Domnica Radulescu

a novel

Train to Trieste

Years after fleeing the hardships, terror, totalitarianism, and paranoia of Ceausescu's Romania to build a new life and family in the West, Mona returns to her native land to uncover the truth about the mysterious boy with whom she had fallen in love as a teenager in 1977. A first novel. 40,000 first printing.

In what ways does political trauma influence the art arising from it? Is there an aesthetic of war and exile in theatrical works that emerge from such experiences? Are there cultural markers defining such works from areas like Eastern Europe and Israel? This book considers these questions in an examination of plays, performances and theater artists that speak from a place of political violence and displacement. The author's critical inquiry covers a variety of theatrical experimentations, including Brechtian distancing, black humor, pastiche, surreal and hyper-real imagery, reversed chronologies and disrupted narratives. Drawing on postmodern theories and performance studies as well as interviews and personal statements from the artists discussed, this study explores the transformative power of the theater arts and their function as catalysts for social change, healing and remembrance.

Twelve Playwrights, Directors and Performers from Eastern Europe and Israel

Theater of War and Exile

Valentina Glajar

This collection traces some of the major patterns of representation for East European women in Western art and culture, while more broadly analyzing the connection between the treatment of women in a given society and their artistic and cultural representation in that culture.

Western Representations of East European Women

Vampirettes, Wretches, and Amazons

Be it in the light fantastic of his early work, or the classic tragedy of "La Condition humaine," or sensuous poetry of the "Antimemoires," Andre Malraux uses -farfelu- and related discourses to represent, not the simple -misogyny- of his critics, but a complex image of the symbolism of the sexes and of their interrelations - notably as regards the erotic, maternal, artistic and other aspects of the feminine. As Domnica Radulescu shows, in phenomenological (Bachelardian) terms, -farfelu- discourse is part of Malraux's creation through art of a true -anti-destiny, - a cosmic eroticism which recursively forms the primary material of the poetic imagination."

The "farfelu" as Expression of the Feminine and the Erotic

André Malraux

A riveting novel about two women--one Serbian, one Bosnian--whose deep friendship spans decades and continents, war and peace, love and estrangement, in the vein of Elena Ferrante and Julia Alvarez. From the moment Marija walks into Lara's classroom, freshly moved to Serbia from Sarajevo, Lara is enchanted by her vibrant beauty, confidence, and wild energy--and knows that the two are destined to be lifelong friends. Closer than sisters, the girls share everything, from stolen fruit and Hollywood movies as girls to philosophies and even lovers as young women. But when the Bosnian War pits their homelands against each other in a bloodbath, Lara and Marija are forced to separate for the first time: romantic Lara heads to America with her Hollywood-handsome new husband, and fierce Marija returns to her native Sarajevo to combat the war through journalism behind Bosnian lines. In America, Lara seeks fulfillment through work and family, but when news from Marija ceases, the uncertainty torments Lara, driving her on a quest to find her friend. As Lara travels through war-torn Serbia and Bosnia, following clues that may yet lead to the flesh-and-blood Marija, she must also wrestle with truths about her own identity. Told in lush, vivid prose, COUNTRY OF RED AZALEAS is a poignant testament to both the power of friendship and our ability to find meaning and beauty in the face of devastation.

Country of Red Azaleas

Though comic women have existed since the days of Baubo, the mythic figure of sexual humor, they have been neglected by scholars and critics. This pioneering volume tells the stories of five women who have created revolutionary forms of comic performance and discourse that defy prejudice. The artists include 16th-century performer Isabella Andreini, 17th-century improviser Caterina Biancolelli, 20th-century Italian playwright Franca Rame, and contemporary performance artists Deb Margolin and Kimberly Dark. All create humor that subverts patriarchal attitudes, conventional gender roles, and stereotypical images. The book ends with a practical guide for performers and teachers of theater.

Domnica Radulescu

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