By Filip Grujić
Translated by Željko Maksimović
after world war i, radium was used in everyday consumer life. it was thought it cures everything, from mental issues, anemia, to impotence. it was a component of butter, toothpaste, drinking water. however, radon (which was considered to have medicinal properties) had a short lifespan – of only 3.82 days. therefore, when it would reach consumers, its medicinal properties would have been lost.
Reviewed by Vladimir Zorić
The common thread in all these comedies, regardless of their time of composition or their particular plot, is Serbia’s precipitous, never accomplished transition from a staunchly patriarchal society, driven by bonds of family kinship and the sacrificial myth of Kosovo, to a modern nation-state, marked competitive entrepreneurship, where success is reserved for individuals.
By Tanja Šljivar
Translated by Cory Tamler and Željko Maksimović
MARA: I kneel at my son’s grave and wail. He can’t hear me anymore.
MILAN: I’m in my grave. My mother kneels above the grave and wails. I can’t hear her anymore.
Reviewed by Paula Gordon
The compilation is an enjoyable read and a fascinating window into the culture and politics of Serbia over the past 80 years and three systems of rule (kingdom, socialist federal republic, and parliamentary republic). The editors chose socially conscious plays, most of which contain implicit, if not explicit, political commentary.
The Mercurian 