The Works of Marin Držić

The Works of Marin Držić: Croatian Renaissance Drama in Translation

Presented by UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies

Marin Držić, playwright, poet, actor and political conspirator, is celebrated as one of the great poets of the Renaissance theatre, but his plays are scarcely known in the Anglophone world. Born in Dubrovnik in 1508, he died in Venice in 1567 when William Shakespeare (‘the English Držić’?) was only three years old.

Like Shakespeare and other Renaissance dramatists, Držić drew on classical sources and Italian models for his plots, producing short comedies and pastorals for weddings and other festivities as well as full-length works performed by Dubrovnik’s troupes of actors. Whatever their theme; mistaken identity, youth vs old age, true love tested, his plays present a sharply observed image of the Republic of Dubrovnik, its merchants, lovers, servants and misers all put on stage with sparkling wit and trenchant social satire.

Dubrovnik’s House of Marin Držić has sponsored English translations of these plays, and this event will showcase two rehearsed readings that offer a rare opportunity to see Držić’s work in performance – each taking a slightly different approach to the problems of staging Renaissance drama in translation.

How the Goddess Venus burned with love for the beautiful Adonis

A comedy by Marin Držić, translated by Wendy Bracewell, with a newly written frame play, Venus and Adonis and Will and Alice, by Philip Parr, directed by Philip Parr and performed by Players from the York International Shakespeare Festival.

Long Nose Speaks

Translated and directed by Filip Krenus (excerpts from Držić’s Uncle Maroye (Dundo Maroje), Old Stan or A Fool Fooled (Novela od Stanca), Pinch Hoard (Skup), Plakir, Son of Cupid (Grižula/Plakir) and Tirena) and performed by the Honey-Tongued players.