Word: balieff
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...Blue Bird (S. Hurok, producer) is a medley of Russian vaudeville under the droll and genial mastership of Yascha Yushny. It is the sort of thing that moonfaced Nikita Balieff and Morris Gest first brought to the U. S. in 1922 as the Chauve-Souris and does not suffer greatly by this comparison. Mr. Yushny is much the same sort of master of ceremonies as Balieff. Witness the introduction he gives to a Boyar dance number, concluding with the sly information that he did the scenery for that act himself. When the curtain parts a plain velvet drop is revealed...
There is, inevitably, a not too artful rendition of the "Song of the Volga Boatmen," but what Mr. Balieff used to call "De Prade uf de Vooden Sojus" is happily omitted. Instead, there is a charming mechanical toy number, which Mr. Yushny has to wind up from time to time, called "Souvenir Lowere de Suisse." Miss Isa Kremer, a local Diseuse, appears to please audiences most with an astonishing repertory of songs, beginning with a French lullaby, skipping blithely through an Italian street ballad and an old English lyric to end up with the impersonation of a Kentucky mountain woman...
...Chauve-Souris" production there are two inseparable parts. One is the rotund M. Balieff, the other the varied scenes which make up the performance, One without the other would make "Chauve-Souris" something quite other from that which tradition...
...current presentation at the Majestic Theatre has both features. Balieff is again before the curtain, speaking in English more broken than any that has been heard in many months. Each scene is introduced by a few words from this great round face, and the applause greeting its appearance before each selection is quite as loud as that which closed the preceding scene...
...cherished title "People's Artist of the Republic." Actor Kochalov adds to his large income by giving recitals in Moscow. His wife, Madame Litovtseva, is an actress and producer of the Moscow Art Company. Their son, Vadim, has been in the U. S. this season with Balieff's Chauve Souris. Actor Kochalov speaks no English, eats piles of pirojek* and drinks vodka freely without any sacrifice of his robust, Slavic dignity...