Alex Menglet

Last updated

Alex Menglet
Born
Alexei Menglet

EducationMoscow State Institute of Drama (GETES)
OccupationActor
Notable work Prisoner
Kick
Children2

Alex Menglet, born Alexei Menglet in Moscow, USSR, is an actor who has found success working in Australia.

Contents

Early life and family

Menglet was born in Moscow, USSR to famous parents Maya Menglet and Leonid Satanovskiy. He came from a theatrical family. [1] His grandfather, Menglet Georgy, was a People's Artist of the USSR, his mother was a Honored Artist of the RSFSR and his father was an Honored Artist of the RSFSR and People's Artist of Russia. His maternal great grandmother, Bertha Ansovna Rusman (1889-1981) was a Latvian revolutionary, participated in the murder of a factory director in Riga in 1906 for handing over revolutionary workers to gendarmes. She was arrested and exiled to the Yenisey Governorate. A member of the CPSU with membership card #40 [2] .

As a child, he played the co-lead in television series The Old Fortress, feature film The Boys and Hurray for the Holidays, before studying a four year course in acting and stage direction at Moscow State Institute of Drama [1] (GETES), where he received his Diploma in 1977. [3]

Career

Film and television

Menglet is best known for his roles as chef Ray 'Gay Ray' Proctor in the 1984 season of Prisoner [4] and more recently as Zoran Baranoff in the SBS series Kick .

He played Petrov in 1987 miniseries The Petrov Affair , Alexi in High Flyers , Krzysztof in SeaChange and Vlad in House Rules . [1] More recently, Menglet starred as Joan Ferguson's father and fencing instructor, Ivan Ferguson in prison drama Wentworth .

Menglet appeared in Australian television series, Skyways , The Sullivans , Cop Shop as well as a six-week role in Carson's Law playing the role of Lazlo Novack. [4] He also had a role in 2009 UKTV miniseries False Witness .

He also appeared in Wilfred II , City Homicide , Kath & Kim , Shock Jock , Janus , Phoenix , as well as miniseries Anzacs and The Dunera Boys (both 1985) and Bordertown (1995). [1]

Menglet early film credits include The Clinic (1982), [3] Sky Pirates (1986), [4] Holidays on the River Yarra (1991), A Woman’s Tale (1991), Garbo (1992). [3] He also appeared in the features Children of the Revolution (1996), He Died with a Falafel in his Hand (2001), Josh Jarman (2004), The Book of Revelation (2006), Salvation (2008) [1] and Any Questions for Ben? (2012). [3] In 2021, Menglet played the role of Yaroslav in the film Ascendant . [5]

Stage

Menglet has appeared in numerous theatre productions throughout his career. [1] He was a member of the Anthill Theatre ensemble in Melbourne in the 1980s, [6] alongside fellow Eastern European migrant, Jacek Koman. [6]

There, he performed in productions of The Cherry Orchard , Uncle Vanya , The Imaginary Invalid , Three Sisters , The Crimson Island, The School for Wives , Mother Courage and Her Children and The Immigrants. [1]

He went on to perform in Melbourne Theatre Company productions such as The Visit alongside Zoe Caldwell and Cyrano de Bergerac opposite David Wenham. [6] He reunited with Koman, starring together in a production of Waiting for Godot . [6] Other MTC credits include Rock 'n' Roll , The Madwoman of Chaillot , Cyrano de Bergerac , Julius Caesar , The Woman in the Window, When She Danced, The Selection , The Marriage of Figaro and The Taming of the Shrew . [1] He also translated Chekhov's The Seagull for MTC in 2001. [6]

Additionally, Menglet has performed in Goodbye Vaudeville Charlie Mudd for Malthouse Theatre, Don Juan and Miss Julie for Sydney Theatre Company, The Seagull and Picasso at the Lapin Agile for Belvoir. [1] Other theatre credits include The Forest for Queensland Theatre Company, The Abduction from the Seraglio for Victoria State Opera and If Winter Comes for Church Theatre. [1] He also starred in a revival of Twelve Angry Men , winning a 2005 Green Room Award for Best Supporting Actor. [1]

Menglet has also directed for the stage including productions of Crime and Punishment and The Red and The Black for the Stork Theatre, and Rites of Passage, Yellow Moon, Jack Goes Boating and a 2005 production of Playing the Victim for Red Stitch Actors Theatre, [1] starring Jim Daly and Angus Sampson. [5]

Menglet has also worked for ABC Radio drama and the Russian Language Program on SBS Radio, and as a director and translator. [1] [5]

Personal life

At the age of 18, Menglet married his first wife, a school teacher. They separated ten months later, before getting divorced. [4]

