NIGHT LIFE IN MOSCOW

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19789, 3 May 1934, Page 12

NIGHT LIFE IN MOSCOW

AMUSEMENT CRAZE Now that the rigours of the first Five Year Plan have somewhat abated a craving for amusement is becoming more and more pronounced i 1 Moscow. There is somethirg of the same psychological let-down that made the first years of the New Economic Policy, immediately after the horrors and hardships of the civil war, a period of much revelry. Moscow’s still very meagre organised “night life” centres in t.. Hotel Metropole, where throngs gather to drink champagi e and to dance around a circular fountain in the centre of the huge dining room every night before the “free day.” (The 6th, 12th, 18th, 24th and 30th of every month are observed as to eneral holidays in the Soviet Union). The Metropole prices are expensive, and nothing is left off the bill, even the privilege of taking one of the toy balloons which are attached to every table, wrapping a bit of flaming paper about the string, and sending off the balloon to explode somewhere in midair, which is the main diversion on such occasions. Dress still remains rather shabby at the Metropole turn-outs; and a dinner jacket, to say nothing of more formal clothes, usually 1 eralds the presence of a junior diplomat. The Muscovites are fond of the circus, and the sawdust-covered arena of the Moscow circus draws its crowd of enthusiastic spectators every night. The sole suggestion of propaganda is apt to come from the dialogue of two clowns, who appear in grotesque costumes, with one trouf&r-leg vastly longer than the other and other misfits to match. They then proceeded to crack jokes about the failings of the Soviet clothing industry, softened by a constructive exhortation at the end to the workers to strive for better quality. The opera, the theatres and cinemas are other sources of entertainment. The opera-house has adopted an innovation in reserving almost all the best seats for “udarniki” of various State enterprises, so that it is difficult for the casual citizen to gain admittance. The udarniki is literally a shock brigade worker; but the term also covers engineers, employees, students and others who are credited with performing meritorious work. The traditional Russian winter sports, skating and skiing, are extremely popular. more people participate in outdoor sports than was the case before the war; and the long skating rink at the chief Moscow park is crowded every night, while skiing contests and races are also very common.