Nicolai Poliakoff

Speaker 10:00

Hello, I'm Kirsty Young, and this is a podcast from the Desert Island Disc's archive. For rights reasons we've had to shorten the music. The programme was originally broadcast in nineteen sixty three.

Speaker 20:25

Desert Island discs.

Speaker 20:35

Each week, a well-known person is asked the question, if you were to be cast away alone on a desert island, which eight gramophone records would you choose to have with you?

Speaker 20:44

As usual, the castaway is introduced by Roy Plumley.

Presenter0:49

How do you do, ladies and gentlemen?

Presenter0:50

Our castaway this week is a circus clown and a very famous one. It's Coco. Coco, what is your real name?

Presenter0:58

Well my real name is Nikolai Polyakov. No Roy, no, no, I'm not a clown at all. You say I'm a August. Yes, and the difference. The difference between an August and a clown is, you say a clown he got a white face, nice fungal dress, the fellow who never gets wet, never gets any custard pies in his face. But I'm an August. I'm always the guilty one. See, I always the buckets of water and the custard pies on my face. And I'm the funny man like. How many buckets of water do you get in a performance? Oh gosh, it's very difficult for me to tell you, but uh

Presenter1:36

An average about nineteen twenty buckets each performance. Do you never get a cold from all these drenchings?

Presenter1:42

Well, I had a cold once about uh

Presenter1:45

Twenty eight, twenty nine years ago, and I still got it, so why worry?

Presenter1:51

Could you endure the loneliness of a desert island, do you think?

Presenter1:54

Well, I don't know. I don't know. I've got so many memories to think about. I don't think I would be lonely.

Presenter2:01

And these records, are they going to bring you memories? Oh yes, they will, very much so. What's the first one you've chosen? Well, the first record naturally of the circus performer is uh the Gladiator March.

Presenter2:13

Because soon the Gladys of Mars started to play in the circles, you know, all the artists standing on his feet, you know, they bring some life in it.

Presenter3:21

The entry of the gladiators

Speaker 23:22

Uh

Presenter3:22

By The Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Bam.

Presenter3:25

What's your second choice, Kofi? Well, my second choice I would like very much to play

Presenter3:29

Kolinka Malinka Maya. That's a Russian song. I like it very much. What's it about? Well, before I was actually island.

Speaker 13:33

One I leg

Presenter3:38

You say My Family Used to Play For Me this song because they knew.

Presenter3:42

That is my favorite, very silly, so that's why I won't take it with me.

Nicolai Poliakoff4:16

Yeah.

Nicolai Poliakoff4:18

Yeah.

Presenter4:46

Kalinka sung by the Red Army Ensemble.

Presenter4:49

Were you born in Russia, Coco? Oh yes, I was. Whereabouts? Uh it's between uh white Russia and Ukraine, a little place called Besinkovich.

Presenter4:58

Was there a circus tradition in your family? Well, that was, of course, because my father was in the circus in the summer.

Presenter5:04

On the theatres in the winter. When did you first show talent as a performer? When I was three years of age, they needed a little girl on the stage, and they couldn't find one, so my father offered me there instead with a rushing play called The Sinking Bells.

Presenter5:22

And the child have to be saved by firemen.

Presenter5:26

and used to carry me across the stage in a big panic.

Presenter5:30

And I can't forget that I lost my wig.

Presenter5:33

In the middle of the stage, well the fireman, the actor, he left me in the wings to carry on with his play. But I turned round, I went right to the middle of the stage, picked up the wig, put it on and walked away. You were going to make sure, you were going to get your laugh on your very first appearance. Yes, I did.

Presenter5:48

And when did the circus become your ambition? After my father came from the war, because my father was in the Russian war in 1906. Against Japan. In Gates Japan, yeah. So when the time came for me to go to the school, it was not in my head to learn in the schools. My head was to be in the circus all the time. So I used to run away from the school, so follow the people with the organs. Street organs. Street organs and the acrobats, and I used to copy them. And my father naturally found out about it. He used to punish me a few times and he saw that with punishment they can't get away.

Presenter6:21

That's why it gives me away to a circus, a very small one.

Presenter6:24

But he thought maybe I will change my mind and come back home, but I didn't. He hoped this small circus would discourage you. That's right, but he couldn't discourage me and uh afterwards he took me and gave me away for four years of apprentice in a big circus. And therefore I started to learn properly.

Presenter6:40

Had you decided that you wanted to do clowning or? Now the olden schools you say it's uh if you want to become a clown, you have to be a tumbler, rider, tripees worker, wire worker.

Presenter6:51

Everything, Ers, before you become a clown. And when you'd finished your four years' apprenticeship, well, naturally become a professional actist.

