Moscow Metro announcements

[Jack Kollmann]

Here's an explanation for the current announcements on the Sokol'nicheskaia
Line.  Sounds as if riding the full length of the line would be a kick!

The Moscow Times
Monday, December 29, 2003
Movie Stars Take Over the Subway
By Denis Maternovsky
Staff Writer
Metro riders inured to the robotic voices reeling off stops will soon have
reason to perk up their ears.
"This is the last stop. We've made it. What good fortune!" they will hear.
Or: "Our train has crossed this huge city from one end to another. Let's
reflect on that."
Monotone station announcements will be replaced by humorous ones, the metro
said, using recorded messages by some of Russia's most easily recognizable
actors and actresses.
Organizers say the Moscow metro will be the world's first to use celebrity
voices to announce stations, though they admit that the idea itself is not new.
One precedent is the recorded celebrity announcements reminding taxicab
passengers to buckle up, featuring the voices of personalities like Chris
Rock and Joan Rivers, that were installed in New York City cabs in 1996.
The new recordings will be played in a few select trains of the red -- or
Sokolnicheskaya -- line over the holidays, Sergei Miroshkin, deputy head of
the Moscow metro said in a phone interview.
"We'll see what people's reactions are. It is not entirely obvious that
everyone will like it," he said.
"Another problem is whether celebrity voices are recognizable over the
loudspeakers. If they are not, the whole idea becomes pointless."
The metro is planning to start using the new announcements in all of the
red line's trains next May, as part of its 70th anniversary celebration,
Miroshkin said.
The Sokolnicheskaya line, Moscow's first, was launched in 1935. At a length
of 26 kilometers, it crosses the city from southwest to northeast.
Twelve actors agreed to lend their instantly recognizable voices.
They include Soviet-era movie stars -- most of them now in their 60s and
70s -- such as Sergei Yursky, Yury Yakovlev, Alexander Shirvindt and
Lyudmila Gurchenko.
Younger colleagues representing new Russian cinema, including Gosha
Kutsenko and Renata Litvinova, also will announce stations, wish passengers
good luck and happiness, and remind them not to forget their personal
belongings.
The idea to use celebrity voices was first articulated decades ago, but it
was not until this year that the metro agreed to test it, said Yekaterina
Petrova
She is one of four Moscow artists and journalists that helped realize the
idea. Another project organized by the group is the annual painting of park
benches near Chistiye Prudy in central Moscow.
"Dear passengers! For the love of God! When exiting the train, don't forget
your personal belongings," warns actor and director Shirvindt in his
trademark sly voice.
"University is the next stop. Dear students, get ready!" commands
Gurchenko, one of the grand dames of Soviet cinema.
"Sokolniki station. My favorite," purrs actress Litvinova in her Monroesque
style.
"Attention! We are in the very center of the city! Okhotny Ryad station,"
Yursky announces energetically.
The project was not sponsored by the metro and all the actors worked for free.
"This was like community service for them," Petrova said.
She added that some actors refused to participate saying "everyone will
think that the metro bought them." Others could not take part because of a
tight schedule or an illness.
It remained unclear whether the metro will continue using the new
announcements for everyday use after the holiday season or will reserve
them for special occasions.
As the example of New York taxicabs shows, the novelty of celebrity
announcements can quickly wear off.
The advisories were pulled from all taxis this year after a poll of 4,000
respondents showed that 67 percent ignored them, while 12 percent
deliberately refused to buckle up because they were annoyed by the voices.
end


The Moscow Times is online at:  http://www.themoscowtimes.com/
I find archival searches useful.  Access to recent articles is free, access
to past articles is by subscription.
I'm not getting a fee for advertising TMT, although (hint) I am available,
and cheap.
Jack Kollmann

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