
A mischievous narrator pulls listeners into a literary caper set in bustling turn‑of‑the‑century Amsterdam. When a request arrives to correct a missing Russian name on a playbill, the writer decides to turn the whole affair into a playful hoax, presenting his own drama, “Ahasverus,” as a translation of a fictitious Russian author. The story unfolds through a cascade of letters, newspaper clippings and witty exchanges that blur the line between fact and invention.
The narrative weaves together colorful figures—a former concertmaster fresh from London, a boisterous bar‑room crew, and a curious playwright—who chatter about art, ambition, and the absurdities of theatrical life. Their rambunctious evenings in the American Bar and strolls down Kalverstraat set a vivid backdrop for the unfolding intrigue, while the ever‑present press amplifies the ruse, promising a performance that teeters between authenticity and farce.
Listeners are treated to a clever blend of satire and backstage drama, a snapshot of a cultural scene where truth is as fluid as the ink on a playbill. The first act invites you to follow the tangled threads of authorship, humor, and the inevitable anticipation of a stage debut that may never be quite what it seems.
Language
nl
Duration
~47 minutes (45K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
Netherlands: De maatschappij voor goede en goedkoope lectuur, 1911.
Credits
Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net/ for Project Gutenberg
Release date
2023-07-03
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1864–1924
Best known for the powerful play The Good Hope (Op hoop van zegen), this Dutch dramatist wrote with deep sympathy for working people and a sharp eye for social injustice. His work helped make modern social drama a force in Dutch literature.
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