Writer’s Note, by Tom Francis
In the early 16th century, the Hapsburg monarchy came to prominence by resisting the Ottoman invasions of Central Europe. Over the following four hundred years, the Hapsburgs brought vast swathes of territory under their control, and by 1914 Austria-Hungary was an empire of nearly 53 million people, and the second-largest country in Europe. However, those 53 million people did not get along smoothly; Germans, Hungarians, Poles, Czechs, Slovenes, and dozens more races besides vied for prominence and recognition within the empire. As nationalist awakenings swept Europe during the 1800s, the government in Vienna struggled to maintain control over these disparate factions. Some nationalities they were able to subdue by force; others required political concessions (such as the establishment of devolved legislatures or the granting of ‘official’ status to certain languages). In the early 20th century Austria-Hungary did what countless other countries have done when faced with internal divisions: they pursued a military adventure abroad.
Hemmed-in on three sides by powerful neighbours, the Viennese government looked southwards to the Balkans, and territory abandoned by the moribund Ottoman Empire. The Austro-Hungarian annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1908 led to anger in neighbouring Serbia, which led Serb nationalists to assassinate the Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz-Ferdinand and his wife in June 1914. This led to Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia, which led to Russia declaring war on Austria-Hungary, which led to Germany declaring war on Russia, which led to, which led to… well, we all know the rest.
By October 1918, the First World War had claimed 10 million lives and toppled some of the oldest and most powerful crowns in Europe. Exhausted by fierce fighting against Russia and Rumania in the east and Italy in the Alps, the ailing Austro-Hungarian government collapsed. Seizing the opportunity, Hungarians, Poles, Czechs et al threw off the Viennese yoke and the Hapsburg monarchy, for centuries a symbol of power and stability, was consigned to history.
A centuries-old monarchy unsure of its place in the modern world and struggling to satisfy the competing demands of different nationalisms; a government staking all on a foreign war to distract from its domestic problems. Sound familiar? The centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, and the repercussions of the Scottish independence referendum, make this an appropriate time to examine the causes leading to the collapse of Austria-Hungary, and the parallel problems facing the United Kingdom today. But issues of class, nationalism, language and war are only interesting because of their impact on the individual. Against the backdrop of the socio-political upheaval of October 1918, Stetzmeyer and Brozsnik are two individuals, struggling to come to terms with each other, their place in the world, and their fate.
Director’s Note, by Richard Hogger
Earlier this year I was invited to read ‘October 1918’, the first play written by Tom Francis. The script told the story of the relationship between two characters, at almost opposite ends of the social spectrum, thrown together in a remote look-out post, overlooking the last stand between Italian and Austro-Hungarian troops. The writing had a light touch, was subtle, emotional, evocative and told a human story, through two well defined characters set in a horrific context: but it also had a natural theatricality. It’s very rare that a Director is offered such a well crafted new play, so complete it required little alteration.
Following an open reading in July, Pendulum was very pleased to be offered the opportunity to present the premiere as an Open Platform in the Studio at Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
In the early 16th century, the Hapsburg monarchy came to prominence by resisting the Ottoman invasions of Central Europe. Over the following four hundred years, the Hapsburgs brought vast swathes of territory under their control, and by 1914 Austria-Hungary was an empire of nearly 53 million people, and the second-largest country in Europe. However, those 53 million people did not get along smoothly; Germans, Hungarians, Poles, Czechs, Slovenes, and dozens more races besides vied for prominence and recognition within the empire. As nationalist awakenings swept Europe during the 1800s, the government in Vienna struggled to maintain control over these disparate factions. Some nationalities they were able to subdue by force; others required political concessions (such as the establishment of devolved legislatures or the granting of ‘official’ status to certain languages). In the early 20th century Austria-Hungary did what countless other countries have done when faced with internal divisions: they pursued a military adventure abroad.
Hemmed-in on three sides by powerful neighbours, the Viennese government looked southwards to the Balkans, and territory abandoned by the moribund Ottoman Empire. The Austro-Hungarian annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1908 led to anger in neighbouring Serbia, which led Serb nationalists to assassinate the Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz-Ferdinand and his wife in June 1914. This led to Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia, which led to Russia declaring war on Austria-Hungary, which led to Germany declaring war on Russia, which led to, which led to… well, we all know the rest.
By October 1918, the First World War had claimed 10 million lives and toppled some of the oldest and most powerful crowns in Europe. Exhausted by fierce fighting against Russia and Rumania in the east and Italy in the Alps, the ailing Austro-Hungarian government collapsed. Seizing the opportunity, Hungarians, Poles, Czechs et al threw off the Viennese yoke and the Hapsburg monarchy, for centuries a symbol of power and stability, was consigned to history.
A centuries-old monarchy unsure of its place in the modern world and struggling to satisfy the competing demands of different nationalisms; a government staking all on a foreign war to distract from its domestic problems. Sound familiar? The centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, and the repercussions of the Scottish independence referendum, make this an appropriate time to examine the causes leading to the collapse of Austria-Hungary, and the parallel problems facing the United Kingdom today. But issues of class, nationalism, language and war are only interesting because of their impact on the individual. Against the backdrop of the socio-political upheaval of October 1918, Stetzmeyer and Brozsnik are two individuals, struggling to come to terms with each other, their place in the world, and their fate.
Director’s Note, by Richard Hogger
Earlier this year I was invited to read ‘October 1918’, the first play written by Tom Francis. The script told the story of the relationship between two characters, at almost opposite ends of the social spectrum, thrown together in a remote look-out post, overlooking the last stand between Italian and Austro-Hungarian troops. The writing had a light touch, was subtle, emotional, evocative and told a human story, through two well defined characters set in a horrific context: but it also had a natural theatricality. It’s very rare that a Director is offered such a well crafted new play, so complete it required little alteration.
Following an open reading in July, Pendulum was very pleased to be offered the opportunity to present the premiere as an Open Platform in the Studio at Aberystwyth Arts Centre.