The empire builders;

by Boris Vian

English, French (translation)

Genres: Plays, Drama, Theatre, France, Fiction

58 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1957

About the author

Boris Vian was a French polymath: writer, poet, musician, singer, translator, critic, actor, inventor and engineer. He is best remembered for novels such as L’Écume des jours and L'Arrache-cœur (translated into English as Froth on the Daydream and Heartsnatcher, respectively). He is also known for highly controversial "criminal" fiction released under the pseudonym Vernon Sullivan and some of his songs (particularly the anti-war Le Déserteur). Vian was also fascinated with jazz: he served as liaison for, among others, Duke Ellington and Miles Davis in Paris, wrote for several French jazz-reviews (Le Jazz Hot, Paris Jazz) and published numerous articles dealing with jazz both in the United States and in France.

Reviews

[José]

Absurda, es la destrucción del Imperio de una familia burguesa.

[Tosh]

This is a Marx Brothers type of action play by Boris Vian. Or is it more like Tom and Jerry. About a family that is under attack. Not exactly total family values type of work, but then again it's pretty funny as well. I actaully saw a production of "The Enpire Builders" a couple of years ago. Vian's theater works are a little bit different than his novels. You can tell it's the same author, but the pacing is slightly different.

[Malcolm]

I'm starting to accept that it's more fun to read *about* Boris Vian than it is to read anything he wrote.

[Luboš]

Postavy ve hře neustále utíkají do vyšších pater, utíkají pře hlukem, který symbolizuje...

----citace----
Zenóbie: Proč musíme vždycky utíkat, když slyšíme ten hluk? (Otec i matka stojí se sklopenýma očima) Co je to za hluk, maminko, řekni mi to!
Matka: Zenóbie, ty můj andílku, už jsme ti to stokrát říkali, aby ses na to neptala.
Otec: (Vyhýbavě) My sami nevíme, co to je. Kdybychom to věděli, tak ti to povíme.
Zenóbie: Ty přeci všecko víš, všemu rozumíš!
Otec: Téměř všemu! Jenže tohle je něco výjimečného, něco mimořádného. Já rozumím věcem, které jsou v mezích naší zkušenosti, které mají reálnou existenci.
Zenóbie: Tak ten hluk ve skutečnosti neexistuje?
Otec: V podstatě neexistuje.
Matka: Je třeba ho chápat obrazně.
Otec: Jako symbol.
Matka: Jako znamení.
...
Zenóbie: Ale když to ve skutečnosti neexistuje, tak proč se vždycky stěhujeme?

[Melda Dinçel]

It is hard to talk about Vian and his style. You have to figure it out by yourself. All I can say is shmurz is you, me and every single thing you can and cannot imagine.

[blondie]

Το έργο του Βιάν, βαθιά αλληγορικό και αφηρημένο, αναδύει την υπαρξιακή αγωνία του ανθρώπου μπροστά στην αναπόδραστη φθορά, μετατρέποντας την αγωνιώδη προσπάθεια για διαφυγή, μέσα από την οικογένεια, τη θρησκεία ή την πατρίδα, σε μια σπαρακτική και ποιητική αποτύπωση της καταδίκης στην απόλυτη μοναξιά.

[Gabi]

Juste une pièce de théâtre sur un Schmürz et du Bruit et on ne sait pas ce qu'il représente... un peu long pour pas grand chose

[Efe Karabulat]

Absürt oyunları sevenler için bulunmaz nimet, diğerleri için de günü kurtarmaya yeter.

Vian'la yıldızımın hayatımın geri kalanında da barışacağını sanmam. Mezarlarınıza Tüküreceğim'i nefret ederek okumuştum. İmparatorluk Kuranları'ı da daha önce tiyatroda izlediğimde beğenmemiştim. Esasen kötü sahnelenmiş bir oyundu ve işi bilenler tarafından metninin daha iyi ve anlaşılır olduğu söylenmişti. Gerçekten de öyleymiş.

