Mako Sapharova

1860-1940 / actress

Mako made her successful debut in 1878 in a play by Moliere. In 1879 she became the first permanent member of the Tbilisi theatre troupe. That same year her first benefit performance was staged. Among the roles Safarova played during her illustrious career are Paikhoshi ("Homeland"), Neli ("Crazy"), Liza the peasant's daughter ("What you have seen you will never see again"), Mashua ("The Siberian"), several characters from Moliere's comedies, Natalia ("Khatabala"), Epemia ("Pepo"), Luiza ("Two Orphans"), Ophelia, Cordilia and Desdemona (Shakespeare's tragedies), Taliko ("The Owl"), and a high school student in "In a Dark Room". Mako married Vaso Abashidze, another prominent member of the troupe. Their daughter, Taso Abashidze, later became a famous actor herself.

In January 1912 Mako celebrated 30 years of stage work with a jubilee performance. She gave her last performance in the Kote Marjanishvili-directed play "Eclipse of the Sun in Georgia" (by Z. Antonov) at the Rustaveli Theatre on 2 January 1923.