Drama Department to present Ivsic’s ‘King Gordogan’; internationally acclaimed playwright will attend Black Box performances

Drama Department to present Ivsic’s’King Gordogan’; internationally acclaimed playwright will attend Black Box performancesMarch 23, 2005Jaime Winne Alvarez jlwinne@syr.edu

Syracuse University Drama Department will present “King Gordogan,” a production that combines surrealist theater and political commentary in a comedy unlike any other, April 1-2 and 6-9 at 8 p.m., and April 3 at 2 p.m., in the Black Box Theatre, located at Syracuse Stage, 820 East Genesee St.

The performances are free. Due to limited seating, a reservation line is available at (315) 443-2102.

The play, written by Radovan Ivsic and directed by SU senior Ryan Holmes, is described as an “anti-fascist farce” that reflects the turmoil of World War II and provides a timeless social analysis against the backdrop of recent political events.

Ivsic, an internationally acclaimed author and playwright, will attend the April 1-2 performances. Holmes, an acting major from New Haven, Conn., coordinated the playwright’s visit after meeting him several years ago at New Haven’s Educational Center for the Arts.

“I have an immense respect for Ivsic and his artistic bravery,” says Holmes. “He demonstrated defiance at a time when it was most needed-Ivsic is an inspiration to us all.”

“King Gordogan” was written in 1943 at the height of the Nazi occupation in Zagreb, Croatia, where Ivsic was born. After his earlier writings were confiscated by occupational forces and labeled “degenerate art,” Ivsic kept the original “Gordogan” manuscript hidden until the end of the war. The play premiered on French radio in 1956 and debuted on the stage in 1979 at the Cite Universitaire, Paris.

Although “King Gordogan” has been performed throughout Europe, this production will be only the fourth time it has been performed in the United States.

“Everyone involved in this production is looking forward to showing Radovan Ivsic our work,” says Holmes. “We are really very excited to have him with us.”