Romantic Souls: A Dramatic Portrait in Three Acts

Romantic Souls is the first play written by celebrated Slovenian playwright, Ivan Cankar. Romantic Souls is a masterful portrayal of two intersecting the political and the personal. The protagonist, Mlakar, is career politician at the height of his power, until he considers giving up his political ambitions to pursue an idealistic romantic love. Dissatisfied with his choice, Mlakar's political allies begin to undermine his power.

Written in 1897, Romantic Souls explores Romantic Era themes of desire for a purer way of life, yearning, and emotional sincerity.

Ivan Cankar, playwright, essayist, poet and political activist, is regarded as the greatest writer in the Slovenian language. His work has been compared with the work of Henrik Ibsen, Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, Franz Kafka, and James Joyce. He is considered the father of modern Slovenian theatre and has had a major influence on almost all Slovenian playwrights thereafter. His playwriting opus consists of 7 full length plays, all featuring a large cast, complex themes, and thoughtful depictions of socioeconomic and political nuances within Slovenian society. To this day, Cankar's plays are still among the most popular dramatic works in Slovenian theatres.

Cankar’s work is culturally specific but carries ideas that transcend place and time. His essays, poems and prose have been translated into more than 10 languages to date.