The book presents ten studies—some focused on Molière's original comedies, others on their past adaptations in Dubrovnik, and finally some on more recent international reinterpretations. The studies were written over the past ten years, though the majority were composed in response to recent anniversaries of Molière’s birth and death (1622–1673), which coincided with the anniversaries of the JAZU publications of the first and second parts of the Dubrovnik Adaptations of Molière's Comedies (1972 and 1973), edited by Mirko Deanović.
This is a unique corpus originating in the 18th century, during a European trend of adapting the famous French playwright. However, Dubrovnik's extensive engagement with Molière significantly surpasses that of its European counterparts. Lada Čale Feldman’s book offers a comprehensive overview of the existing critical approaches to these theatrical "Franchisings," and follows up with her own comparative and translation studies. She highlights the transformative moments in these adaptations where the new comedies achieved their own surplus of comic effect.
A special thematic section of the book is devoted to the gender politics in Molière’s comedies and how those dynamics were either reinforced or domesticated for the local audience.
Presenters of the book: Dr. Ivana Lovrić Jović, Dr. Morana Čale, and Hrvoje Ivanković.
Actor Frano Mašković will perform a reading from a Dubrovnik adaptation of a Molière play.
