On the first day on set
Sergei. We do remember the first day as it lasted for 18 hours. At first we were happy to have it started, but at the end we were happy to have it over.
Dmitryi. Fortunately, today we know the tips to optimize the process.
Arsenyi. We’ve learnt all the "technical" components now, but we didn’t use to know how to react to the live audience. I mean if it’s worth continuing while they’re laughing, or not so that the sound was ok. Neither did spectators, as they were watching us for the first time.
Sergei. The very beginning was really good, as we were full of energy. But having 6 hours passed, both we and the audience got tired. After all, it’s not easy to laugh for 18 hours! Therefore, we did not understand if they would laugh or not.
Dmitryi. Finally, by the end the audience was given ice cream in gratitude for patience.
Anton. I remember switching on TNT while being at the hotel. I saw our kick-off ep and thought "We finally did that!" We’d been working on that for three years!
Arsenyi. "Improvisation" is an unpredictable project
Anything can be expected when jokes are spontaneous.
Dmitryi. Initially, the show was for the internet audience only, but then it was seen by producers and we "moved" to television.
On pros and cons
Anton. We’ve improved a lot since the first day on set and have already visited many cities. Personally, nothing has changed. I’m still a guy from Voronezh.
Dmitryi. I agree with Anton in terms of professionalism. Besides, due to the large number of filming and concerts, we’ve improved our financial issues.
Arseny. People recognize us, which is an advantage, though it’s weird to be come across in a line with personal hygiene items in your hands. Sometimes people want to take pics while I’m chewing and eating. That’s so awkward.
Sergei. I hate my swollen face in the morning when people want to take selfies. I cannot tell them that I’m not willing to have my ugly face captured.
Arseny. Exactly! And they say something like: “Come on! You look great!” Then you find your pic on the Internet and realize that they were lying.
Dmitryi. You feel bad after the night spent on a plane, but you cannot refuse a guy telling: "Come on, bro, it’ll take three seconds." And if you are at the airport, it attracts the attention of those who have never heard of you before. Such people just think: "Yeah, I'll take pics too."
Another disadvantage is frequent business trips. I’ve got a family, a small child, and he has to get used to me again after my return.
Sergei. I have no such problems, as I don’t have a wife and children.
Dmitryi. Actually, I hate time gap problems. One guy in our team wakes up at 7 am and falls asleep at midnight no matter if he’s in Moscow or not. I wish I were like him.
On the team
Arsenyi. Dima plays the leading role. Nothing depends on him, but I and Dima have a tradition to come out first on the stage, whether it’s a concert or TV set. We have a special greeting, and the rest of the day seems to depend on it. So Dima for me is a kind of a good superstition.
Dmitryi. At the beginning of the concert, the presenter always asks what we know about the city which we are in. I understand that if I say anything now, Sergei will also remain silent. So he motivates me to surf Wikipedia.
Sergei. Anton is the youngest and tallest in the team. He’s always in the forefront so I don’t even pay attention to others.
Anton. Arsenyi is a unique person. I've never met anyone like him. After all, he’s the most unpredictable in the world! You never know what he will do next.
On favorite food
Dmitryi. That’s a painful issue for me, because I am fasting. But now I’m in Kazakhstan and planning to go to the Caucasus, where people are perfectly treated to! I still remember last year's trip, food was so delicious. Our team loves the fish prepared by Arsenyi's dad.
Arseny. I'm unpretentious in food. My favorite dish is fried potatoes made by Mom. But I like the variety. Having tried the Italian cuisine, I want to eat beshbarmak. But I wouldn’t eat one dish all the time.
Sergei. I adore pelmeni with cold sour cream. Many, by the way, do not know how to eat them properly: they take sour cream and pour it over, but products mustn’t be mixed. You’d better separately dip pelmeni into the cream.
Arsenyi. At such moments Sergei reminds me of an officer from the "Inglourious Basterds," who said that the apple strudel should be eaten with ice cream.
Anton. I love borsch. Generally, I'm a conservative in food, and cautiously try new things.
On cities
Arsenyi. We assess the city not according to its sights, but to the audience and emotions they share with us
Sergei. For example, Novosibirsk seemed the greatest for me.
Dmitryi. I fell in love with St. Petersburg which is the only city where we perform twice a day. As for the sights, we rarely have time to enjoy them. For example, I cannot say that I was in Tomsk, although I performed there twice. I see nothing except the concert hall and taxi.
Anton. I have a problem as I can’t remember places I’ve been to. Last year we traveled to more than 70 cities, which merged into one huge picture.
On Kazakhstan
Sergei. We are in Astana for the first time and have seen the mosque, Baiterek. We really like the names of your sights: chupa-chups, headlight, cabbage. Once we’ve been to a private event in Almaty.
Dmitryi. Last year we tried your national cuisine. We were already full, but the table remained covered, as if for a wedding. That’s cool!
On the Kazakh humor
Dmitryi. KVN (humor program) reminds me of “Kazakhs”, the team which shone bright at Sochi festival. I started playing KVN, and, watching “Kazakhs’ ”performances on TV, did not realize how ridiculous they were. Coming to Sochi and seeing them alive, I couldn’t help laughing. So I cheered on that team for a season. Also, I remember the legendary stem about mother-in-law performed by Tursynbek.
Anton. Kazakhs are champions of the Higher League now, by the way.
Sergei. On the top of that are Nurlan Saburov and Azamat Musagaliyev.