The Suit and the Choir

Woland's retinue causes chaos in state institutions: a chairman turns into an empty suit, and an entire staff is forced to sing uncontrollably.

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The Empty Suit

The Disappearance The Visit from Koroviev At the Commission on Spectacles, the chairman Prokhor Petrovich is visited by a man in checkered clothes (Koroviev). Annoyed, he exclaims, "Devil take me!" and instantly vanishes, leaving only his empty suit sitting at the desk. The Panic His secretary, Anna Richardovna, is horrified. The suit continues to write and talk, but there is no person inside. The police are called, but they are unable to resolve the situation. The Aftermath The suit works for a while, then disappears. The incident becomes a scandal. It is another example of the supernatural chaos unleashed by Woland.

The Singing Club

The Incessant Choir The Formation At the city affiliate, a man in checkered trousers (Koroviev) organizes a choral singing club during lunch break. The staff reluctantly joins, but after the man leaves, they cannot stop singing. The Uncontrollable Song They sing 'Glorious Sea' over and over. Even when they try to stop, the song continues. The manager locks himself in his office. The staff is eventually taken to the clinic in trucks, still singing. The Symbolism The forced singing is a satire on the compulsory collective activities in Soviet society. The staff's inability to stop reflects the loss of individual will. The incident is one of the many absurdities caused by the devilish interference.

Morning after the seance

Later that morning