22 Days of Freedom

synopsis

On March 27, 1941 seventeen-year-old King Petar of Yugoslavia overthrew his uncle's regency government in a coup d'etat assisted by the British Secret Service.

The young King's first act of his new rule was to void Yugoslavia's agreement to the terms of Hitler's Tripartite Pact. Ten days later Germany would declare war on Yugoslavia, and by April 17 the Yugoslavian army was forced to unconditionally surrender.

The young King was forced to flee to Greece under the protection of British agents.

Meanwhile, as developments in the world around them increasingly pressure their daily lives, a theatre troupe is preparing a production of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet.

As their opening nights nears, and as the fear of Germany grows in their hearts, the troupe hatches a plan to put their unique talents to work resisting Germany's hate-machine.

characters

• King Petar, the seventeen-year-old King of Yugoslavia
• Prince Paul, Petar's regent
• Sir Ronald Campbell, British Ambassador to Yugoslavia
• Stephania, an actress, twenties
• Sabina, an actress, forties
• Zoran, an actor, fifties
• Florin, an actor, thirties
• Danijel, an actor, twenties

Note: With doubling the cast can easily be reduced to five.

status

Work on this play is currently progressing toward a first draft.