Presenter6:59

I used to take all sorts of engagements, circuses, varieties, cabarets, open stages, parks. And then the war came along and you joined the Imperial Russian Army. In 1914, when the war broke out at Voloch Delt.

Presenter7:11

In the Imperial Russian Army. How old were you then? I was oldest, I was 14 years of age. You were wounded several times? Yes, I was. In 1917, I was wounded on the German front. Those days was Petrograd. And four days before the revolution broke out, a whole army officer came to us and said, Well, boys, the situation is very bad. We haven't got enough food for everybody. So those boys who feel like they can't stand on their own feet and go home, please do. Only food that you're not going to use, we're going to give it to those who cannot leave the hospital. So I was one of the volunteers. And you got caught up in the revolution? I was caught up in the revolution. I couldn't go home after all.

Presenter8:00

Because it was terrible on the streets in order to no transport, the railway stations was packed, people used to sleep.

Speaker 18:02

No transport.

Presenter8:07

everywhere.

Presenter8:08

So what do you do?

Presenter8:10

Well, I've been trying then to get into Ukraine because Ukraine there was more food than in Russia. Did you get to the Ukraine? Oh yes. When I came to Kiev I joined in the Ukraine army because the only way to get food is to be in the army.

Presenter8:24

It's the only safest place to be Wuza.

Presenter8:27

Did you have to join the Red Army? Afterwards, yes, after the uh Ukraine Army I had to join the Red Army.

Presenter8:34

Red Army. And the Red Army I thought are going to be in Kiev, but they send us back to Russia. And from Russia they send us to Siberia to fight the Kovchak army.

Presenter8:45

That didn't like it.

Presenter8:46

So naturally I run away.

Presenter8:48

And I came into Latvia. In the meantime, my family came to Latvia to Riga. Yes. So eventually you you rejoined your family? That's right. When was this? In 1918.

Presenter9:00

I rejoined my family.

Presenter9:01

By nineteen nineteen

Presenter9:04

I got married. Well, that's another story. Well, at this point, let's break off your third record, whatnot.

Presenter9:10

I take the swan leg.

Presenter9:12

Why'd you choose that? Well, it's a body, isn't it?

Presenter9:15

Well, in the olden days in Russia, in the circuses there used to be ballet as well. In the circus? Oh yes, there used to be two parts of the circus, and the third part used to be called the ballet or pantomime. And I love ballet.

Presenter10:30

An excerpt from the last act of Swan Lake.

Presenter10:34

Ernest Anseme and the Swiss Roman Orchestra.

Presenter10:37

Well Coco, it's nineteen nineteen. You're back with your family after five years in various armies, the Imperial Army, the the Ukrainian Army, the Red Army. You were still in your teens, were you not? I was. Was it back to the circus now? Yes, but I was in the army again. How was that? Well, this time I was in the Latvian army.

Presenter10:55

Why? Because that was compulsory. You say people used to work on the streets and the soldiers and the officers who come to you, ask you your name, your address, or how old are you?

Presenter11:05

Only to say, That's it, and you in the army.

Presenter11:08

Were you married by this time? Oh yes, I was married. As a matter of fact, I took the my wife with me in this army. You took your wife in the army? I did, yes. How how did that happen? Well, you say she found out that I was stopped on the road.

Presenter11:20

We took her into the barracks. Next day she came overhead a chat through the window.

Presenter11:25

So I said to Darling, Don't worry, Say, I shan't belong.

Presenter11:28

But uh I was wrong. You say they send us to another place.

Presenter11:32

So I told her when we were going to be on the station.

Presenter11:35

Well, she came there and uh

Presenter11:37

We hided here on Lindy Sitz and she followed me where I w I got What happened when you got to the other end? Uh it was about nineteen miles away from uh Riga.

Presenter11:46

When I came there, they naturally people knew who I was by then, that I'm Cocker the Clown, when everybody tried to help me. When uh

Presenter11:54

Nobody found out that she was traveling with me. So they let her stay with you? Not with me exactly. She was staying in the village when I was staying in the barracks. How long were you in the Latvian army? Two years and four months.

Presenter12:06

And then, well I left the army, I went back again to the Baltic States, to Riga, and uh I was in the circus.

Presenter12:13

I'm working for a little violence circle, so I have an engagement to go to Lithuania.

Presenter12:17

I was there in the training for a little while and then I opened my own show.

Presenter12:21

How long did that last? Well, unfortunately, it didn't last very long. You see, I met with an accident. I was cold.

Presenter12:28

Scolded when I was about uh

Presenter12:30

Eight months.

Presenter12:32

Very bad. I couldn't work. Yes. And the naturally I was in my circus drop on the bill. So I lost everything.

