Bakken Kydykeeva was born (… I have seen references to both 20th October, 1923 and 20th September, 1920), but it seems to be clear that it was in Alamedinskiy which is now part of Bishkek.

She never finished school, leaving in 1936 after the seventh grade, she transferred,at the age of 14 to the Kyrgyz Youth Theater, (which has since been renamed in her honour).  It looked like being a short career, however, as her father was opposed to her appearing on stage … and so, even though she loved the theater, she resolved to leave the group.

The story goes that faced with the surprise resignation, the Director decided to give her the lead role in the production that there were about to stage.  Given such an opportunity Bakken didn’t feel that she turn it down.

It’s just as well that she didn’t because following a successful opening night, she became a celebrity almost immediately – an overnight sensation – and not just in the capital, but she became known throughout the country as a whole.

She had been worried about here father’s probable reaction to her defying his wishes … and so she stayed away from home for a few days.  When she finally made an appearance, she found him reading a newspaper … he put it down and asked’ “It’s written here, ‘Bakken Kydykeeva played the lead role in the play “Sheep Well”‘.  Was that you?”

Full of fear, she barely nodded her head.

As it happens, she didn’t bring a father’s wrath down on her head, but he kissed her forehead – and became one of her most ardent fans.

Time passed and during the war years she served in the regional theaters in Przhervalsk, (now Karakol), and Naryn and when the war was over returned to Frunze, (now Bishkek), as an actrss in the Kyrgyz Drama Theater, (now the Kyrgyz Drama Theater named after T. Abdumomunova).

She had a long and varied career, appearing on stage and screen, both here in Kyrgyzstan and abroad … playing over a hundred major roles: the major female roles in Shakespeare and other classic dramatists such as Chekov and Tolstoy, Gorky and Gogol; premiering roles in modern plays, appearing in films of different genres.

Her contribution was recognized in a number of awards … including Honoured Artist and People’s Artist of the Kyrgyz SSR … and of the Soviet Union, not to mention the Order of Lenin.

She didn’t just appear on the stage as an actress … but her life story was also the subject of a play, (“The Talent and the Destiny” by Zhanish Kulmambetov).

 

She married three times and had three children: a daughter, who died at the age of 33, and two sons.

 

If the details of her birth are shrouded in mystery, so too are those surrounding her death.  According to official records, she died on 15th January, 1994 … but there are other accounts which December 30th, 1993.

To be honest, the first time I saw that I wondered if it was another example of the “time difference” between the Julian and Gregorian Calendars … but then I realized … this was at the end of the twentieth century not the beginning.  It seems that the truth is more prosaic … It seems that she died as the result of road accident, (she was apparently hit by a bus), and her body lay in the morgue 18 days, over the New Year, before her funeral.

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Tags: People