#russian rag dolly

[undergroundbillions]

thinking about that one russian production of rag dolly where they just casually imply that ann is a reincarnation of mommy… american theater could never b this bold

[meowydoe]

I would kill a man for a recording of the Raggedy Ann Moscow performance

[inkywellkiwi]

I couldn't resist this makeup of a Russian version of Andy in Rag Dolly

It was simply BEAUTIFUL 😭❤️

[everythingisround]

info dump about raggedy ann and andy, just recently watched the show and i am in love B))

hello!! ive been in the fandom for two and a half years (almost three lol), so i know a bit about raggedy ann and andy.

so raggedy ann and andy were created in the early 20th century, the former sibling coming first with her patent in september 1915. the most popular legend surrounding her creation is that she was based off an old rag doll that belonged to creator johnny gruelle's mother/sister (can't remember exactly), who he then drew a face on and gave to his beloved daughter, marcella, who sadly would pass away months after ann's patent. marcella's inclusion in the raggedy books has been seen by many raggedy historians as johnny working through his grief by immortalizing his daughter's likeness in his stories to remember her in a positive way. andy came around in august 1920 and is said to have been created with johnny's sons, worth and richard, in mind.

the 1977 film is probably where a lot of the younger fans first became interested in raggedy ann (well, that and tadc, and even then gooseworx is a pretty big fan of the film and even specifically based jax's voice on raggedy andy from the film), although the 1986 broadway musical has also been bringing a lot of people in through tumblr and tiktok. the film, despite ultimately flopping at the box office, had the esteemed richard williams at the helm of the animation, even animating the ever so popular "no girl's toy" sequence. of course, richard williams being richard williams, went way overbudget and way past the deadline and ended up being removed from the project just so it could get released. considering the composer of the film, joe raposo, theorized that the film flopping had something to do with the first star wars movie being released around the same time, it's interesting to think about how the raggedy film's fate could've been altered if it had released the year prior for america's bicentennial. the 1986 musical is a whole other can of worms, and im still learning a lot about it from being in the RARE server (which you should definitely check out, wink wink nudge nudge), but to summarize, a combination of a development team constantly at the brink of self-destruction, constant adherence to a family-friendly atmosphere spurred by parental concerns despite the dark themes playwright william gibson intended the story to have, and too much of the budget spent on expensive special effects that nearly killed the actors led to the musical notoriously flopping on broadway and ending its run prematurely never to be seen or heard from again. or so they thought.......

although the 1986 musical is considered a failure in the united states, over in russia, the story has a small cult following amongst childrens and community theatre productions. basically, in 1985, the musical was brought to the USSR as part of a cultural exchange between the two superpowers, and considering that russians had not been familiarized with raggedy ann or her cultural impact up until this point, this led to the rag doll and her friends not being seen as cheap americana, but rather somewhat of a childrens fable (ironic, considering raggedy ann as a character was born from johnny gruelle's stories...). because of this, russian productions of rag dolly (the 1986 musical) are plentiful, with even some very recent productions popping up every now and then. it should be noted that these productions rarely contain the original songs; sometimes the story will just be played straight with no music, while other productions will substitute the lack of musical songs with their own music. this can lead to some..... interesting results lol

i feel it is also important to bring up the various other adaptations of raggedy ann, too! there's the original books, of course, but if you're an animation nerd like me, there's the 1941 fleischer short (which takes some.... interesting creative liberties from the original source material), the two noveltoons shorts, the chuck jones holiday specials from 1978 and 79, the 1980s cartoon (watch at your own risk lol), and the two snowden specials from 1998; one is just a straightforward direct-to-vhs animated special, while the second is a full ice show with animated segments dispersed throughout. you get to see raggedy elvis! who doesnt want to see raggedy elvis?

in this last section ill just toss to you a bunch of links i recommend if you wanna learn more about raggedy ann beyond the movie!

(i should also probably mention now that some books and adaptations of raggedy ann feature racial stereotypes- i know suddenly its spring has a racial caricature in terms of adaptations specifically- likely due to the culture at the time. these depictions are obviously not right, but sadly when we're talking about a franchise that has been around for over a century, it's kind of unavoidable especially in the older books, so just be aware that those depictions will come up occasionally.)

my pal brooklyn is also working on a more extensive video on raggedy ann history, so be on the lookout for that when it comes out :)

[raggedyannrevivaleffort]

Have the masses seen disco diagnosis yet??

