Chapter Four: Stances
Arguing that Soviet morality has a life outside of the Soviet Union is a contentious claim. But it is one I make here, drawing on data from backstage rehearsal and feedback sessions to illustrate how KVNshiki take stances about the social function of humor, appropriateness, and comedic quality. Through these interactions, negotiations structured by KVN norms, KVN as an institution reproduces Soviet-marked values. As in any institution, KVN has evolved as variation among individuals gave rise to new trends: chain shifts in the current of the ordinary. Though KVN games today feature stereo systems instead of on-stage pianos, jokes instead of riddles, and jabs at presidents instead of premiers, many of its core principles, particularly those related to KVN’s social function, continue to regiment the operation of the game.
I begin with a discussion of stance-taking between a Russian team and a Ukrainian editor before a game in Odessa, Ukraine. Then, by examining moments of conflict and censure, I detail how KVN participants orient towards the values of joyfulness, kulturnost, and work for the collective good through moral stancetaking.