The opening words of the next entry are written.
Poprishchin V.O.
November Eighth. Went to the theater today. I do ever so enjoy the classics...
Cut To:
Opened in 1832, the Aleksandrinskiy was the premier theater in St. Petersburg. Besides providing drama for both the aristocrats and the commoners of the city, the theater was a meeting place for aristocrats to see and be seen. The commoners sat either in seats on the floor of the theater, or in the highest balcony. The aristocrats sat in the golden balcony boxes of the second and third floors.
Poprishchin has come once again to watch a vaudeville production of "Filatka and Miroshka" by Grigoriev the younger. This production ran as a hit for years since its opening in 1831. It is a slapstick farce with music, resembling an early version of a Marx Brothers or Three Stooges vaudeville.
SOUND: The orchestra tuning.
POPRISHCHIN talks to the USHER, a short 60 year old woman, who leads him down the aisle towards his seat.
Poprishchin
I love to go to the theater. As soon as I get a hold of a few kopecks, I can't help myself... I go...
The CAMERA PANS with Poprishchin and TRACKS LEFT behind his row as he crosses to his seat, speaking to the seated patrons along his way.
Poprishchin
Civil Servants are pigs! They decisively do not go to the theater. Peasants. Unless, perhaps, one were to give them a ticket!
As Poprishchin takes his seat, he leans forward and talks to the patron seated in front of him.
Poprishchin
Have you seen this production of Filatka? It is very amusing.
The audience begins to applaud. Poprishchin looks towards the stage and applauds.
Cut to: The first violinist enters and takes his seat.
(It is here that the source of the film's orchestral score is revealed as the music of the vaudeville show's orchestra. The music of the theater is the music that Poprishchin loves. It is the music that accompanies his world.)
Cut to: Poprishchin is wide eyed like a child.
Cut to: The CAMERA TILTS UP with the rising curtain as the orchestra begins the opening music cue.
The vaudeville is shot in the style of a classic three camera TV sit-com like "I Love Lucy". On the stage is a very simple setting of a park. STAGE RIGHT is a table and bench, UPSTAGE CENTER are some bushes, and STAGE LEFT some more bushes and a hollow log. FILATKA and MIROSHKA, two simpletons in their twenties, are kneeling on the ground next to the table where Miroshka's father GAVRILYCH sits. Miroshka is putting together the letters of his primer.
Gavrilych
Put it together, Miroshka, put it together. Spell "Child".
Miroshka
(puts letters together)
Y...M...I...A...A..."Child". Is that right Uncle Elizar?
Filatka
Ugh! U...R...A...Idiot!
Gavrilych
Shut up, Filatka! Tss!
Filatka
Stop it! Am I a dog or what?
Miroshka
Yes, shut up Filatka. You know Uncle Elizar is a wizard.
Filatka
A blizzard? Then why so much hot air?
Cut to: Poprishchin giggles with delight.
Cut to: Gavrilych gets up from the table.
Gavrilych
Be off my clever Miroshka and have a walk. I need to go to the mill.
The CAMERA PANS with Gavrilych as he exits SCREEN LEFT.
Cut to: Filatka and Miroshka stand together center stage. Filatka starts to exit.
Miroshka
Filatka! Where are you going? Let's go play!
Filatka
I don't want to.
Miroshka
Why not?
Filatka
Daddy will be angry. He says, "Don't play at knuckle bones, go flirt with your fiancee."
Miroshka
Your fiancee? Who is your fiancee?
Cut to: Medium shot of Filatka and Miroshka.
Filatka
Don't you know? Grusha Kuzminishna.
Miroshka
Really? They are trying to arrange a match between her and me.
Filatka
Don't even think about it! You won't see Grusha as you can't see your own ears!
Miroshka
Are you really seized with such desire to get married?
Filatka
It is so bad that I see her in my dreams.
Miroshka
You can't pull the wool over my eyes. How can you see her in your sleep if you've got your eyes closed?
Filatka
No, I do see. I swear I see. The other day I saw her pulling my hair.
Cut to: Poprishchin is laughing out loud.
Cut to: Miroshka looks into the wings, UPSTAGE RIGHT.