You guys!!!

Listen to this!!

It's ORIGINAL rag dolly songs in Russian!!!

From what we know, this is the only Russian production that uses original music!

Here you'll hear a bit of a Mexico instrumental, a sped up Diagnosis, a Russian Mexico, and then a bit of You'll Love It's dance break!! Cool stuff!!!

[the-meme-monarch]

so i google translated ‘rag dolly musical’ into russian and and searched it on youtube and like i decided to start w the shortest video just sto see if i found anything worthwhile and like. it’s five minutes long but there’s So Much going on here https://youtu.be/JIZFOOBu8bs

[helloladder]

Hi! So exactly how did an American musical about Raggedy Ann end up in the USSR?

Hi! Thanks for the ask! I’ll try to answer to the best of my ability, but I’m not the most knowledgeable about the subject :)

Basically, the show was part of a cultural exchange program between the United States and the USSR. The American company of Rag Dolly was sent to Moscow to perform for the Russian audience, and the Russian company (I can’t for the life of me remember what their play was) went to America to perform for the American audience.

If you want to know more, there’s a 30 minute documentary on You Tube called “Rag Dolly in the USSR”. It’s quite interesting, and there’s video footage of the Moscow production!

[nerdygoblin]

Anna Karenina

page 9: I just saw ‘Grisha’ and my Grishaverse heart got really confused. Then I realised it’s just someone’s name.

page 42: Long nails are a sign of prestige. Gross.

page 49: ‘Don’t steal rolls.’ lol

page 55: I spy a love triangle.

page 60: I love you, Levin, you awkward man.

page 63: ‘I hate everyone, including you and myself.’

page 75: Trainshadowing.

page 103: Amen, Nicholas, down with capitalism.

page 123: Mr Karenin has spoken about 3 sentences and he’s already annoying.

page 148: Sisterhood, yelling mean things and then crying about it.

page 193: Love how Levin’s trying to enjoy nature and Oblonsky just won’t shut up.

page 204: Okay, Levin, I‘m going to need you to stop waving your ‘I love the aristocracy’ flag.

page 207: Using a book as conversation evasion. Classic.

page 222: I ... was not expecting her to get pregnant.

page 237: The horse died? This is why we don’t race on obstacle courses!

page 258: ‘my daughter has fallen in love with you’ - do I spy lesbianism? (Would honestly be an improvement on Levin.)

page 292: Sorry, Levin, you lost me when you said education and medical care for peasants was pointless.

page 302: Please explain why the random old peasant is now my favourite character.

page 314: Ah, yes, making fun of the English.

page 393: Leo, I don’t care about farming!

page 400: I hate spoiled rich aristocrats.

page 409: ‘I’m not doing it for the peasants. I‘m doing it for myself.’ Well, Levin, aren’t you just a gem.

page 419: Leo just compared a guy to a cucumber. Also, do the Russians smash crockery for fun? Because I am so down with that.

page 428: I’d just like to say that I love Anna Karenina.

page 444: ‘It really is time for me to die.’ Levin, you drama queen.

page 458: ‘education of women is injurious’ I am so done.

page 491: Oh no, Vronksy! Don’t you go pardoning Karenin!

page 514: Just take the divorce, woman!

page 525: Aw, that is cute.

page 526: I should not watch Arrested Development while reading this because now I envision Kitty’s mum as Lucille Bluth.

page 562: Leo, I’m not here to discuss art!

page 567: Kitty being enthusiastic about household management is maybe the least relatable thing.

page 576: Don’t you diss Mary Nikolavna!

page 617: That’s right, Serezha, don’t listen to anything they tell you.

page 632: Love that all the servants are helping her.

page 672: Okay, Levin, I’m gonna have to insist you stop ragging on Dolly of all people for her husband’s adultery.

page 701: Not gonna lie, Laska is a cool name for a dog.

page 869: See Anna, this is why you should have divorced him when you had the chance!

page 905: Oh shoot, I forgot she died at the end of this.

page 921: Oh, racism.

page 963: Not to be punny but that is such a trainwreck of an ending.

