Comedy, Α Τragedy in Οne Αct

Plot

This work of metaphysical enquiry is the most original of all Kazantzakis' plays, and is a precursor to post-war forms of drama. Two old men are in an opulently furnished room, which, as Kazantzakis notes, represents the human brain "in its death throes". They are talking about life and waiting for someone; one was man of thought, while the other a man of experience and pleasures.

Little by little, various other people begin to arrive: a small girl; a devout, fanatical ascetic, an adulteress; a young man who fears death; a crippled worker; the fool from the New Testament; the small girl's mother, dressed in black; an old woman; a proud, silent young man and a nun. The ascetic comments disparagingly on every new arrival and repeatedly confirms that the man they are waiting for will arrive at midnight, and that they should thus be alert and prepared.

But midnight comes and goes, and nobody comes. In his frustration, the ascetic provokes God, but receives no answer, nor is he even punished for his abuse. As the last candle goes out, all those present expire.

Greek editions

• Petros Psiloritis [=N. Kazantzakis], Komodia. Tragodia monoprachti, Kritiki Stoa magazine (Heraklion) 1909, pp. 125-144
• Komodia. Tragodia monoprachti, Serapio magazine (Alexandria) 1909, pp. 291-312
• N. Kazantzakis, Komodia. Tragodia monoprachti, Nea Estia, vol. 63, issue 739 (15.4.1958) 616-625
• N. Kazantzakis, Komodia. Tragodia monoprachti, with an introduction by Karl Kerényi, Zurich: published by Propylaia magazine 1969

Foreign editions & translations

• Two Plays by Nikos Kazantzakis. Sodom and Gomorrah, Comedy, Α Τragedy in Οne Αct, translated into English by Kimon Friar, with an introduction by Karl Kerényi (translated by Peter Bien) Nostos Books 1982 / St. Paul, Minnesota: North Central Publishing Co. 1982
• Nikos Kazantzakis, Komödie. Tragödie in einem Akt, translated into German by Argyris Sfountouris, with an introduction by Karl Kerényi, Zurich: Propyläa 1969
• Nikos Kazantzakis, Commedia. Τragedia in un atto, translated into Italian by Filippo Maria Pontani, with a note by Massimo Peri, Verona: Paniere 1980
• Nikos Kazantzakis, Comédie, tragédieenunacte, translated into French by Athina Vouyouka, Le Regard Crétois 18 (December 1998) 4-17

Performances

• Küsnacht Troupe, Zurich, November 1970. Translated by Argyris Sfountouris, directed by Nicolas Zbinden. Cast: Markus Lerch, Christian Altorfer, Roger Clausen, Richard Kneisl, Kathi Wegmann.
• Tragicomedy in one act, University of Michigan student troupe, 1971. Translator unknown. Directed by Susan Stone. Cast: John Welsenbach, David Kelly, Randall Farbe, Carol Stangby.
• Kazantzakis-Bühne Zürich, Kammertheater, Zurich 1973. Translated by Argyris Sfountouris, directed by Nicolas Zbinden. Repeat of the 1970 performance, with few changes to the cast and contributors.
• Comedy, by the Shoestring Theatre, Canada, directed by Fred Reed, 1983

Television broadcasts

• CBST Canadian television, 1966. Translated by F.A. Reed, adapted for television by Brian O'Leary.
• Τelevision dapatation for Greek public television, 1997, with Petros Fyssoun as the ascetic.

Radio broadcasts

• Radio broadcast in France, 1969. Directed (possibly also translated) by Georges Godebert. Cast: H. Nassiet, L. Nat, C. Cler, R. Murzeau, H. Hue, Y. Étiévant, J. Topard.