Mstislav Lavrovich

Mstislav Lavrovich is a parody of Vsevolod Vital'evich Vishnevskii (1900-1951), a writer and playwright who was an archrival of Bulgakov and prevented production of his plays "Flight" and "Moliere." Vishnevskii (cherry) is transformed into Lavrovich (bay laurel) through the intermediary of vishnevye-lavrovye kapli--cherry-laurel drops, which were used as a medicine. (Ianovskaia, Tvorcheskii put', 298)