Life, 1923-02-22 · page 7 of 36
Life — February 22, 1923 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains a sketch and a theatrical synopsis for "That Freedom," described as "A Four-Act Pantomime Suggestion for Mr. Balieff." The illustration depicts women in early 20th-century dress, with the caption referencing "Young Mr. Bletch, the Club poker champion, unwittingly gets himself into a game of freeze-out." The pantomime appears to satirize Russian peasant life on "the Steppes." The synopsis follows a character named Zabushka through four acts involving a cossack, a guidepost, and ultimately freedom ("SIA—to Freedom!"). The satire likely mocks Russian themes popular in contemporary theater while playing on the contrast between the sophisticated club setting of the cartoon caption and the dramatic Russian peasant scenario of the pantomime. The humor appears rooted in incongruity and theatrical absurdity rather than specific political commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Young Mr. Bletch, the Club poker champion, unwittingly gets himself into a game of freeze-out. That Freedom A Four-Act Pantomime Suggestion for Mr. Balieff TE action of the first three acts takes place in Russia. The scene is ld on the Steppes. To the right rises @ pointing-finger; a guidepost bea: ing the single word—AMERI- CA I» the background are numbers 1,.. 3, 4 and 5: aged peasants. At prover intervals, a cossack strolls through and wallops numbers 1, 2, 3, / and 5, seriatim. They fall in seqi cence, taking care to observe the prover rhythm. In a moment they risc, to the same diadrom; another cos.ack arrives; and the business is ited. This is continued—thanks mperor Jones—through the in- tern issions. No one seems very hap; y. Act I. ter Zabushka, clad modestly in | and patches. Slowly, caden- the play of her hips to the tempo of the falling peasants, she staggers up the steppes. She pauses and broods, gazing off stage as though expecting someone. Someone comes. It is a cossack. He wallops her weari- ly and she falls. Act II. Zabushka rises, sways, and stares at the guidepost. Something is wrong with her face. Something in- teresting. She is getting an idea. Another cossack enters and wallops her wearily. Again she falls. Act III. Once more Zabushka rises. Her face, through the mud and dirt, is transformed. It is comparatively radiant with hope and determination. She barely notices the cossack who enters and accosts her with his knout. She fails to fall for him. Turning, she runs off stage—towards AMER- ICA. To Freedom! Act IV. The action has moved to Ameri- ca, with the scene laid at Battery Park. At the left rests a pointing- finger; a guidepost bearing the sin- gle word—RUSSIA. Instead of numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, a wild- haired orator harangues a crowd, and gestures lovingly—first towards the guidepost, then towards RUS- SIA—to Freedom! Below him the river yawns. Around him the crowd yawns. Enter Zabushka. She has just landed. She is radiant. Zabushka stares at the guidepost. She stares at the orator. Wearily she takes it all in. Then she yanks up the guidepost and crowns him with it. G. R. comicbooks.com