SMAD. An Organ of Student Opinion. 1936. Volume 7. Number 3.
Russsian Drama Reviewed — Max Riske's Impressions
Russsian Drama Reviewed
Max Riske's Impressions
Max Riske speaking last Thursday night on Russian Drama claimed that in Russia, as else-where, the drama provides entertainment, amusement and education, only in Russia it is more consciously propagandist. There is, of course, "straight" drama unaffected by politics as well as the new art which has resulted from the struggle to establish a new social system. There are large numbers of amateur dramatic circles run by all the workers' clubs.
Mr. Riske described a performance at the new Realist Theatre which differs from the old box type in having the stage composed of two platforms set diagonally and joined by a narrow gangway. All the rest is auditorium and it seats at the most 250 persons. The particular play which he saw at this theatre was called "Aristocrats."
It was the story of the building of the 150-mile Baltic-White Sea Canal by 60,000 convicts. This was a strange prison camp, where carpenters were paid carpenters' wages and miners worked as mine labourers. The work was completed in 19 months despite appalling conditions of snow and storm. The men were regenerated and made into constructive members of society by a realisation of the dignity of labour and the joy of creation.
Mr. Riske next described the film "Chapeieff," made by the new Kino film organisation. It is the story of the civilising of a Red guerilla leader in the Civil War.
The sequence moves into the climax—a White attack by Old Russia's most famous regiment, the Death's Head Guards, on a position held by a rabble of Red soldiers.
The guards march into action with their rifles slung, smoking cigarettes, goosestepping as if on parade. The drums roll continually around the Death's Head standard as they march. One man falls and another steps forward to take his place. Panie seizes the Red Army men. They fire feverishly and still the drums roll on. Suddenly there comes the harsh spluttering of a machine-gun-stark in its rhythm, ghastly in its effect. The lines are mowed down and the Guards fall back broken. The emotional climax of this fearful surprise of the attack aggravated by the volley of the drums is terrific, as dramaticart, it cannot be surpassed.