Theatre
The American Princess
הנסיכה האמריקאית
Nissim Aloni · 1963
Synopsis
In a South American country lives the former king of Great Bogomania, Boniface Victor Félix, who calls himself Félix van Schwank and earns a poor living teaching French. Every day he polishes his crown and prepares his son Ferdinand, known as Ferdi, to reign one day. A parcel arrives from America: a certain Dolly Kokomakis, who calls herself “the American princess”, asks him to record her memoirs in return for a monthly allowance, then sends him a filmmaker, Jean-Paul Kroupnik, to make a film of them.
Context
In 1963 Aloni founded, with the actors Yossi Banai and Avner Hizkiyahu, the Seasons Theatre, which ran into debt and closed after a few seasons, and he premiered the play there in his own staging; he afterwards directed all his plays himself. Two actors played three roles in it, Banai the son, Hizkiyahu the king and the actor who plays him in the film; the sets were by Yosl Bergner. Dan Miron judged it in Haaretz “dazzling and disappointing”. It was staged in Oslo in 1965, then revived at Habima in 1982 with a prologue on the myth of Persephone, at the Cameri in 1996 and at the Khan Theatre in 2009.
Who it is for
A short play, translated into English, with no French edition. It helps to know Oedipus Rex and Le Roi Lear, to which critics relate it.
Prizes and reception
Regarded as one of Aloni's major plays; the Khan Theatre revival was voted show of the year in 2009.
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