Men's clothing, the Russian Romantic Theater created marvelous programs of choreographic miniatures under the artistic direction of Paul Tchelichew and Leon Zack. Seeing the astonishing success of The Blue Bird, another group of Russian actors opened a rival cabaret in February, 1922: Vanka-Vstanka on Kurfurstendamm, in house 32. The troupe was a strong one: the repertoire was in the hands of Nikolai Agnivtsev; Moscow Art Theater artist Andreyev designed the sets; and Richard Boleslawsky, formerly an actor with the Art Theater and later a leading film director in Hollywood, directed the plays. Teatr i zhizn' wrote: "In order to characterize this unique undertaking, let us quote the three commandments of Vanka-Vstanka, which speak for themselves: 1) the theater's theme is Russia, 2) the theater's repertoire is gesture, sound, and color, and 3) the theater's motto is 'everything our own and nothing that isn't.' The first program presented 'Wandering Minstrels,' 'émigré Rus,' 'In O... more