While studying drama in Moscow, met and then married Elsbeth, a West German exchange student, before moving to Germany in 1978, at the age of 22. A friend from Moscow had moved to Melbourne, where he was photographer on some Australian films, influencing Menglet (who wanted to move to am English-speaking country) to move there with his wife in 1981. Together, they had two daughters Renisia and Katerina. [6] [4]

Menglet also has a brother, Dmitri.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotesRef
1972MalchikiGoshka VyezemskiyFeature film
Ura! U nas kanikuly!Feature film
1982 The Clinic Feature film
1984 Matthew and Son GebhardTV film
1985 Wills & Burke William BraheFeature film
1986Man and BoyRelievimg ManagerShort film
Sky Pirates SullivanFeature film
The More Things Change... Telecom ManFeature film
The Still Point PaulFeature film
1988 Georgia LazloFeature film
The Rainbow Warrior Conspiracy VelcheTV film
1989 Celia Mr GoldmanFeature film
1991 Against the Innocent Karl HeinmannFeature film
A Woman's Tale Con 2Feature film
Holidays on the River Yarra Big MacFeature film
1992 Garbo Czech AgentFeature film
1993 The Feds Dr Steven JellicieTV film
1996 Zone 39 TitoFeature film
Children of the Revolution Yuri NikoloyevFeature film
2001 He Died with a Felafel in His Hand TaylorFeature film
2003The Long LunchIssur DemskyFeature film
2004 One Perfect Day Bernard MayFeature film
Josh Jarman SebastianFeature film
2008 Salvation AntonFeature film
2010The Wedding PartyMikhailFeature film
2011The Crimson RoomShort film
2012 Any Questions for Ben? Katerina‘s DadFeature film
2014 The Mule VictorFeature film
RabbitLeonardShort film
2016Milk of KindnessDirector MerrettShort film
2021 Ascendant YaroslavFeature film [7]
2022 Petrol VladimirFeature film

Television

YearTitleRoleType
1972Byloe i dumyNik
1979 Skyways Mikhail Gosenko1 episode
1981 Holiday Island Niko2 episodes
1983 Carson's Law Laszlo Novak10 episodes
1984 Special Squad YuriEpisode 26: "Farewell to a Comrade"
1984–1985 Prisoner Ray 'Gay Ray' Proctor14 episodes
1985 The Fast Lane Harwood1 episode
A Thousand Skies Antony FokkerMiniseries, 1 episode
Anzacs HansMiniseries, 1 episode
The Dunera Boys RothMiniseries, 2 episodes
1987 The Petrov Affair Vladimir Petrov Miniseries, 2 episodes
1988 Always Afternoon Hans WeissmullerMiniseries, 3 episodes
1989 Mission: Impossible Lieutenant Udo1 episode
1992 Phoenix Ivan Kastelanic1 episode
1994 Halfway Across the Galaxy and Turn Left Mr Hohenhaus8 episodes
The Damnation of Harvey McHugh SashaMiniseries, 1 episode
1995 Janus Dr Rogers1 episode
Bordertown Mihaly BassaMiniseries, 10 episodes
1997 State Coroner Jim Vandenburg1 episode
1998 The Genie from Down Under 2 Grigor1 episode
1999 SeaChange Krzysztof1 episode
High Flyers Alexei26 episodes
2000 Eugénie Sandler P.I. Davorin11 episodes
2001 Shock Jock Dieter Kohl1 episode
2003 Stingers Ben Schulman1 episode
2004 Kath and Kim Photographer1 episode
2007 Kick Zoran Baranoff13 episodes
2008 City Homicide Walter Pankor1 episode
2009 False Witness DimitriMiniseries
2010 Wilfred Orpheous1 episode
2011 Killing Time UriMiniseries, 2 episodes
2012 Rake Gerard1 episode
2014–2015 Wentworth Ivan Ferguson / Fencing Master
2016 Hunters Havi1 episode
2021 Wakefield PetrovMiniseries, 2 episodes
Jack Irish The Banker2 episodes

