Jacques and His Master: A Play

A deliciously witty and entertaining play and "variation" on Diderot's novel Jacques le Fatalist, written for Milan Kundera's "private pleasure" in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Czechoslovakia.

When the "heavy Russian irrationality" fell on Czechoslovakia, Milan Kundera explains, he felt drawn to the spirit of the eighteenth century—"And it seemed to me that nowhere was it to be found more densely concentrated than in that banquet of intelligence, humor, and fantasy, Jacques le Fataliste."

The upshot was this "Homage to Diderot," a philosophical comedy which has now been performed throughout the United States and Europe. Here, Jacques and His Master, newly translated by Simon Callow, is a text that will delight admirers of Milan Kundera and thought-provoking European theatre throughout the English-speaking world.

A play of ideas that is also a feast of entertainment:

• Witty Dialogue: Experience the sharp, philosophical banter between a fatalistic servant and his wandering master as they debate love, loyalty, and what is ‘written up there.’
• A Master and Servant Story: Explore one of literature's classic dynamics, reimagined by a modern master who uses the centuries-old relationship to probe timeless questions of freedom and fate.
• Literature as Resistance: Discover why Kundera turned to the spirit of the Enlightenment as a personal and artistic response to the Russian invasion of his native Czechoslovakia.
• A Play of Ideas: Engage with a work that is both a tribute to the novel form and a playful, profound exploration of storytelling itself.

Jacques and His Master is a deliciously witty and entertaining "variation" on Diderot's novel Jacques le Fatalist, written for Milan Kundera's "private pleasure" in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Czechoslovakia.

When the "heavy Russian irrationality" fell on Czechoslovakia, Milan Kundera explains, he felt drawn to the spirit of the eighteenth century—"And it seemed to me that nowhere was it to be found more densely concentrated than in that banquet of intelligence, humor, and fantasy, Jacques le Fataliste."

The upshot was this "Homage to Diderot," which has now been performed throughout the United States and Europe. Here, Jacques and His Master, newly translated by Simon Callow, is a text that will delight Kundera's admirers throughout the English-speaking world.