russia in 1919(1919的俄国)-第16章
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Bulletin is published three times weekly； containing the programmes of all
the theatres and occasional articles on theatrical subjects。 I had been told
in Stockholm that the Moscow theatres were closed。 The following is an
incomplete list of the plays and spectacles to be seen at various theatres on
February 13 and February 14； copied from the Theatrical Bulletin of those
dates。 Just as it would be interesting to know what French audiences
enjoyed at the time of the French revolution； so I think it worth while to
record the character of the entertainments at present popular in Moscow。
Opera at the Great Theatre。〃Sadko〃 by Rimsky…Korsakov and
〃Samson and Delilah〃 by Saint…Saens。
Small State Theatre。〃Besheny Dengi〃 by Ostrovsky and 〃Starik〃 by
Gorky。
Moscow Art Theatre。 〃The Cricket on the Hearth〃 by Dickens and
〃The Death of Pazuchin〃 by Saltykov…Shtchedrin。
Opera。 〃Selo Stepantchiko〃 and 〃Coppellia。〃
People's Palace。〃Dubrovsky〃 by Napravnik and 〃Demon〃 by
Rubinstein。
Zamoskvoretzky Theatre。〃Groza〃 by Ostrovsky and 〃Meshitchane〃
by Gorky。
Popular Theatre。〃 The Miracle of Saint； Anthony〃 by Maeterlinck。
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RUSSIA IN 1919
Komissarzhevskaya Theatre。〃A Christmas Carol〃 by Dickens and
〃The Accursed Prince〃 by Remizov。
Korsh Theatre。〃Much Ado about Nothing〃 by Shakespeare and 〃Le
Misanthrope〃 and 〃Georges Dandin〃 by Moli=8Are。
Dramatic Theatre。〃Alexander I〃 by Merezhkovsky。
Theatre of Drama and Comedy。 〃Little Dorrit〃 by Dickens and 〃The
King's Barber〃 by Lunacharsky。
Besides these； other theatres were playing K。 R。 （Konstantin
Romanov）； Ostrovsky； Potapenko； Vinitchenko； etc。 The two Studios of
the Moscow Art Theatre were playing 〃Rosmersholm〃 and a repertoire of
short plays。 They； like the Art Theatre Company； occasionally play in the
suburban theatres when their place at home is taken by other performers。
I went to the Great State Theatre to Saint…Saens' 〃Samson and
Delilah。〃 I had a seat in the box close above the orchestra； from which I
could obtain a view equally good of the stage and of the house。 Indeed； the
view was rather better of the house than of the stage。 But that was as I
had wished； for the house was what I had come to see。
It had certainly changed greatly since the pre…revolutionary period。
The Moscow plutocracy of bald merchants and bejewelled fat wives had
gone。 Gone with them were evening dresses and white shirt fronts。 The
whole audience was in the monotone of everyday clothes。 The only
contrast was given by a small group of Tartar women in the dress circle；
who were shawled in white over head and shoulders； in the Tartar fashion。
There were many soldiers； and numbers of men who had obviously come
straight from their work。 There were a good many grey and brown
woollen jerseys about； and people were sitting in overcoats of all kinds
and ages； for the theatre was very cold。 （This； of course； was due to lack of
fuel； which may in the long run lead to a temporary stoppage of the
theatres if electricity cannot be spared for lighting them。） The orchestra
was also variously dressed。 Most of the players of brass instruments had
evidently been in regimental bands during the war； and still retained their
khaki…green tunics with a very mixed collection of trousers and breeches。
Others were in every kind of everyday clothes。 The conductor alone
wore a frock coat； and sat in his place like a specimen from another age；
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RUSSIA IN 1919
isolated in fact by his smartness alike from his ragged orchestra and from
the stalls behind him。
I looked carefully to see the sort of people who fill the stalls under
the new regime； and decided that there has been a general transfer of
brains from the gallery to the floor of the house。 The same people who in
the old days scraped kopecks and waited to get a good place near the
ceiling now sat where formerly were the people who came here to digest
their dinners。 Looking from face to face that night I thought there were
very few people in the theatre who had had anything like a good dinner to
digest。 But； as for their keenness； I can imagine few audiences to which；
from the actor's point of view； it would be better worth while to play。
Applause； like brains； had come down from the galleries。
Of the actual performance I have little to say except that ragged
clothes and empty stomachs seemed to make very little difference to the
orchestra。 Helzer； the ballerina； danced as well before this audience as
ever before the bourgeoisie。 As I turned up the collar of my coat I
reflected that the actors deserved all the applause they got for their
heroism in playing in such cold。 Now and then during the evening I was
unusually conscious of the unreality of opera generally； perhaps because
of the contrast in magnificence between the stage and the shabby；
intelligent audience。 Now and then； on the other hand； stage and
audience seemed one and indivisible。 For 〃Samson and Delilah〃 is itself
a poem of revolution； and gained enormously by being played by people
every one of whom had seen something of the sort in real life。 Samson's
stirring up of the Israelites reminded me of many scenes in Petrograd in
1917； and when； at last； he brings the temple down in ruins on his
triumphant enemies； I was reminded of the words attributed to Trotsky：…
〃If we are； in the end； forced to go； we shall slam the door behind us in
such away that the echo shall be felt throughout the world。〃
Going home afterwards through the snow； I did not see a single
armed man。 A year ago the streets were deserted after ten in the evening
except by those who； like myself； had work which took them to meetings
and such things late at night。 They used to be empty except for the
military pickets round their log…fires。 Now they were full of foot…
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RUSSIA IN 1919
passengers going home from the theatres； utterly forgetful of the fact that
only twelve months before they had thought the streets of Moscow unsafe
after dark。 There could be no question about it。 The revolution is settling
down； and people now think of other matters than the old question； will it
last one week or two？
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RUSSIA IN 1919
THE COMMITTEE OF STATE
CONSTRUCTIONS
February 15th。
I went by appointment to see Pavlovitch； President of the Committee
of State Constructions。 It was a very jolly morning and the streets were
crowded。 As I walked through the gate into the Red Square I saw the
usual crowd of peasant women at the little chapel of the Iberian Virgin；
where there was a blaze of candles。 On the wall of what used； I think； to
be the old town hall； close by the gate； some fanatic agnostic has set a
white inscription on
