Sergei Eisenstein 1595-194 Montage of Attractions for the Production of Ostrovsky’s Diary of a Scoundrel’ i223 Since this concept is being used for the first time, it requires some ex- planation. The spectator himself constitutes the basic material of the theatre; the objective of every utilitarian theatre (agit, poster, health education, etc.) is to guide the spectator in the desired direction (frame of mind). The means of achieving this are all the component parts of the theatrical apparatus (Osty- zhev's? “chatter” no more than the color of the prima donna’s tights, a stroke on the kettledrum as much as a soliloquy of Romeo's, the cricket on the hearth? no less than a salvo under the seats of the spectators) which, in all their heterogeneity, are reduced to a single unit—thereby justifying their presence—by their being attractions. An attraction (in relation to the theatre) is any aggressive aspect of the theatre; that is, any element of it which subjects the spectator to a sensual or psychological impact, experimentally regulated and mathematically calculated to produce in him certain emotional shocks which, when placed in their proper sequence within the totality, are the only means whereby he is enabled to perceive the ideological side of what is being demonstrated—the ultimate ideological conclusion. (The means of cognition—“through the living play of passions” specifically for the theatre.) Sensual and psychological, of course, to be understood in the sense of immediate reality, in the way that these are handled, for example, by the Grand Guignol theatre: gouging out eves or cutting off arms and legs on the stage, or a character on stage participating by telephone in a ghastly event ten miles away, or the plight of a drunkard who senses his approaching death, Translated by Daniel and Eleanor Gerould. Copyright 1970 by Daniel and Eleanor Gerould. Printed by permission of the translators. A slightly different version of this translation appeared in Drama and Theatre, 1X (Fall 1970). 1A. N. Ostrovsky’s play (1868) has also been translated into English as Enough Sim plicity in Every Wise Man and The Scoundrel. # Alexander Ostyzhev (1874-1953), well-known actor of the period, who appeared as Romeo and Othello, and in many other classic roles {notes 2 through 9 to Kisensteit’s Montage . ate the translators! +A reference to the dramatization of Dickens's The Cricket on the Hearth, presented at the First Studio of the Moscow Art ‘Theater in 1915. * Parisian theatre famous at the tum of the century for its terrifying horror plays 942Sergei Kisenstein 943 and whose cries for help are taken as delirium tremens; and not in terms of the development of psychological problems where the attraction is already the theme of the play itself, a theme which exists and functions even outside of the play's action provided that it is sufficiently topical. (An error into which agit-theatres fall. satisfied with only this kind of attraction in their productions. ) On the formal level, by an attraction I mcan an independent and primary clement in the construction of a performance—a molecular (that is, compon- ent) unit of effectiveness in theatre and of theatre in general. It is fully analogous to Grosz’s* “‘storehouse of images” or Rodchenko’s “elements of photo-illustrations.”* “Component”—just as it is difficult to determine where the fascination of the hero's nobility (the psychological aspect) ends and the aspect of his personal charm (that is, his sensual magnetism) begins—the lyric effect of a series of scenes by Chaplin is inseparable from the attraction of the specific mechanics of his movements—so it is difficult to determine when religious pathos gives way to sadistic satisfaction in the scenes of martyrdom in the mystery play theatre, etc. An attraction has nothing in common with a trick. A trick, or rather, a stunt (it is time to put this term which has been excessively abused back in its proper place) is an accomplishment complete in itself in terms of a certain kind of craftsmanship (chiefly acrobatics). A stunt is only one of the kinds of attractions with its own appropriate method of prescntation (or as they say in the circus—its “sale”); since it signifies something absolute and complete in itself, in its true meaning it is the direct opposite of an attraction which is based exclusively on an interrelationship—on the reaction of the audience. A genuine approach radically changes the possibilities in the principles of building a “constuction that has impact” (the performance as a whole), in stead of a static “reflection” of a given event necessary for the theme and of ‘he possibility of its resolution solely through effects logically connected with sch an event. A new method emerges—free montage of arbitrarily selected mniependent (also outside of the given composition and the plot links of ‘¢ characters) effects (attractions), but with a view to establishing a certain final thematic: effect—montage of attractions bs The way of completely frecing, the theatre from the weight of the “illusory “sutativeness” and ““representationality” which up until now bas been defini tive, inevitable, and solely possible is through # transition to montage of time interweaving into the Motkable antifices,” which allows at the same ontage whole “representational segments” and connected plot lines of ac * George © eal ao an Nolen heel photoes Miser, and stage designer for a number of by Meyethold. One of the creators of photo montage944 Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Russia and Hungary tion, but no longer as something self-contained and all-determining, but as an immediately effective attraction consciously selected for a given purpose; since the sole basis for the effectiveness of a performance does not lie in “the discovery of the playwright’s intention,” “the correct interpretation of the author,” “the true reflection of the period,” etc., but only in attractions and a system of attractions. Any director who has become a skilled hand due to a natural flair has intuitively used an attraction in some way or other, but, of course, not in terms of a montage or construction, but “in a harmonious composition” at any rate (hence even its jargon—“effective curtain,” “rich exit,” “good stunt,” etc.) But what is significant is that what was done was only in the framework of logical plot probability (“warranted” by the play), and chiefly, unconsciously in pursuit of something completely different (some- thing that was not in what was calculated “in the beginning”). In terms of working out a system for constructing a performance there remains only to transfer the center of attention to what is proper, what was previously con- sidered secondary and ornamental, but what actually is the basic guide for the production’s nonconforming intentions, and, without becoming logically bound by real-life and traditional literary piety, to establish the given approach as the production method (the work of the Proletcult workshops’ from the fall of 1922). The film and above all the music hall and the circus constitute the school for the montage maker, since, properly speaking, putting on a good show (from the formal point of view) means building a strong music hall-circus program, starting from the basic situation of the play. As an example, here is an enumeration of a portion of the numbers in the epilogue to Diary of a Scoundrel. 1. An expository soliloquy by the hero. 2. A part of a detective film: (explanation of point 1—the theft of the diary). 3. A musical-novelty act: the bride and three rejected suitors (according to the play, only one character) in the role of ushers: a scene of sorrow in the style of the song, “Your fingers smell of incense” and “Let the grave.” (As projected, the bride has a xylophone and plays on six rows of bells, the buttons on the officers’ uniforms). 4, 5, 6. Three parallel clown acts, two sentences each (motif of payment for organizing the wedding). + The Proletcult, the abbreviation for “Proletarian Cultural and Educational Organi tions,” was established after the revolution to foster proletarian culture as the basis for the new socialist. society. It sought to promote a radically new kind of theatre, revolutionary i" Content and often avant-garde in form, whose aim was to be agitation and propaganda A parody of a popular song by Alexander Vertinskii (1889-1957), who composed and sang his own romances and enjoyed great success throughout Europe in this petio ; i ;Sergei Eisenstein 945, 7. Feature act of the étoile (the aunt) and of the three officers (motif of detaining the rejected suitors), punning, (with a transition) through the mention of a horse to a triple-voltage number of an unsaddled horse (because of the impossibility of leading it into the auditorium—tradi tionally—“three as a horse”). 8. Choral-agit song: “The priest had a dog”; to the accompaniment of which, “the priest’s bouncing ball’—in the form of a dog (motif of the beginning of the wedding). 