Existentialism in Slovenian Drama and Theatre in the Period after the World War II

Rok Andres

Existentialism in Slovenian Drama and Theatre in the Period after the World War II

Key words: Existentialism, existentialist drama, Slovenian theatre, reception, Boris Ziherl, Albert Camus, Jean-Paul Sartre

Abstract:
The artistic poetics that significantly define Slovenian drama and theatre after World War II were existentialism and existentialist drama. Authorial influences from the western side of the Iron Curtain were, above all, of Francophone or Anglo-American origin appeared in various directions within Slovenian drama. Existentialist drama experienced a sharp response from the political establishment, along with several polemics in mainstream magazines. The political establishment always had a say and opinion about artistic disciplines and genres. One of the most prominent examples that led the ideological front against the new artistic practices was Boris Ziherl. The article introduces his views alongside critical and playwrights’ reception of the existentialist drama. The period between 1945 and 1970 was a time of changes, as government policy, culture (and attitudes towards it), and the cultural situation changed over the course of the twenty-five years.

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