I guess my point is Anna Karenina is a good way of studying the Russian aristocracy but it is also incredibly loooooooonnnnngggggg and the bits with Levin are so grating. I feel like if this book had been shorter and focused more on Anna, I would have enjoyed it much more. Ergo, 3/5.

[mygeekcorner]

Song tag part 2

Tagged by @katyaton because she knows I’m a slut for all the tags

Rules: we’re snooping on your playlist!! Set your entire music library to shuffle and then report the first 20 tracks that pop up! Then tag ten additional victims.

Or if you’re like me and your hard drive died on you 5 years ago taking decades of music with it, just pick a spotify playlist you’ve made yourself. So I’m using my pole-list~~

9-5 - Dolly Parton

Don’t threaten me with a good time - Panic! At the Disco

Good Life - One Republic

Chasm - Flyleaf

Shape of you - Ed Sheeran

A guy theat takes his time - Christina Aguilera

Russian roulette - Rihanna

Final warning - Skylar Grey

Play with Fire - Hilary Duff

I feel a sin coming on - Pistol Annies

Hey girl - Bill Currington

Her name is Alice - Shinedown

Walk this way - Aerosmith & Run DMC

Skin - Rhianna

But I am a good girl - Christina Aguilera

Express - Christina Aguilera

Happy Together - Turtles

Rag Doll - Lucy Woodward

Girl in a country song - Maddie and Tae

Ramalama Bang Bang - Roisin Murphy

 Tagging @mamakat926 @paxohana @ishxallxgood @phaytesworld @hobbitsus @pieceofbiscuit @d2diamond @tbiris and I feel like I’m bothering people so I’ll just not tag more but feel free to call yourself tagged?

[undergroundbillions]

Put your fins together for...

BLAHAJ FIRE FINS

I think the broadway show would have been a million times better if they used a blahaj instead of the stupid puppet

[meowydoe]

So which one of you was gonna tell me about this??

[inkywellkiwi]

Meanwhile in some Russian version of Rag Dolly....

[undergroundbillions]

I have a new favorite Russian Rag Dolly fact! Courtesy of Mod Wowf I'm just pulling it all together.

Bear with me because first I have to tell you about a completely different character.

Buratino is a Russian children's book character based on Pinnochio, and it's ubiquitous pop culture in that area of the world. The most popular designs are based on the 1975 movie The Adventures of Buratino, and similar to older live-action adaptations of Pinnochio (and Rag Dolly!) it's full of fun campy costumes. Buratino himself is known for his long nose (of course) and red striped cap!

What does this have to do with Rag Dolly? Well, just like how in the USA a generic marionette is likely to end up with lederhosen and a feathered hat, or a generic rag doll with red hair and a blue dress, he's become a recognizable and familiar design! Which is where you get Rag Dolly costumes like this:

Saratov Academic Kiselev Youth Theatre: Rag Dolly (2014)

Yes, that's Andy, and yes, that's also undoubtedly Buratino!

I have another one for you!

Sorry for the bad quality, but this is from the International Slavic Institute's Rag Doll (year unknown) and that stand-in for Baby is clearly Pierrot!

There's more, like a Red Fang that is likely inspired by the poodle Artemon in his big curly wig, and several clown costumed Andys that may take inspiration from the clown Arlekin! I just think it's so interesting to see other culture's iconic characters and the way their recognizable designs are so commonly used.

-𝕸𝖔𝖉 𝕲𝖊𝖓𝖊𝖗𝖆𝖑 𝕯.

[undergroundbillions]

beating that old man wednesday

[undergroundbillions]

I went though the trouble of passing the whole thing through Google translate for the server, and i know this is far from perfect, but for now I'd like to introduce you all to my favorite Russian review of Rag Dolly by Таня КОТ.

