by Ödön Von Horváth (Author), Christopher Hampton (Translator)
Includes the plays Italian Night and Tales from the Vienna Woods
Written in 1930s Europe, these plays describe the decay of a society haunted by inflation and succumbing to a rising tide of fascism. In Hampton's translation of Tales from the Vienna Woods (staged at the RNT in 1977) von Horváth portrays, with compassion and impartiality, the interplay between individual selfishness and the pressures of a society in crisis. Italian Night, in this new translation by Meredith Oakes, has a group of friends deciding to hold a republican 'Italian Night', only to discover the fascists have chosen the same day for a German Day parade.
Author Biography
Odon von Horvath (1901-38) was an influential Austro-Hungarian dramatist and novelist. His first plays depicted the coruption of contemporary society; Sladek The Black Militia Man caused a riot at its premiere in 1929. He was already an exile from Hitler's Germany when the two plays in this volume were written. His experience as an outside observer is reflected in their themes of displacement and exile. Meredith Oakes' first play, The Neighbour, was produced at the Royal National Theatre, London in 1992, and is published by Oberon Books. The Editing Process was first produced by the English Stage Company at the Royal Court Theatre, London, in 1994. Her translation include The New Menoza by Lenz, Horvath's Italian Night, and Bernhard's Elizabeth II. Opera Libretti include The Triumph of Beauty and Deceit and Solid Assets.