Miroshka
Look Filatka, someone is coming! It's a man!
Cut to: Filatka, standing near the hollow, gestures for Miroshka to come over.
Filatka
A man!...Quick, over here.
Miroshka crosses to Filatka. In his attempt to hide, Filatka stubs his toe on the stump.
Filatka
Ow! Ow! Ow!
Cut to: Poprishchin howls with laughter.
Cut to: Filatka hides inside the hollow, and Miroshka hides behind the bush.
Cut to: Vasily, a batman for the Count, enters UPSTAGE RIGHT and crosses to the table.
Vasily
Here I am back in my native land. Now I will see my Grusha. But how do I know she is mine? Couldn't some fool have turned up, such a fool as me, and fallen in love with her? Terrible...
Vasily looks SCREEN RIGHT.
Vasily
Somebody is coming. Sounds like Grusha and her mother...I shall hide and listen.
Vasily hides in the bushes upstage center.
Cut to: The CAMERA PANS with Kuzminishna and her daughter Grusha as they enter DOWNSTAGE LEFT and cross to DOWNSTAGE CENTER.
Kuzminishna
Ah! Grusha! Will you stop being sad darling? Vasily will be back soon.
Filatka and Miroshka pop up from behind the bushes as Kuzminishna and Grusha pass them.
Filatka
(from the hollow)
She's been waiting for Vasily, and not for you, ha.
Miroshka
(from the bush)
But not for you either— ha, ha!
Cut to: Kuzminishna and Grusha standing DOWNSTAGE CENTER.
Grusha
Oh, I'll never see merry days again! Tarasievych continuously pesters me to get married and says that if I don't marry him, he will send our Petr away to serve as a recruit.
Cut to: Miroshka pops up from behind the bushes.
Miroshka
Did you hear Filatka? Even Tarasievych is seized with the desire to get married! Has everyone gone crazy?!
Cut to: Kuzminishna and Grusha.
Kuzminishna
This is what worries me, my dear! We are at war. We didn't pay the poll tax, so our Petr is in danger. Oh! Oh! Oh!
Cut to: Poprishchin is nervously caught up in the action.
Cut to: Kuzminishna and Grusha.
Grusha
Don't worry Mum. We'll find a way out of this.
Kuzminishna
Why don't you marry Miroshka Andreanov? His father is a very well-to-do and if we are in need of money, he would never refuse us help.
Cut to: Miroshka pops up again from behind the bushes.
Miroshka
Certainly not! No, no, no! My Dad won't give you a penny!
Cut to: Kuzminishna and Grusha.
Grusha
Mum! How can you expect help from that man? He is as stingy as a Jew.
Cut to: Poprishchin agrees.
Cut to: Miroshka jumps up yet again from behind the bushes.
Miroshka
No, no, no! Don't let her fool you. He's no Jew, he's my father.
Cut to: Tarasievych, a clerk in the local court, enters UPSTAGE LEFT and crosses to Grusha and Kuzminishna.
Tarasievych
Why are you so sad my beauty? Who has insulted you? Tell me his name and we shall enter it into the minutes and make up a dishonorable story about him!
Grusha
No, Ierimey Tarasievych, everyone is nice to me. Only you offend me.
Tarasievych
Why do I offend you? Because I want to marry you? Because I love you more than the bribes of my petitioners?
Cut to: Poprishchin leans over and talks to the patron sitting next to him.
Poprishchin
So outspoken, I still don't know how they got it past the censors.
Cut to: Grusha, Kuzminishna, and Tarasievych.
Tarasievych
Stop resisting, my beauty, and don't allow your refusal to lead to your brother's doom.
Vasily pops up from behind the upstage center bushes.
Vasily
(aside)
You just wait, you old little loafer. I shall go and tell everything to the Baron and then we shall expose you. Grusha...
Cut to: Poprishchin mouths the words that come from Vasily.
Vasily
...despite the hostile plots against us, we will be together.
Cut to: Vasily, Grusha, Kuzminishna, and Tarasievych. Vasily exits SCREEN LEFT.
Tarasievych
(to Kuzminishna)
This is your last chance, tell your daughter to agree, or it will be too late!
