Bim-Bom

a musical duet sung by slapstick clowns from 1891–1946. I. S. Radunskii (1872–1955) wrote the duet and played the role of Bim. Over the years, his partners in the role of Bom were F. Kortezi (1891–98), M. A. Stanevskii (1901–20), N. I. Vil’tzak (1925–36), and A. P. Kamskii (1936–46). They performed in Paris, Berlin, Prague, Budapest, and other cities. The performances of these artists evoked a number of imitations, including “Bib-Bob” and “Rim-Rom.” The “Bim-Bom” act focused on evils of the day and combined clever dialogue with gay, sometimes satirical songs and the playing of unusual musical instruments. After the October Revolution the repertoire of “Bim-Bom” tended to be sharply publicistic.