Ivan Cankar

The King of Betajnova

Photo: Peter Uhan

Slovene National Theatre Drama Ljubljana and Drama of the Slovene National Theatre Maribor

Première: 6 February 2014, Slovene National Theatre Drama Ljubljana
Running time 1 hour and 40 minutes. No interval.

Original title Kralj na Betajnovi

Director Eduard Miler
Dramaturg, author of adaptation and songs Žanina Mirčevska
Stage designer Branko Hojnik
Costume designer Jelena Proković
Composer Boštjan Gombač
Repetiteur Jože Šalej
Choreographer Ivan Peternelj
Language consultant Tatjana Stanič
Lighting designer Pascal Mérat
Assistant to costume designers Katja Magister, Tea Bašić
Assistant to dramaturg (student) Tjaša Mislej
Assistant to language consultant (student) Kristina Mihelj
Music notation Marko Brdnik

Performed by
Jožef Kantor, local magnate Jernej Šugman
Hana, his wife Zvezdana Mlakar
Francka, their daughter Nina Ivanišin
Nina, Kantor's relative Tina Vrbnjak
Krnec, a former shopkeeper and landlord Marko Okorn
Maks, his son Vladimir Vlaškalić
The parish priest Aleš Valič
Franc Bernot, a landowner Aljaž Jovanović
Judge Valter Dragan
Judge Barbara Žefran
Assessor of the judge Kristijan Ostanek
Lužarica Maja Končar
Koprivec Nejc Ropret
Kantor’s houskeeper Matija Stipanič

The King of Betajnova is a social-critical play on the complete demise of ethics and justice in which Cankar has brilliantly disclosed the fundamental Slovene mentality traits, still alive and present to this day. The central figure of the play is the factory owner, tycoon and candidate for MP, Jožef Kantor: a social climbing, egocentric, manipulative, violent, power-thirsty materialist … Bribery, dirty lobbying and intrigues are the essential tools for attaining his goal. And when those aren’t sufficient, murder is also a means at Kantor’s hands. Although everyone knows about Kantor’s crimes, no one dares to divulge him. On the contrary: Kantor is the leader, he is the King of Betajnova who is awe-inspiring. With its servile spirit, Betajnova deserves nothing better. Jožef Kantor is the one who will lead Betajnova or finish it off and that high mission is bequeathed to him by Betajnova itself.