Kuzminishna
But Ierimey Tarasievych! How can I force her?
Cut to: Petr, Grusha's brother, enters DOWNSTAGE LEFT. He is confused.
Petr
What's going on? Too Late?! Agree to what?
Cut to: Grusha, Kuzminishna, and Tarasievych.
Grusha
Will you leave me alone, please?!!! Haven't I told you already that I won't marry you, you monster.
Tarasievych
Oh Grusha, just you wait! Either you marry me, or your brother is sent to the soldiers!
Petr joins Grusha, Kuzminishna, and Tarasievych.
Petr
No, mum, don't do it. Am I not able to serve? Am I not a Russian? Don't I long to die for our Father the tsar the orthodox, and for our Motherland, the Saint Rus?
Tarasievych
Wait, chap, when they shave your forehead you will say something different!
Tarasievych exits SCREEN LEFT.
Petr
Never!
Kuzminishna
Please Tarasievych, have mercy on us!
Kuzminishna follows Tarasievych and exits SCREEN LEFT.
Petr
Mother, wait!
Petr follows his mother and exits SCREEN LEFT. Grusha stands alone at CENTER STAGE.
Cut to: Poprishchin is sad.
MUSIC CUE: The orchestra begins the introduction to "Grusha's/Sophie's Song", a beautifully haunting song of love and longing.
Cut to: Grusha begins to sing her soliloquy.
Grusha
(spoken introduction)
No, it seems as if I'll never see merry days again! Without Vasily, there can be no joy in my heart!
(she sings)
All of life's pleasures and all of life's joys...
Cut to: The CAMERA starts to SLOWLY TRACK IN on Poprishchin as he is taken by the beauty of Grusha's voice.
Grusha
...My sweetheart took far away.
Cut to: The CAMERA starts to SLOWLY TRACK IN on Grusha.
Grusha
All that I treasure, and all I enjoy...
Cut to: The CAMERA continues to TRACK IN on Poprishchin. Grusha's voice reminds Poprishchin of Sophie.
Grusha
...I miss, all my heart, everyday.
Cut to: The CAMERA continues to TRACK IN on Grusha.
Grusha
And although I cry...
Grusha turns her head away from the audience.
Cut to: Poprishchin is stunned by what he sees...
Grusha
They still want to force me...
Cut to: When Grusha turns her head back towards the audience, she appears as Sophie. As Sophie sings, the voice of Grusha's comes out of her mouth.
Grusha / Sophie
...to marry a terrible man. Now I can't see the sun...
Cut to: Poprishchin is overcome with his feelings of longing for Sophie.
Grusha / Sophie
No, there is no light at all...
Poprishchin V.O.
Never mind...
Cut to: Sophie turns her head away from the audience as she continues to sing.
Grusha / Sophie
If I can't see my true love again.
Poprishchin V.O.
Never mind...
Cut to: Poprishchin is horrified by what he sees next...
Poprishchin V.O.
Devilry... Nev-ver-mind...
Cut to: It is now the CHIEF OF THE DIVISION who appears in Grusha's costume. The Chief scolds Poprishchin.
Chief of the Division
Fancy you having thoughts about the Director's daughter!!!
Cut to: Poprishchin is terrified. The light on his face changes abruptly from white to red.
Grusha finishes her song.
Grusha
(sings off screen)
No, I can't see the sun. Now there's no light at all, Since I can't see my true love again.
SOUND: Applause erupts from the audience.
Poprishchin is shell shocked. In his trance, he begins to applaud distractedly.
SOUND: The applause grows stronger.
Cut To:
SOUND: The applause continues.
The CAMERA TRACKS IN on POPRISHCHIN as he enters his apartment still in shock from what he saw at the theater.
In a cold sweat, Poprishchin stands with his back against the door and stares motionless into space.
SOUND: The applause begins to be pounded out with a steady beat amidst calls of "Bravo" and "Encore".
Music cue: The orchestra begins the refrain of "Grusha's/Sophie's Song".
At the moment that the actress begins to sing Poprishchin covers his ears and yells...
Cut To:
...the entry's final words...
Poprishchin V.O.
STOP IT!
Fade to Black.