FROZEN IN TIME by Vyacheslav Durnenkov - CITD

Scene 1
Valya Morozova leads a
tourist group onto the main
city square.
VALYA
(Continuing her story) Until 1917 one could find as many as
25 drinking establishments in Ragweed, which was somewhat
higher than the norm for the average provincial city.
However, court records of the time reveal no evidence of
excess criminal activity. In fact, to this day, our city
has one of the lowest crime rates in the entire district.
We don’t even have our own police force. Yes, that’s
right. Perhaps it’s the fresh air or the people who live
here. To the left of the cathedral we see the home that
once belonged to the Radugin brothers, industrialists who
made their fortune in the alcohol industry. Radugin vodkas,
wines and other beverages were served at the court of His
Majesty the Tsar and were every bit the equal of the
Smirnov products. The Tsar customarily sipped a glass of
liqueur at lunch and this was always a liqueur made here in
Ragweed. I will have to ask you not to attempt to enter the
building – at present it is unsafe and condemned.
The cathedral you see was built according to a plan devised
by the architect Zazulin, a pupil of the great Rastrelli.
Currently the cathedral is being used as a factory for
fruit paste. Three types are made here. The tastiest is the
apple butter. And now let’s move along. To the right of the
cathedral you see the ruins of what used to be the city
Poorhouse which was run under the sponsorship of Count
Levinsky. There were times when this building housed as
many as 100 people. Most were what used to be called
“firemen.” That’s what we used to call people who had been
burned out of house and home. That is, fire victims. It’s
only now that we call “firemen” the people who put fires
out. There are lots of things we don’t know. By the way,
there is a local literary story here, too. You surely have
heard of the writer Shumsky. He was a frequent visitor
here. Shumsky famously conducted a correspondence with the
writer Uspensky. And he once wrote, “Ragweed is a
magnificent town! Pull up stakes and settle here! This
place is populated with the characters from your books!”
Beyond the cathedral is the municipal garden where Fyodor
Chaliapin himself performed in 19 and 10. Unfortunately,
all that is left of the garden now is a single tree lined
walkway. It is the site of a monument erected in memory of
soldiers who fought in World War II. Numerous small, but