Theatre

As actor

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
1970s Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk SergeiMajakowski Theatre Academy, Moscow
Ivanov Ivanov
Half to the Moon
Crime and Punishment Moscow Theatre Academy of Mossoviet
The Little Prince
1986 If Winter Comes OzwathChurch Theatre, Melbourne with Australian Contemporary Theatre Company
1987 The Cherry Orchard Pishik Anthill Theatre, Melbourne
Uncle Vanya Serebryakov
The Three Sisters Andrei
1989 The Abduction from the Seraglio Pasha Selim State Theatre, Melbourne with Victoria State Opera
1989–1990 The Imaginary Invalid ArganNew Fortune Theatre, Perth, Anthill Theatre, Melbourne, Universal Theatre, Melbourne, Armoury Lawns, Adelaide
1990The Emigrants Anthill Theatre, Melbourne
Waiting for Godot Vladimir Russell St Theatre, Melbourne with MTC
1991 The Taming of the Shrew Grumio Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC
The Marriage of Figaro Count Almeviva
On Our Selection Villam Brandt
1992The Crimson IslandGennadi Panfilovich / Edward GlenarvanRoyalty Theatre, Adelaide Anthill Theatre, Melbourne
Miss Julie Jean Wharf Theatre with STC
When She DancedSergei Esenin Russell St Theatre, Melbourne with MTC
The School for Wives Chrysalde Gasworks Theatre, Melbourne with Anthill Theatre Company
1993 Mother Courage and her Children
The Force of Habit
1994The Gift of the GorgonDamsinski Russell St Theatre, Melbourne with MTC
1994; 1997 Picasso at the Lapin Agile Sagot Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, Belvoir Street Theatre, Sydney, Melbourne Athenaeum with Playbox Theatre Company
1995The Head of MaryDr Sakamoto / Man IVTokyo International Festival, Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company
1996 The Tragedy of Julius Caesar Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC
1998The Woman in the WindowAuditor / KorzhFairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC
Tear from a Glass EyeMr Petra Malthouse Theatre with Playbox Theatre Company [8]
1999 Waiting for Godot MTC [9]
2001 The Forest Ivan Petrovich Vosmibratov Playhouse, Brisbane with QTC
The Seagull Shamraev Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC
Don Juan Sganarelle Sydney Opera House with STC
2002 Laughter on the 23rd Floor Val Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC
2003 The Visit Policeman
2004 Twelve Angry Men Juror 11 Playhouse, Brisbane, Sydney Theatre, Melbourne Athenaeum with Arts Project Australia
2005 Cyrano de Bergerac Ragueneau Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC
Ivanov Ivanov Fortyfivedownstairs, Melbourne
2006Ray's TempestBorisFairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC
Festen Helmut
2007 The Madwoman of Chaillot The Sergeant Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC
2008 Rock ‘n’ Roll Milan / Policeman 2 Playhouse, Melbourne, Sydney Theatre with MTC
The Lower Depths Angel Fortyfivedownstairs, Melbourne
2009Goodbye Vaudeville Charlie MuddAllarkini Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company
2010HarbingerJohn Space Theatre, Adelaide with Brink Productions [10]
2011 Julius Caesar CaesarAustralian national tour with STC [11]
2012Yes, Prime MinisterThe Kumranistan Ambassador Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Canberra Theatre, Sydney Theatre, Gold Coast Arts Centre, Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide, His Majesty's Theatre, Perth, Playhouse, Brisbane
The Curtain Southbank Theatre, Melbourne with MTC
2013True MindsGruff Grayson
2014 Eurydice Father Red Stitch Actors Theatre
2015 Mother Courage and Her Children The General & others Belvoir Street, Sydney [12]
2018BottomlessAlan, Boxey & Jimmy Fortyfivedownstairs, Melbourne [13]

As director / translator

YearTitleRoleNotes
1970s The Little Prince DirectorMoscow Theatre Academy of Mossoviet
1999The Little Cherry OrchardTranslator Belvoir Street Theatre, Sydney
2001 The Seagull Translator Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC
2005Playing the VictimDirector Red Stitch Actors Theatre, Melbourne
2007 Jack Goes Boating Director
The SpookDialect consultant Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne
2009The Rites of EvilDirector / Designer Red Stitch Actors Theatre, Melbourne with Melbourne Fringe Festival
Yellow MoonDirector Red Stitch Actors Theatre, Melbourne
2010 Uncle Vanya Translator Sydney Theatre with Bell Shakespeare
2017; 2019Tchekov at the House of Special PurposeDirector La Mama Courthouse, Melbourne
2021; 2022Interculturality... Chekhov: Masha in TranslationDirector Monash University, Melbourne, Theatre Works, Melbourne

[14] [3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "Alex Menglet". Wheeler Centre . Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  2. "Русман-Королёва Берта Ансовна". Archived from the original on 7 July 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Alex Menglet" (PDF). BMG Agency.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Johnson, Jacqui (18 August 1984). "Gay's Not Okay in Russia". TV Week via Facebook . p. 86.
  5. 1 2 3 Tsyskin, Sima (5 April 2021). "Alex Menglet". SBS . Retrieved 26 November 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Red Star". The Age . 22 April 2005. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
  7. "Antaine Furlong's 'Rising Wolf' underway in Sydney". IF Magazine . 28 August 2019. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  8. "Stories of M – Tear From a Glass Eye". Stories of M . Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  9. "Waiting for Godot – 3". Theatregold. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  10. "Harbinger | Stage Whispers". www.stagewhispers.com.au. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  11. "Character assassination". The Sydney Morning Herald . 27 October 2011. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  12. "Mother Courage and Her Children". Belvoir St Theatre . Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  13. "Bottomless » fortyfivedownstairs". Fortyfivedownstairs . Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  14. "Alex Menglet". AusStage.