Berikashvili Givi

Givi Berikashvili (b. May 15, 1934, Kolagi, Gurjaani Municipality – d. April 10, 2017, Tbilisi) was an actor, People's Artist of Georgia (1979), winner of the Shota Rustaveli State Prize (2015).

He graduated from the Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Film State University (1956). In 1956-1957, he played at the Sokhumi State Drama Theatre, in 1958-1967 – at the Marjanishvili Theatre, in 1967-1975 – at the Rustavi Theatre. From 1975, he became the actor of the Marjanishvili Theatre, where he played approximately 100 roles. His works are characterized by sincerity, humor and charm. Some of his roles include: Mitua (Six Old Maids and a Man by O. Ioseliani), Tigran Guloiani (White Flags by N. Dumbadze), Aleksandre Chanchakhov (There's a Vicious Dog in the Yard by K. Buachidze), Kachia (The Sun for the Dead by G. Shatberashvili), Tavberika Lale (Berikon by M. Eliozishvili), Luarsab Tatkaridze (Is a Man a Human?! by I. Chavchavadze), Bulika (The Law of Eternity by N. Dumbadze), Engstren (Ghosts by H. Ibsen), Bondo Lanchava (Descendants by A. Chkhaidze), Vanichka (Iadona's Theatre), and others.

Berikashvili made his debut in the cinema in 1964 in the novels Jildo and Mikha, where he played the roles of Petua and Sesia. Since then, he played more than 50 roles: Londre (Londre, 1966), General's Georgian Adjutant (General Rakhimov, 1969), Dito (Daisi, 1971), Platoni (The Autumn Sun, 1973), Neighbor (Hello, Neighbor, 1973), Piruza (Wine Thieves, 1975), Padlaura (The Wishing Tree, 1976), Gogi's father (When Mothers are not Home, 1977), Kosta Dasturidze (Data Tutashkhia, 1977), Bukhuti (Qortsineba Imerulad (Wedding Imeretian Style), 1979), Chairman (Everyone Wants Love, 1980), Bulika (Maradisobis Kanoni (The Law of Eternity), 1982), Pavle Butkhuzi (Kviteli Chiti (The Yellow Bird), 1983), Abutidze (Monday is an Ordinary Day, 1985), Romanoz (The Fastest in the World, 1985), Tigrana (The White Flags, 1990), teacher (The Turtledoves of Paradise, 1997) and others. He participated in the series of short television films Butterfly with K. Kavsadze and B. Tsuladze.

He received the Order of Honor (2000), Tbilisi Honorary Citizen (2010). In 2008, his star was opened in front of Marjanishvili Theatre.

Dialogue with Givi Berikashvili, recorded in 2014: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnVrZdlbS0k

 Literature: ხეტეშვილი ს., გივი ბერიკაშვილი, თბ., 1979; ხვთისიაშვილი დ., გივი ბერიკაშვილი, თბ., 2008.