Jakob Ruda

Producer Prešernovo gledališče Kranj
Opening 18. 11. 2010
Running time 2 hours 10 minutes. One interval.

Adapted and directed by Sebastijan Horvat
Dramaturge Marinka Poštrak
Set designer Miha Knific
Costume designer Belinda Radulović
Composer and répétiteur Drago Ivanuša
Language consultant Maja Cerar
Musicians Jelena Ždrale, Nino de Gleria, Drago Ivanuša

Cast 
Jakob Ruda, landowner Peter Musevski
Ana, his daughter Ana Dolinar Horvat as guest
Marta, his sister Darja Reichman
Ivan Dolinar, painter Primož Pirnat as guest
Peter Broš, entrepreneur and merchant Borut Veselko as guest
Dobnik, landowner Brane Grubar as guest
Alma, his daughter Vesna Slapar
Koželj, engineer Aljoša Ternovšek as guest
Karel Košuta, priest Pavel Rakovec
Lužar, worker Matjaž Višnar
Workers Ciril Roblek, Robert Kavčič, Jošt Cvikl

Ivan Cankar's play Jakob Ruda has not been staged as often as his other works, but in the current circumstances of economic recession and the downfall of capitalist magnates, it has proved to be exceptionally relevant: the owner of a factory that has experienced financial collapse attempts to weather the crisis in a morally questionable manner. To save his property he sacrifices his daughter's happiness and freedom and consequently faces moral dilemmas and ever more searing pangs of conscience.  ... This is a classical play, involving a conflict that is best illustrated by the main character, Jakob Ruda, who is on the point of committing suicide from the opening to the closing scene, but cannot really bring himself to do it, although he knows that there is no other way out for him. He stands with one leg in the world of dead capital, in a society which demands his life following the logic of sale-purchase interest and greed, while his other leg is planted in the world of a live soul that demands the death of the body and through it supreme morality, sincerity and love.