Jakob Ruda: A Drama in Three Acts

Jakob Ruda is one of the earliest plays written by the father of modern Slovene theatre, Ivan Canker (1876-1918). The plot revolves around a wealthy industrialist who commits unethical deeds in order to save his failing financial situation. Jakob Ruda exhibits Cankar’s early style when he was torn between the influences of dramatic giant Henrik Ibsen’s realism and the magical realism of one of the most prominent playwrights of the turn of the century, Maurice Maeterlinck.

Written in 1898, Jakob Ruda reflects upon major socioeconomic tensions rattling the early Twentieth Century.

Ivan Cankar, playwright, essayist, poet and political activist, is regarded as the greatest writer in the Slovenian language. His work has been compared with the work of Henrik Ibsen, Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, Franz Kafka, and James Joyce. He is considered the father of modern Slovenian theatre and has had a major influence on almost all Slovenian playwrights thereafter. His playwriting opus consists of 7 full length plays, all featuring a large cast, complex themes, and thoughtful depictions of socioeconomic and political nuances within Slovenian society. To this day, Cankar's plays are still among the most popular dramatic works in Slovenian theatres.

Cankar’s work is culturally specific but carries ideas that transcend place and time. His essays, poems and prose have been translated into more than 10 languages to date.