Speaker 212:39

And then?

Presenter12:39

And then naturally I started to get an engagement. I got an engagement in Kenigsberg in Germany. Mm.

Presenter12:46

I went to Berlin. And then you came to England? To England, yes. In nineteen twenty nine. I only came for four weeks. And you've been here ever since? Yes, my four weeks not finished yet.

Speaker 112:51

I know the

Presenter12:56

And you were in yet another army in the last war. I think your fifth army, the British Army. That was the British Army.

Presenter13:04

Let's have record number four now, Coca. What next? Could I have the uh

Presenter13:09

Universary Waltz, please. Anniversary Waltz. Why do you choose this? Well, that is to be my music for trapeze act.

Nicolai Poliakoff13:15

Hmm.

Presenter13:15

For one, and secondly you see a

Presenter13:18

I was courting my wife.

Presenter13:21

Before I got married and she come to see me, for the first time I worked her peace.

Presenter13:26

But I thought myself now I have a chance to show myself off.

Presenter13:29

I think I overdone a little bit. You see, yeah, I had to f do a swinging entrape and do a special fall and get caught by my feet. So unfortunately only one foot.

Presenter13:41

I thought we may swing on the other foot couldn't, so I went head downwards into the orchestra.

Presenter13:47

I'm good job that was a violinist. I fought on the violinist.

Presenter13:51

I broke his violin, and that would save my life, it broke my foe.

Presenter13:55

His validist was unconscious, and I went at the stage and carried on with my action.

Presenter14:00

And it's the anniversary was we're going to hear now.

Presenter14:35

The anniversary was Joe Loss in his orchestra.

Presenter14:38

Coco, you came here in 1929 to appear in the Bertram Mills Circus. You're still working for the same governor. Oh, yes.

Presenter14:45

Have you any children in the circus? Well, I had six children and they're all in the circus. Really? Well, now naturally they're growing out and two of them married outsiders. But the other four, they are in the circus. And how many grandchildren? I've got 24 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. That is when I counted them last. I think the Polyakov family is going to populate all the circuses of the future. I hope so.

Presenter15:08

Let's have record five now.

Presenter15:10

I would like very much if you could get me Madam Butterfly. Why'd you choose that? Because you see, when I was in Lithuania, one producer came to me and said, uh excuse me, he said, You got a daughter, aged five.

Presenter15:22

I said, yes. He said, could I borrow her? I said, what for? He said, he said, we produced a opera called Madam Butterfly when there was supposed to be a child.

Presenter15:33

And we tried a lot of children, but they couldn't stick to it because soon the prima donna started to sing.

Presenter15:38

When cry, the children should start to cry as well.

Presenter15:42

So he said, maybe your child will not be so shy. I said, Of course my child is not shy.

Presenter15:47

And that's what my child got the first uh engagement in Madam Butterfly.

Presenter15:51

And which bit of it are we going to hit? I think it's the last part before she got something to do with a knife.

Presenter15:58

I worship where Madame Butterfly kills that's it.

Nicolai Poliakoff16:19

Joga, Joga.

Presenter17:02

From the closing scene of Madame Butterfly with Renato Tabaldi as Butterfly.

Presenter17:07

What number six?

Presenter17:09

Well, number six is uh

Presenter17:11

A record by Richard Tauberg. Why do you choose this? Because in 1928, before I came to England...

Presenter17:18

I drawn the first talkie picture with Richard Talbot.

Nicolai Poliakoff17:21

Mm-hmm.

Presenter17:22

When I was then the young man and very healthy and a very good acrobat as well. And the reason why I chose this record is and this island to remind me of my youngen days.

Presenter17:34

And what is the record? The record calls is Loeben Nichtner Eine Frau. And that means.

Presenter17:41

I don't trust a woman any more.

Presenter17:43

Was this from that picture? That was called The Picture and the Record.

Presenter17:52

You all

Speaker 117:56

Yeah.

Speaker 118:04

Nichter in poverty, nichter in Kusson.

Nicolai Poliakoff18:08

Fast to your heart so hard

Speaker 118:08

Do you have

Nicolai Poliakoff18:11

To bear the sun. See Haftusham.

Presenter18:14

See after someone

Speaker 118:16

Uh

Presenter18:20

I don't trust a woman anymore, Richard Talbot, singing and accompanying himself.

Presenter18:25

A circus man shouldn't have much trouble in looking after himself on a desert island, should he? Oh, no, no.

Presenter18:32

What are your hobbies, Gogo? Well, I got a lot of hobbies. First of all, I had a very good hobby, photographer. Mm. Well, I give it up because photography is too expensive. Is fishing a hobby of yours? Oh, yes. Could you build a boat or craft? I could. I could. Would you try to escape?

