[ WRITINGS ]

“Cupidona and other plays” is a collection of five original plays by Srđan Janićijević, showcasing bold and innovative dramatic writing that blends hybrid genres, sharp irony, and subversive reworkings of conventional theatrical forms. The book opens with the groundbreaking Kupidona (2006), a punk-opera set in a brothel that provocatively confronts love, anarchy, and operatic tradition. It continues with Don’t You Faust Me (2010), which revisits the timeless theme of selling one’s soul through questions of identity and loss. The hyper-ironic black comedy Sheherezada (2011) demystifies terrorism and media manipulation, while two seemingly child-oriented works — The Bald Boy and the Magic Seal (based on a Turkish folktale) and an operetta adaptation of Oliver Twist (both 2013) — cleverly transform classic literary sources into fresh theatrical structures. Across these plays, Janićijević demonstrates a masterful command of dramatic action, vivid character construction, and concise, effective dialogue, all driven by a playful yet critical spirit infused with humor, cynicism, wisdom, and absurdity. The collection stands as a testament to authentic, freedom-driven authorship.