Petrushka: The Russian Carnival Puppet Theatre (Cambridge Studies in Russian Literature)

Petrushka, the Russian equivalent of Punch and Judy, was one of the most popular spectacles at fairgrounds and in city courtyards for over a century, and inspired the famous ballet by Benois and Stravinsky. In the first study in English of this puppet play, Catriona Kelly traces the history of Petrushka and compares the street texts with a wide variety of literary and agit-prop adaptations, showing how they shed light on Russian cultural life and social history and challenge traditional scholarly attitudes. A wealth of vivid quotations (accompanied by English translations) and over twenty half-tones illustrate this lively and very readable account.Kelly, Catriona is the author of 'Petrushka: The Russian Carnival Puppet Theatre (Cambridge Studies in Russian Literature)', published 1990 under ISBN 9780521375207 and ISBN 0521375207.