15 - The First American on the Zagreb Stage

Summary

From the beginning of April to the end of December 1853, Karl Folness was the head of a German theater troupe that came to Zagreb from Košice. In those days, Croatian plays were rarely staged, and on the boards of the old building on St. Mark's Square, one could often see only Austrian and German theater troupes, performing mainly musical comedies, with an occasional showing of good plays. Folness's troupe's stay in Zagreb did not leave a large impact in terms of important plays. However, during the time of their performances, Ira Aldridge, the first person to perform in English on Croatian boards, decided to visit Zagreb. If we add to that the fact that Aldridge was an African American who came to Zagreb as a famous interpreter of Shakespeare, one can understand the excitement aroused among the audience and critics before they encountered this unusual guest.

The Big European Tour

Famous for his authentic and almost uncontrollable acting temperament on the London boards, Ira Aldridge was invited to many Continental theaters as a sort of attraction. Nobody minded that he performed in English, and in ensembles whose language was different than his. To give his interpretations of classic roles an even larger impact, he formed a small theater troupe with two other members, in which the actor Karl Remay (later found to be of Hungarian heritage) performed in German. In 1852, “The African Roscius,” as Aldridge was called by the press, began his first big continental tour, which would bring him to all the great stages of Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, to major Polish cities, and even to the Russian czar's palace. In European cities, and especially in Russia, he was so popular that theater agents were fighting each other to book his performances by offering him huge sums of money, because they knew that the reputation of Aldridge would fill cash registers and theaters.

The Zagreb Performance

German newspapers, which regularly informed the residents of Zagreb of the approach of distinguished guests, announced on November 8, 1853, that “Ira Aldridge, an actor from Senegal in Africa” had arrived in town. He was accompanied by actors Karl Remay and Persitt, and they arrived from Maribor (in present-day Slovenia).