KRCHEŇ NESMRTEĹNÝ / KRCHEŇ IMMORTAL

Eva Maliti

Cast: 4 men, 4 women, one lilliputian and a choir

A grotesque play in four acts which is spiced up by dreamy magic. Based on the story of the Krchen family, which includes the main character of the play – Krchen Nesmrtelny, a local philosopher and chatty womanizer, but at the same time a manipulator, violent criminal and pervert, the play reflects the era of Communist nobility inSlovakia. The story takes place in a village in a decaying house of the Krchen family. The family is falling apart; Krchen’s sons have left in protest against their father. His daughter Marka has disappeared with no trace left behind. The private life of the Krchen family allows the author some space to comment also on the society. The world of living people mingles with the world of dead people where we can watch the Krchen’s trial. The play can also be perceived as condemnation of the representatives of the old regime who disgraced their own country. However, the punishment never comes. It turns out that Krchen is immortal. The character of Krchen symbolizes the negative essence of an arrogant man who is hiding under the mask of power and status of being untouchable.

The play won the Slovak drama competition Nova drama – Trojboj 2001. It was staged at Komorni Divadlo in Martin in 2002 (directed by Rastislav Ballek) and Slovak National Theatre in 2003 (directed by Roman Polak). It was also presented at the international festival Divadelna Nitra in 2003. It has been translated into several languages and published in France, Russia, Germany, Macedonia and The Republic of North Ossetia–Alania.

  The play is available also in English, German, French and Russian translation.