The Master and Margarita

In fact, Woland does little himself to raise hell in Moscow. In general he just observes the action, executed by others. Often the Muscovites themselves, driven by greed or by the instinct to survive in "a city that had changed". Woland introduces the action by asking simple and logical questions, by arenthetically giving his observation on a situation, and sometimes in a more compelling way by curtly calling the name of one of the members of his retinue. Who will introduce the action then..

Woland's retinue in Moscow consists of five characters, each with specific own talents. Koroviev/Fagot is the choirmaster, the interpreter, the spokesman. Behemoth the giant cat is the violent one, very skilful with a browning or when he has found a primus stove. Azazello is sent out as the go-between, to recruit or to negotiate. Abaddon stays in the background. With his rare impartiality he sympathizes equally with both sides of the fight. And finally there's Hella, the woman vampire, the handy servant, quick and efficient, there is no service she cannot render.

Next to this diabolic suite we will meet many more characters at the Statan's ball -they're all dead, of course, and with the exception of the musical director Johan Strauss and violist Henri Vieuxtemps, they all did something which made them go to hell - or which could have made them go to hell.

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• Koroviev
• Behemoth
• Azazello
• Abaddon
• Hella
• The guests at the ball
• Frieda

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