9. An interruption of the action (voice of a newsboy for the exit of the hero). 10. The appearance of the villain in a mask, a segment of comic film (a summary of the five acts of the play, in the transformations (of Glumov) the motif of the publication of the diary). 11. A continuation of the action (interrupted) with another group of char- acters (the wedding ceremony with the three rejected suitors all at the same time), 12. Antireligious song “Allah-Verdi” (punning motif—the necessity of win- ning over the mullah in view of the great number of suitors and with only one bride), a chorus and a new character used only in this number —a soloist dressed as a mullah. 15. A general dance. Business with a placard “Religion is the opiate of the masses.” 14. A farcical scene: putting away the wife and three husbands in a drawer, __ beating pots on the cover. 15. A scenes-of-domestic-life parody trio—the nuptial song: “And who of us is young.” 16. A peak (of the action), the return of the hero. 17. ‘The fight of the hero on a rope up to the cupola (motif of suicide from despair). = Break (in the action) —return of the villain, reprieve from suicide. of Battle with swords (motif of enmity). i Asitact of the hero and villain on the theme of the NEP." “*; Act on an inclined wire: passage (of the villain) from the ring to the » icony over the heads of the spectators (motif “departure for Russia”) B. Again’ Parodying (this) number by the hero and cascade from the wire, rival from the balcony along the same wire by a circus clown hanging y his teeth, and fg lah who performed the wedding ceremony sat cross legged and rocked to New pts topical antircligious songs against the Orthodox Church. from wet conomic Policy. Instituted by 1 pom World War Ts ri 1921 to help the USS.R. recov aunist iculture peasantry, the NEP restore 0 an eng, Vith Stalin's introduction of the fist Five Year Plan in 1928, the NEP cameoe Nineteenth. and Twentieth-Century Russia and Hungary 24 The final feature act of two clowns who douse cach other with water (traditionally), ending with the announcement “the end.” 25. A salvo under the spectators’ seats as the final chord. ‘The connecting moments of the numbers, if there is no direct transition, are used as legato elements and interpreted as the varying arrangement of apparatuses, musical intermission, dance, pantomime, exits by the rug, etc... . Notes to Eisenstein’s Discussion of the Epilogue to Diary of a Scoundrel? The Epilogue to Diary of a Scoundrel consists of twenty-five “attractions” th Eisenstein also enumerates in his essay. Here is the director’s rough outline for this epilogue, reconstructed at the request of the editors of the present edition by the still surviving participants in the performance (MS. Gomorov, A.P. Purkatov, A.I. Levshin, V.P. Sharuev, LF. Yasykanov, under the general direction of M.M. Shtraukh) in the same sequence of attractions indicated in Eisenstein’s essay. 1. On stage (in the ring), Glumov who in a (“expository”) soliloquy tells how his diary was stolen from him and how this threatens him with ex- posure. Glumov decides to marry Mashenka quickly, for which he calls “Menyefa” (a clown) on stage and proposes that he appear as a priest. 2. The lights go out, on the screen the theft of Glumov’s diary by a man in a black mask—Golutvin. Parody of an American detective film. 3. Light in the auditorium. Mashenka appears in a motoring outfit, with 2 bridal veil in a crown, followed by her three rejected suitors—officers (in Ostrovsky’s play—Kurchaev), who will be ushers in her wedding with Glumov. ‘The scene of parting (“sorrow”) warms up. Mashenka sings a “cruel” romance “Let the grave punish me,” the officers perform, 35 a parody of Vertinskii, “Your fingers smell of incense.” (In Eisenstein’s original plan this scene was sketched out as a novelty musical numbet (xylophone), with Mashenka playing on bells sewn like buttons on the officers’ uniforms.) 