A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE

The Balkan Women

Full-Length Play, Drama  /  3w, 2m

Jules Tasca

Winner! 1997/98 Barrymore Award for Best New Play

"Theatrically bold and politically moving.... The dialogue has an odd and effective stateliness, as though we're listening to a translation of an ancient work." - Variety.

The Balkan Women

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    3w, 2m
Accolades
Accolades
  • Winner! 1997/98 Barrymore Award for Best New Play

Details

Summary
This meditation on the horror of war set in 1990 brings the spirit of Euripides to a Serbian detention camp for Muslim women. Men are pitted against women, Christians against Muslims, and Croats against Serbs in a drama that bares the inner conflicts that result when society is governed by illogical ethnic hatreds. A hard boiled, devoutly Christian guard is torn by conflicting inner voices as he interrogates a prisoner and her mother about an explosion that killed sixteen of his soldiers. The arrival of a new, wounded camp commandant triggers murder and inevitable catastrophes reminiscent of ancient tragedy.
Keywords
This meditation on the horror of war set in 1990 brings the spirit of Euripides to a Serbian detention camp for Muslim women. Men are pitted against women, Christians against Muslims, and Croats against Serbs in a drama that bares the inner conflicts that result when society is governed by illogical ethnic hatreds. A hard boiled, devoutly Christian guard is torn by conflicting inner voices as he interrogates a prisoner and her mother about an explosion that killed sixteen of his soldiers. The arrival of a new, wounded camp commandant triggers murder and inevitable catastrophes reminiscent of ancient tragedy.

Plus Chorus

  • Cautions
    • Gun Shots
    • Intense Adult Themes
    • Strong Language

Media

"Theatrically bold and politically moving.... The dialogue has an odd and effective stateliness, as though we're listening to a translation of an ancient work." - Variety.

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: $110 per performance

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Authors

Jules Tasca

Jules Tasca

Through I.U.P., Jules Tasca has taught playwrighting at Oxford University in England and he has performed with a commedia dell’arte group in Central Italy. He is the author of over 125 (full-length and one-act) published plays that have been produced in numerous national thea ...

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