"On May 22, 2017, the premiere of the play "Rag Doll" based on the play by American playwright William Gibson took place at the Chamber Theater. Participants of the magnificent action are the actors of the senior group of the theater studio "Green Cat". Artistic director - Kuryanova Elena. I must say that I saw a great many performances with the participation of children. But not all of them were for children. Probably, in our modern world, crammed with gadgets, crazy toys and wild entertainment, kids have nothing left to do but love what is presented to them. But there are kind, good fairy tales, instructive films and ... amazing performances, to which I attributed the "Rag Doll". This is the right children's performance, teaching justice, self-sacrifice, the ability to make friends. It would seem that you will not discover anything new in it, and the story is as old as the world - a dying girl, a father kissing a bottle, dolls that come to life exclusively at night. But after all, children are the same at all times: they believe in miracles, look at the world with wide eyes, sleep in an embrace with soft bears, dress up Malvin in formal clothes. And the deeply ill Marcella is no exception. Mad doctors gave her a myriad of diagnoses that contradict each other, prophesied a speedy death: "Fever!" "Cold!" "And fever!" "Nonsense! She has no temperature." "Forty degrees." But how can a young creature die, who never had time to live? Especially in a good children's play. A rag doll, which has no lungs or spine, but has a kind, warm heart, helps Marcella to fight a terrible illness, to believe in a successful outcome. Annie's comrades are just as fearless and wise, except that Andy let us down. He was afraid of the villain's threats. But the prospect of being baked with an apple in your mouth is by no means rosy.Is not it? Fearless friends go to the hospital to the puppet doctor, because only he can help the hopelessly ill Marcella. Reasonable Panda, charming Baby, unfortunate camel are also going on the road. And the benefit of the heroes is in a fairy-tale world, because only in it can the best means of transportation be ... a bed. How difficult it is to reach the goal when trouble lurks at every step. Formerly the beautiful Yum Yum bird, now a fearsome bat, the ferocious wolf was once Marcella's dog. And General W. is that other type from whom you can’t hide and you can’t run away. He dreams of kidnapping the beautiful Marcella. The place of his bride is vacant, but the fatal bat claims it. Such serious passions flared up on the stage. And our brave dolls continued on their way. A witch who wants to hang herself in splendid isolation, who in fact turned out to be Marcella's mother, a magic ring seized from the General, dances that can appease even the uneducated, a pseudo-fish floundering in the depths of the sea - these are the dreams of a little girl. Or is it not a dream at all? It is no longer clear where the dream is and where the harsh reality is. Only the hands of the clock move inexorably forward, and if the puppet doctor does not examine Marcella, she will die at exactly six o'clock. Of course, there can be no sad outcome in THIS story. The toys, lost on the road, met again and embraced each other. And the puppet doctor received Marcella. “She is not sick at all. It's just that her heart is broken,” he delivered a disappointing verdict. Is it possible to reanimate a heart, assemble it into pieces and make it beat joyfully again? “We all make mistakes, baby. You have to be able to forgive,” perhaps this is the secret to a happy and long life. It was through forgiveness that Marcella found peace… and felt better. And Annie sacrificed her heart, because she is a true friend: faithful, sincere and reliable. And besides, dolls do not die, which cannot be said about girls. The story ended, as expected, safely. I would like everything to end well in life, and the kids never get sick."

[undergroundbillions]

I think it's interesting that a lot of automatic reactions to Rag Dolly being more popular in Russia than here (then and now) is essentially "well of course, they love things that are dark and disturbing over there." But if you read Russian theater sites and reviews that's simply not the case?

Sure they have a more acceptance for the darker aspects than the religious mother who complained or the critics who's whole job it is to be inflammatory, but the tone is no different than reviews of the American production from 1984-1985. I even found a familiarly pearl-clutching comment about how the show's mentions of Heaven and Hell are irreligious and to prepare for the conversation! And there is the occasional warning to parents of young children. Yes it's dark, but handled well, perhaps understood better by adults than children, and generally recommended to be seen by kids ages 8 and up (though of course this varies, I've seen anywhere from 6 to 12.)

I think the difference here, is less that they're used to children's media being darker, but that they're okay with media having childish themes while also being a valuable experience for adults. The fluff and fancy are features, not bugs, described side-by-side with the darker aspects. And you can see this in Rag Dolly's new popularity, among teens and young adults who are definitely old enough to handle the darker themes, but considered too old to "play with dolls." Some people seem to think the show is only relatable if you are Marcella's age yourself, and they should be the target audience.

Maybe it's not about dumbing the rest of the show down for the children, but encouraging teens and adults to enjoy a dark and nuanced show with unabashed childish whimsy!

-𝕸𝖔𝖉 𝕲𝖊𝖓𝖊𝖗𝖆𝖑 𝕯.