Act 2 — Messrs Duckworth & Co.’s New Books.
Reading edition
MODERN PLAYS.
Edited by R. Brimley Johnson and N. Erichsen.
It is the aim of this series to represent, as widely as possible, the activity of the modern drama—not confined to stage performance—in England and throughout the continent of Europe. It so happens that, though translations seem to be more in demand every day, the greater number of the Continental dramatists are at present little known in this country. Among them will be found predecessors and followers of Ibsen or Maeterlinck; as well as others who reflect more independently the genius of their own country.
Love’s Comedy, which marks a transition from the early romantic to the later social plays, is the only important work of Ibsen’s not yet translated into English. The name of Strindberg, whose position in Sweden may be compared to that of Ibsen in Norway, will be almost new to the English public. Villiers’ La Révolte is a striking forecast of The Doll’s House. Verhaeren is already known here as one of the foremost of Belgian writers, who, like Maeterlinck, uses the French tongue; and Brieux is among the most attractive of the younger native French dramatists. Ostrovsky’s The Storm, painting “The Dark World,” is generally recognised as the characteristic Russian drama. The Convert, by Stepniak, will be specially interesting as its author’s only dramatic attempt.
The work of translation has been entrusted to English writers specially conversant with the literatures represented, who, in many cases, are already associated in the public mind with the authors they are here interpreting. Every play will be translated in extenso, and, if in verse, as nearly as possible in the original metres. The volumes will contain brief introductions, bibliographical and explanatory rather than critical, and such annotations as may be necessary.
The volumes will be printed in pott quarto, and they will cost, as a rule, 2s. 6d. net. or 3s. 6d. net. each.
EARLY VOLUMES.
EMILE VERHAEREN
“Les Aubes” (“The Dawn”).—Arthur Symons.
OSTROVSKY
“The Storm.”—Constance Garnett.
MAURICE MAETERLINCK
“Intérieur.”—William Archer.
“La Mort de Tintagiles.” “Alladine et Palomides.”
}Alfred Sutro.
HENRIK IBSEN
“Love’s Comedy” (Kjærlighedens Komedie).—Prof. C. H. Herford.
VILLIERS DE L’ISLE ADAM
“La Révolte.” “L’Evasion.”
}Theresa Barclay.
SERGIUS STEPNIAK
“The Convert.”—Constance Garnett.
AUGUST STRINDBERG
“The Father” (Fadren).—N. Erichsen.
BRIEUX
“Les Bienfaiteurs.”—Lucas Malet.
HENRYK SIENKIEWICZ
“On a Single Card.”—E. L. Voynich.
Arrangements are also in progress with representative dramatists of Germany, Spain, Italy, and other countries. Further translations have been promised by Dr Garnett, Messrs Walter Leaf, Justin Huntly MacCarthy, G. A. Greene, &c.
Transcriber’s Notes
New original cover art included with this ebook is granted to the public domain.
The following changes and corrections have been made:
p. viii: Replaced “Independent Théâtre” with “Independent Theatre” and “Theatre Libre” with “Théâtre Libre.”
p. 24: Replaced “Lorlie” with “Lorlei” in preface to match occurrences in play.
p. 26: Replaced “one” with “our” in phrase “we are on the eve of seeing our income doubled.”
p. 29: Added small caps to “Miles” in stage direction “He hides his face on Miles’ shoulder.”
p. 29: Formatted phrase “Grace is silent” as stage direction.
p. 87: Removed parentheses from second and third paragraphs of scene description.
p. 121: Replaced “hi” with “his” in phrase “Your love is so great that you divine his coming.”
p. 127: Replaced “daughters’” with “daughter’s” in phrase “in honour of my daughter’s wedding.”