 BALALAIKA
A musical play in 3 acts: Book by Eric
Maschwitz; Music by George Posford and Bernard Grun
This is a revised version of the 1933 musical play, The Great
Hussar. (19 October 1933)
Adelphi Theatre, London - 22 December, 1936 (569 perfs)
The show was filmed by MGM starring Nelson Eddy and Ilona Massey
but only using one song from the original stage show, "At the
Balaika". Even then the lyrics were changed. The remainder of
the music used in the film was culled from a variety of different
sources.
A love story set during the first World War/Russian Revolution with
the son of a titled family pursuing his love for a young dancer through
difficult times. The show starts and ends after the war at a Montmartre
night-club Balalaika.
The initial location is outside the Balalaika Nightclub in Montmartre
just after World War I. An old man is singig a sad ballad, "Where
Are the Snows?" and the audience is transported back to the Russia
of 1914 by way of the story of a lovely ballerina and singer, Lydia,
and her high-born lover, Peter. These two young people survive the Revolution,
foil and attempted assassination of the Tsar and finally, melt into each
other's arms while in exile in Paris.
| 
