Where is the Town of Goga?
The story of Goga, a "wonderful town", from the most prominent play by a Slovenian writer Slavko Grum
The postcard of Šmartno pri Litiji (20th Century) by Ivan SlavinecThe Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto
Slavko Grum (1901–1949)
On 2nd August 1901 Slavko (Ignacij) Grum, "a magician without power", was born in Šmartno pri Litiji.
A playwright Slavko Grum (20th Century) by unknownThe Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto
Slavko Grum ( 2nd August 1901, Šmartno pri Litiji – 3rd August 1949, Zagorje ob Savi) is one of the most prominent Slovenian playwrights and expressionist writers. He is one of the greatest names of the 20th century modern drama.
The postcard of Novo mesto (20th Century) by J. Krajec nasl.The Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto
Slavko Grum called Novo mesto, where he attended primary school and grammar school, "the paradise of his childhood years".
The places and houses where Slavko Grum lived played an important role in his creative path.
The postcard of Ljubljana (20th Century) by UnknownThe Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto
After finishing his medical studies in Vienna in 1926, Slavko Grum was a physician in Ljubljana, and between 1928 and 1929 he probably wrote his famous play in two acts – An Event in the Town of Goga.
Title page of the manuscript of the play An Event in the Town of Goga (20th Century) by Slavko GrumThe Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto
The Original Manuscript of An Event in the Town of Goga
The manuscript of his play An Event in the Town of Goga is kept in the special collections of written cultural heritage of the Miran Jarc Public Library, in the legacy of Slavko Grum.
The play represents the pinnacle of Grum’s creativity.
The first page of the manuscript of the play An Event in the Town of Goga (20th Century) by Slavko GrumThe Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto
An Event in the Town of Goga is a modern grotesque play, in which he masterfully combined the material of all his previous works into a new whole.
The second page of the manuscript of the play An Event in the Town of Goga (20th Century) by Slavko GrumThe Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto
He was mainly interested in man's loneliness, helplessness, unease, dreams, mental disorders etc.
The third page of the manuscript of the play An Event in the Town of Goga (20th Century) by Slavko GrumThe Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto
The original manuscript of the play showing the authors corrections and improvements to the text.
The fourth page of the manuscript of the play An Event in the Town of Goga (20th Century) by Slavko GrumThe Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto
An Event in the Town of Goga is a play in two acts: Act One in the manuscript.
The fifth page of the manuscript of the play An Event in the Town of Goga (20th Century) by Slavko GrumThe Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto
Dialogue between characters: the possessive old sisters, Tarbula and Afra, and Juta, the servant.
The personal document of Slavko Grum (20th Century) by Yugoslav Ministry of EducationThe Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto
An Announcement of the Prize Dated April 2nd, 1929
In 1929 he recived the 2nd best award for the play An Event in the Town of Goga at the competition in Belgrade.
By receiving this award of the Yugoslav Ministry of Education, he became a recognized artist in Slovenia.
Slavko Grum: An Event in the Town of Goga (20th Century) by Self-published by Slavko GrumThe Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto
An Event in the Town of Goga
The First Book Edition
He published the play An Event in the Town of Goga in 1930 in the literary magazine Ljubljanski zvon and in the same year, the work was self-published in a book edition of 600 copies.
The first book edition of An Event in the Town of Goga (20th Century) by Ivan VavpotičThe Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto
An Event in the Town of Goga - The Play in Two Acts
The illustration of the set design for the first book edition of the play was created by the Slovenian painter Ivan Vavpotič .
An Event in the Town of Goga – Plot
"Goga" is a grotesquely symbolic portrayal of a geographically undefined, insular, suffocating and self-destructive small town.
Trapped in their homes and marked by their past, people in the town of Goga are anxiously waiting and yearning for an event that would change the stifling atmosphere in the town, bring catharsis and set them free.
However, Goga offers no salvation, everyone remains a victim of their own unfulfilled passions, trapped in anxiety and nightmare.
The manuscript of An Event in the Town of Goga (page 70) (20th Century) by Slavko GrumThe Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto
An Excerpt I from the Manuscript of the Play: Translation
Afra: Oh, without a doubt! No doubt whatsoever! Something must have happened … except nobody is realy sure what it was.
The Lamplighter (at the back, running across the square): Fire! Fire! There is a fire on the Slope!
(The women exchange knowing glances.)
The old woman: Jesus-and-Mary! A fire!
Tarbula: You see?!
Afra: So that is what it was! All night there was a smell of sulfur and smoke – as if the devil himself was sharpening his claws on the town last night!
The manuscript of An Event in the Town of Goga (page 76) (20th Century) by Slavko GrumThe Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto
An Excerpt II from the Manuscript of the Play: Translation
Hana (asking everyone there): So the fire is not burning anymore?
Tarbula: It was just some planks and a pile of hay. (Sighing deeply.) Nothing ever happens around here!
Hana (not laughing): But that is not true! There was something that happened: a person was murdered last night!
An Event in the Town of Goga - the set designe (20th Century) by Ivan VavpotičThe Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto
The set design for the staging of the play was created by a Slovenian painter Ivan Vavpotič. The play is built in mosaic structure. On stage we see it like a house in cross-section.
Grum's multiple setting technique featuring multiple scenes happening simultaneously was an important innovation in the Slovenian theatre.
The costume sketches 1 (20th Century) by Ivan VavpotičThe Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto
The costume sketches for the first performance of An Event in the Town of Goga were also made by Ivan Vavpotič.
The Chief Tax Collector, deceased,
Otmar Prelih, a shop assistant,
Father Kvirin,
Kaps, the bailiff
The costume sketches 2 (20th Century) by Ivan VavpotičThe Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto
Two sisters, Tarbula and Afra,
Juta, a servant,
Klef
The costume sketches 3 (20th Century) by Ivan VavpotičThe Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto
The Hunchback Teobald,
Mrs. Prestopil
The costume sketches 4 (20th Century) by Ivan VavpotičThe Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto
A Quiet Woman,
The Lamplighter,
Konrad,
An Old Woman
The poster for the theatrical performance of the play An Event in the Town of Goga (20th Century) by Slovene National Theatre MariborThe Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto
The Poster for the Premiere of An Event in the Town of Goga
On May 13, 1931, the play was first staged in Maribor, and in September 1931, on the stage of Drama Ljubljana.
A new book edition of An Event in the Town of Goga (20th Century) by The Miran Jarc Public LibraryThe Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto
An Event in the Town of Goga – Facsimiles
A new book edition of An Event in the Town of Goga, facsimiles of the manuscript, was published in 2001 by the Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto.
So "where is the town of Goga?" (Lado Kralj, a literary and theatre critic)
The postcard of Šmartno pri Litiji (20th Century) by Ivan SlavinecThe Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto
The Town of Goga Can Be Anywhere...
The postcard of Ljubljana (20th Century) by UnknownThe Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto
The Town of Goga Can Be Anywhere...
The postcard of Novo mesto (20th Century) by J. Krajec nasl.The Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto
The Town of Goga Can Be Anywhere...
The presented material is part of the special collections of the Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto.
Selection and text: Darja Peperko Golob
Editing: Alenka Murgelj
Translation: Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto
Proofreading: Darja Peperko Golob (Slovene), Natalija Mikec (English)
The Miran Jarc Public Library Novo mesto, 2024
