ABSTRACT

First Published in 1995. A Meeting About Laughter is a collection of sketches, interludes and theatrical parodies by Nikolai Erdman, Vladimir Mass and others. Translated from the Russian Theatre Archive by John Freedman, Harvard University. Erdman is best known as the author of The Warrant and The Suicide, both written for Vsevolod Meyerhold in the 1920s. Also including the transcript of a startling discussion of The Suicide at the Vakhtangov Theatre in 1930 and the only surviving fragments of Erdman's third play The Hypnotist.

part |112 pages

Works by Nikolai Erdman

chapter |25 pages

The Destruction of Europe on Holy Square

With Dances and Songs 1924

chapter |13 pages

The Qualification Exams 1924

chapter |16 pages

Three Circus Sketches 1927

chapter |10 pages

Two Interludes for Pugachyov 1968

part |75 pages

Works by Nikolai Erdman with Vladimir Mass and Others 1931–1954

chapter |8 pages

Two Music Hall Numbers

Written With Vladimir Mass 1931

chapter |7 pages

An Interlude for Princess Turandot

Writen With Vladimir Mass 1932

chapter |8 pages

Three Interludes for Hamlet

Written With Vladimir Mass 1932

chapter |40 pages

An Evening of Theatrical Parodies

Written With Vladimir Mass 1932

chapter |5 pages

Private Schultz

Written With Mikhail Volpin 1942

chapter |3 pages

On Laughter

Written With Yakov Ziskind 1954