4,5, 6. After the exit of Mashenka and the three officers, Glumov on stage again, ‘Three clowns, Gorodulin, Joffre, Mamilyukov, come running UP to him one after the other out of the auditorium, and cach hes Circus number (juggling with small balls, acrobatic leaps, ete.) and de mands p nt for it. Glumov refuses and goes out. (“A clown act with 44 These comtitute the director's rough outhne for this participants m the performance: MS. Gomorov, A. P. Kurbater Sharuey, and 1 F. Yasykai in the same sequence of attra: ore AL, Lewin, wv. under the general direction of MM. Shtreakh smd # ctions indicated in Eisenstein’s casay |tramdatare’ ote/ | Serge: Iisenatara paired sentences” —for cach exit, two sentences of the text. the comenenes of the clown and of Glumov.) . Mamaeva appears, dressed in provocative splendor (“am étnil”, wtte 4 circus whip in her hand and three officers following her. Mamaeyva wants to break Glumov's engagement, console the rejected switers, amd sftex their remarks about a horse (“My friend the mare meighs”) cracks hnec whip—and the officers scamper off about the ring, Two sepersent: the horse, the third the rider. . On stage the priest (“Manyefa”), the “wedding ceremony” bezins. All those present for the wedding sing: “The priest had a dog.” “Manseés performs a circus number (“the bouncing ball”), portzaying 1 dog . The yelling of a newsboy through a megaphone. Ghamow. leaving te wedding ceremony, runs off to find out whether his diary bas appeared in print. . The thief who stole the diary appears—a man in a black mask (Gabuteim) The lights go out. On the screen Glumov’s diary; in the film it tells about his behavior towards mighty patrons and likewise about BS tess: formations into various temporary shapes (like into an ass with Mamacea, into a tanker with Joffre, ete... ), - The wedding ceremony is resumed, Ghunov's place tow that be Ras off is taken by the rejected suitors—the three etticers (“Rurebaey”) . Tn view of the fact that Mashenka is getting married ver ne te te three suitors, four uniformed circus attendants catey Out OR a PRAK Beow the auditorium the mullah, who continnes the wekliygs covery ated in progress, performing a patodistic sang ov topical themes. “Alka Vent” When he has finished his song the nulla dares 4 ter tiakas or wed, he takes all the parts, The anutlats raises yp the plank on wid de was sitting, on the back is the inscription: “veliion ve the agate at he masses.” ‘The mullah goes out holding the plank ar tye hart Mashenka and the three stiturs are pat away ar lianers (arene Hey disappear, unnoticed by the spectators), “Those mane PAR UL RE ae Hage ceremony beat carthenmware pats agatust the Lawes Pano the old-fashioned wedding ceremony “for putting the yours away ‘Three of those present al the wedding ceremony (Marutvakor, Mantes, Gorodulin) perforin the wedding songs “Awl whe at we oe amy, ant who not married.” » Glumoy running in with a new spaagven tne tree tant attiocnaapyts the werkt Song: “Hurrah! ‘There isn’t anything a the wonayaper! They all rabente him and Jeave him alone. After the publication of his diary ancl tie auistortinte wth the WAN Lge Glumov is in a state of despair, He aleeitten ty canuuttt stttente, he asks the uniformed cirens attendant for a “piece ot stone” Whoa the ventingoS 1S 19. 20. 2: Nineteenth. and Twentieth-Century Kussia and Uengary a rope is lowered down to him, He attaches “angel wings” to hie back and they start to raise him up to the ceiling with 4 breening candle in his hand. The choir sings “An angel flew across the skies at midnight” to the motif “a beautiful woman's heart.” This scene pavodies the Golutvin (“the villain”) appears on stage. Glumov, once he has seen his enemy, begins to shower him with curses, lowers himself down onto the stage and throws himself down onto the villain. Glumov and Golutvin fight with swords. Glumov wins. Golutkin falls, and Glumov pulls out of Golutvin’s pocket a big sticker with “NEP” on it. Gotutvin performs a song about the NEP, Glumov joins in the singing. Both dance. Golutvin invites Glumov “to come visit him whenever he wants,” to come to Russia, Golutvin, balancing with an umbrella, goes along the inclined wire over the heads of the spectators to the bale “he goes off to Russia.” 22. Glumov decides to follow his example, climbs up on the wire but falls 23. 24, off (circus “cascade”) and with the words: “Oh, slippery, slippery, are these ways, I'd be better off in some backalley,"” he fallows Golutvin “to Russia.” along the less dangerous path through the auditorium. A “red nose” (clown) comes out on stage and weeps, saving over and over again “They went away but they foigat somebody.” Kyou the bal cony another clown comes down along the wire hanging by his teeth. 25. A squabble arises between the two “ted noses"; one at them aphashes the other with water and he falle down thom xueprive. One af thet announces: “the end” and bows to the audience At thx nyanweat thee isa burst of fireworks under the seats in the atuliteriuu 6