THE DIAL PUB. CO.
13 PT. ON 14
ORIGINAL
OLD STYLE

When fresh, it was sweet
~~By~~ William Carlos Williams

Balieff's actors from The Bat
or Moscow seem as if from the
center of the onion - the vision
predominates. Removed from the intimate
it is all intimate, closely observed
to be deftly translated to the stage.
The fullness, delicacy, deftness
of their compositions dance with
the imaginations of peasants and
musicians, philosopners, and
gypsies - the keen eyes of numbor
come out of tall womens' faces
gently - the ensemble is felt
above the detail - the music goes
free of the fact - the satire puts
a varicolored bridle on the donkey
the old and the young
engage in the same pastimes
life is freed in shouts of the women
pantomime and gesture
woman or man - a power suffixes everything
gathering it altogether
uniting without brushing even the bloom :
the free air
welcomes them to itself, the rootlights
obey as if it were some lost master
the Americans of the audience
crumble, sweetness escapes their lips
their straining comedians feel
a lightness that bids them play
Jolson is entranced

To what is this that everybody
comes with gifts as of old they used
to bring gifts to shrines or altars?

Russian skill of dancing ? No.
Dadaistic scenery ? No. Excellent
as these things are. The whole
reveals these things.
The quaintness of Russian types,
the depth, sweetness, gaiety, color
of the Russian character ? No.
The symmetry, reserve, force, taleness
of the women. The diverse simpleness
and open numbor of the men ?
The sheer skill as singers, the
ingenuity of the managers, the composers,
the depth of tradition ? No.

All these things existed before
the performance.

2.

Is it Balieif ?

There are other Balieids. All these things
are essential, but it is not that
which makes men ashamed and tender and
wistful and submissive — ready to learn :

Katinka dances her polka
on the contracted stage of composition
geiety is formalized in her dress
and her makeup — Youth is in the choice
of the actress — Her father blinks
to the music
to show his joy in her dancing
the mother with severe face of renunciation
in a shawl —

It cannot be more than it is
without in a peasant's cottage
being mercenary to the landlord
who kills the splendor of national character
by his demands for rent — The filth of
stupidity which has no escape
all blend to make impossible
all that is not imagined by men who have
lived yet
unsated by life's endless profusion
and color
and rhythms — seeing the brevity
of their transit through the spinning world
have resort to —
translation —
here life's exquisite diversity
tenderness
ardor of spirits
finds that in which it may move
They are relieved of their lot
They live enkindled by life —
All enters — Katinka dances
The father blinks
The mother severely stares
— ney — la !
we all laugh together — Life has us
by the arm.

Katinka dies by bending
her body down in a crouch about her knees
there she stays panting from
the exertion of dancing —

The parents relent in alarm

Katinka rebegins to dance
—
Death

THE DIAL PUB. CO.

12 ET. ON 14
ORIGINAL
OLD STYLE

** ( Revised MSS. )

When fresh, it was sweet . . . .

Balieff's actors from The Bat in Moscow seem as if from the center of the onion — the vision predominates. Removed from the intimate it is all intimate, closely observed to be deftly translated to the stage —

The swiftness, fullness, delicacy of their compositions dance with the imaginations of peasants and musicians, philosophers, and gypsies — The keen eyes of humor look from tall women's faces gently; the ensemble is felt above the detail; the music goes free of the fact; the satire puts a varicolored bridle on the donkey — the old and the young engage in the same pastimes —

Pantomime and gesture
woman or man — a power suffuses everything gathering it altogether uniting without brushing even the bloom — The free air welcomes them to itself, the footlights obey as if it were some lost master — The Americans of the audience crumble, sweetness escapes their lips, their straining comedians feel a lightness that bids them play — They are relieved of their lot Jolson is entranced

To what is this that everybody comes with gifts as of old they used to bring gifts to shrines or altars ?

Russian skill or dancing? No. Dadaistic scenery? No. Excellent as these things are. The whole reveals these things. The quaintness of Russian types, the depth, sweetness, gaiety, color of the Russian character? No. The symmetry, reserve, force, tallness of the women? The diverse simpleness and open humor of the men? The sheer skill as singers, the ingenuity of the managers, the composers, the depth of tradition ? No.

the performance. Is it Balieff ?
There are other Balieffs . All these things
are essential . But it is not that
which makes men ashamed and tender and
wistrul and submissive - ready to learn :

Katinka dances her polka
on the contracted stage or composition
Gaiety is rormalized in her dress
and her makeup . Youth is in
the choice of the actress . Her rather blinks
to the music
to show his joy in her dancing
The mother with severe face of renunciation
in a shawl

It cannot be more than it is
without in a peasant's cottage
being mercenary to the landlord
who kills the splendor or national character
by his demands for rent, the filth of
stupidity which has no escape
- blend to make impossible
all that is not imagined by men who have
lived yet unsated
by life's endless prorusion
and color
and rythms, who seeing the brevity
of their transit through the spinning world
have resort to -
translation

Here life's exquisite diversity
its tenderness
ardor of spirits
find that in which they may move

All enters . Katinka dances
The rather blinks
The mother severely stares
- hey-la :
we all laugh together - Life has us
by the arm.

The parents relent in alarm

Katinka rebegins to dance
- Finis