Dundo Maroje (Uncle Maroje)[1] is a comedy by Croatian playwright Marin Držić. Dealing with the misunderstandings between the older and newer generations during the Renaissance, the comedy is considered a staple in Croatian theatre, and one of the greatest Croatian-language literary works.
It is said to have been first performed in 1551 in the main hall of the Grand Council of the Republic of Ragusa by the company Pomet.[2] Taking place in Rome with characters from Dubrovnik, the play consists of two prologues and five acts, from which the ending did not survive.
George Thomas, a professor at McMaster University wrote that it is the author's "best-known work" and "the most enduring work in the history of Croatian drama".[3] Renato Kragić of Slobodna Dalmacija describes Dundo Maroje as "among the top of dramatic literature in Croatian" and that "should be in the pantheon of European Renaissance literature"[4] Ante Kadić wrote in Slavic Review about Dundo Maroje being Držić's main work. (need detail inside this book)[5]
In 2008, International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) reported that Dundo Maroje had been translated to 18 languages.[6]
In 2011, the Gavella Drama Theatre presented its version of Dundo Maroje.[7] It was directed by Marco Sciaccaluga and starred Žarko Savić, Amar Bukvić, Ozren Grabarić, Živko Anočić, Franjo Dijak, Sven Medvešek, Zoran Gogić and Sven Šestak.
In March 2018, Filip Krenus and a group of actors did a reading of the play as translated by his team in English at Conway Hall in London for the 450th anniversary of Držić's death.[8] In November 2018, an English-translated performance of the play took place at the European Parliament in Brussels.[9]