Speaker 118:47

That's good.

Presenter18:49

Well, that depends uh how you feel.

Presenter18:53

if I will settle down properly in the island.

Presenter18:56

Maybe it's not necessary for me to escape.

Presenter18:58

That's the right philosophic attitude.

Presenter19:01

Let's have number seven.

Presenter19:03

Well, number seven, could I have uh

Speaker 119:07

Black

Presenter19:11

Why do you choose this? Well, because in Russia when we finish the circus, all the artists practically go into the restaurant, you know, and discuss all sorts of things and with gypsy band plays, you know, and when somebody gets depressed and they don't feel like to talk or whatnot, so we always have to come on Ochi Chorne.

Presenter19:32

That's a cheering up with it.

Nicolai Poliakoff19:43

I'm gonna win more

Nicolai Poliakoff19:47

I'm flying!

Nicolai Poliakoff19:51

Yeah.

Presenter20:04

Black eyes.

Presenter20:06

Now just a few weeks ago, Coco, uh you were decorated by the Queen with the OBE. This was for your work with children on road safety. That's right, yes. You visit them in schools and talk to them? Lembertran will circus travel on the road, not in the Olympia.

Presenter20:21

Well, we do necessary arrangements. I do two schools in the morning.

Presenter20:26

and I'd come home back again in my make up.

Presenter20:29

Sit down, have a rest, have my meal, then I go to two schools in the afternoon.

Nicolai Poliakoff20:33

Mm-hmm.

Presenter20:34

Time at four o'clock I come back home.

Presenter20:36

Four forty-five the show starts. And you go and visit them in hospital as well. That's right, that's on Saturdays, because we got only three performances on Saturday.

Presenter20:45

No, uh schools. Yeah.

Presenter20:49

Let's have uh record number eight now.

Presenter20:51

Last we're talking on road safety.

Presenter20:54

You say when I come to the school, first of all, I mean my makeup.

Presenter20:58

and I have to entertain them.

Presenter21:00

Because otherwise the children would be very disappointed.

Presenter21:03

I entertain him as sham conjuncts.

Presenter21:06

And then I play a game called a road safety quiz.

Presenter21:10

When I finish the game, I give him presents away.

Presenter21:13

By finished up with the story, I tell the children about the little boy

Presenter21:19

who couldn't come to the circus because he met with the accident.

Presenter21:23

And uh I made a record of it.

Nicolai Poliakoff21:24

I'm Mederek.

Presenter21:26

So would you mind if I pick my own record, please?

Nicolai Poliakoff21:29

Sing the song of spray time, sing the song of spray time.

Nicolai Poliakoff21:36

Now it's that you see

Nicolai Poliakoff21:40

After all, new weeds.

Nicolai Poliakoff21:43

May time, great time. God has given my mate. Thank him for his gifts. So now sing my song of sing.

Presenter21:59

Well, the story I'm about to tell you

Presenter22:03

It's a true story.

Presenter22:05

And that was happens to me.

Presenter22:07

Yes, I'm done not telling the story.

Presenter22:09

About a little boy who couldn't come to the circus because he met with the accident.

Presenter22:14

And that's how I finished with it.

Presenter22:16

Well, we've heard your eight records, Coco. If you could only have one of them, which would it be?

Presenter22:21

Well, I don't know. I think the best would be for me to take with me the black eyes.

Presenter22:27

And one luxury to take with you.

Presenter22:29

Oh, now you asked for it.

Presenter22:31

Luxury. Well, what I would like to do is to take a lot of paper with me.

Presenter22:36

and pencils and empty bottles. What's this going to be? Messages for help? No, not messages for help, but I could write up some little stories special for children. And the b put in a bottle and throw it in the water. It might come.

Presenter22:50

Your only way of getting publication on the side of the middle of the middle.

Speaker 122:52

Yeah.

Nicolai Poliakoff22:52

That's nice.

Speaker 122:52

Yeah.

Presenter22:53

And one book to take with you. One book. Oh, could I have the

Presenter22:58

Dictionary, please. An English dictionary. Then I try to break to brush up by English. Right.

Presenter23:04

And thank you, Coco the Clan, Nikolai Polyakov, OBE, for letting us hear your choice of Desert Island discs. You're welcome.

Presenter23:13

Thank you very much for listening to me and please take care on the road.

Presenter23:17

Goodbye, everyone.

Speaker 123:26

You've been listening to a podcast from the Desert Islandists Archive. For more podcasts, please visit bbc.co.uk/slash radio four.

Presenter23:45

The guest in today's recorded programme was Nikolai Polyakov, Coco the Cloud, the interviewer Roy Plumby and the producer Monica Chapman.