I have never in my life seen her live, only on television. I wonder if she knows enough English to read this sincere and spontaneous piece. I simply wanted to let both the West and the East know that Georgia’s got talent that deserves attention.
I will use this particular actress’s artistic image and stage work to take a broader view of Sakartvelo’s talent in general. This nation has truly been endowed abundantly with brilliant thinkers and powerful creators. Another question, though, is whether we are capable of making the very best of these advantages.
Her name is Ciako Pipia, thespian, comedian and scenarist. Happily married, her shimmering talent continues to flourish across various television shows. The available information about this abundantly gifted performer tells us that she was only seventeen when her mother left Georgia to emigrate to the United States. A fact that may seem ordinary in today’s Georgia nevertheless became deeply consequential in the young girl’s life, profoundly shaping her personality and life journey.
Later, Ciako had to take care of her baby siblings and grandparents. Difficult as it was, she faced life with determination and resilience, certainly with the support of her loving mother from abroad.
Ciako’s overwhelming inner artistic authority makes it impossible to look away from her emotionally brilliant performances even for a split second. Watching her, one wants to catch every nuance of movement, every facial expression, every flicker of a glance and sparkle of an eye. Everything feels meaningful and perfectly placed, as it would with any great figure in the history of comedy.
This lady is truly a jeweler of her craft, hammering out waves of all-consuming imagery upon the stage. She impresses, influences, captivates and persuades no less effectively than Lucille Ball and Betty White did in their own time and place. I dare say, perhaps even more brilliantly and hilariously, without an iota of exaggeration.
Ciako Pipia’s presence on stage creates genuine fireworks. Everything around her burns brightly with her dazzling smile and contagious laughter, drawing viewers into her own unique world. Whether she plays a hero or a villain, the creative energy emanating from her unconventional personality is always positively charged, shaping every role with mastery and subtlety.
When Ciako performs one of her countless comic roles, she remains in nonstop service to her delighted audience. She changes from image to image in an instant, storming the spectator’s imagination with piercing artistic confidence and unstoppable stage energy.
Hers is a boisterously churning volcanic talent that deserves a place on the international stage of any significance and magnitude. Alas, she can only fully express herself in the Georgian language, just as our poetic genius Galaktion Tabidze could only write in his native tongue.
It is a great pity that talent born in Georgia often remains unknown to the wider world simply because the Georgian language is spoken by only a few million people. One can easily imagine that somewhere out there exists a hidden demand for Ciako Pipia’s wildly exuberant talent, but such large-scale international recognition may remain unrealistic.
She will stay here, in Sakartvelo, delighting her native viewers and admirers for as long as she is given the opportunity. And thank God for that.
Ciako is acting, singing, dancing and, above all, nurturing her beautiful family. She remains constantly present on screen with immense artistic caliber and energy, together with her wonderful colleagues, who may perhaps feel a little jealous that I chose to write about her and not them. Yet one cannot deny that there is something mysteriously irresistible in her sincere interpretation of every role and in her ability to create so many distinct and socially meaningful characters that this culture and society truly need.
Ciako Pipia is still very young, and there is undoubtedly much more ahead for her extraordinary talent and manner of acting. Let her continue to shine for our pleasure and delight.
And finally, one modest concluding thought: will she ever step beyond comedy and try herself in dramatic roles? Who knows, but I certainly hope so. I cannot help but wonder whether she would make drama just as attractive, impressive and outstanding as her current stage performances.
Blog by Nugzar B. Ruhadze