Anlaması biraz zor, saçma, karmaşık görünse de aslında çok basit bir mesajı olan, yer yer güzel söz oyunlarıyla lezzet veren, çok olağandışı nitelikler taşımayan bir oyun.

Oyunun son perdesi, yani Baba'nın tiradı muazzam, onun dışında kendime göre bir şey bulamadım. Oradan -oyunu anlamak için kilit cümlelerden biri olan- güzel bir alıntıyla bitireyim: ''Bütün hızımızla geleceğe doğru yol alıyoruz, o kadar hızlı gidiyoruz ki şimdiyi göremiyoruz; arkada bıraktığımız toz duman, geçmişi de siliyor gözümüzden.''

[Czarny Pies]

Faute de pouvoir donner cinq étrons, je lui donne une étoile.

Les batisseurs de l'empire fait partie du mouvement du theatre de l'absurde. La piece ressemble inévitablement à En attendant Godot. Chez Godot les protagnistes ne font rien en attendant un chef qui lui dirait quoi faire. Chez les batisseurs les protagonistes mettent tous leurs efforts a se cacher leurs tetes dans la sable plutot que d'avouer ils font face a un mal qui menace leur société et leurs propres personnes. Ce n'est pas mauvais comme idée mais dans les pieces du theatre de l'absurde les idées ne vont rigoureusement nulle part.

Le theatre de l'Absurde se moque de tout. Si le lecteur croit etre le complice de l'auteur, il peut en rigoler. Personnellement, je trouve que les auteurs Absurdiste se moquent de moi et j'ai perdu toute patience.

[Josie]

An unjustly forgotten masterpiece of the theater of the absurd.

[Jack Finley]

After years off MAKING MY GOODREADS COMBACM. Really liked this play. Read it as part of one of my French lit classes for uni and it was an ultra surrealist, highly metaphorical take on the devolution of the colonial French empire. Would recommend if anyone enjoys French plays especially from the theatre of the absurd era and it’s a really short read.

[Ray]

I found this book in a free library in Amsterdam and read it on my bus ride to Spain.
It's a bit confusing... it's a bit sad. But somehow it keeps you going.
It is a play so it is quite short but idk I wouldn't particularly recommend it.

[Asser Mattar]

Makes your mind wonder.

[Jessyca]

Une part de mystère qui laisse libre à l'imagination

[Melissa]

3,5

[LaurenT Forget]

Jai pas tout compris... cétait absurde... ce veut épeurant mais ne l'est pas... je sais pas comment je feel. Mieux le texte de manu frappier? Idk

[Pečivo]

Průměrná divadelní hra od viana. Chybí švihlost, ale bylo to tak krátký, že sem se ani nedokázal nasrat, že je to vlastně nuda. Alegorie na lidskou zapomětlivost, kdy se jedna rodina stěhuje furt vejš a vejš v baráku až se nastěhuje na půdu a zůstane na živu jen fotr. Ten bydlí v podkroví, který je tak malý, že se tam nevejde ani tank (spoiler)

Neni se čemu divit, v baráku neni výtah. Bohužel opět potvrzeni, že neni všechno co Vian napsal kvalitativně srovnatelný s Mravencema. Život stojí za hovno.

[Philippe Mirabel]

Malheureusement ce livre est difficile à trouvé en librairie. Pourtant, c'est une excellente pièce de théâtre de Boris Vian. En fait une des rares qu'il est écrit. C'est dommage qu'elle semble tomber dans l'oubli.

[Kit]

overlooked and underappreciated masterpiece. deep and horrifying.

[Sarada]

The version I read is in English - couldn't find edition on site.

[Dominic Fortin]

Si je devais jouer le rôle du père, j'exploserais.

[E]

I just love Vian so much!

[Gregory]

Weird-ass French play

[Antonio Papadourakis]

Έξοχο θέατρο του παραλόγου!
"Είναι το πρόβλημα του αμερόληπτου παρατηρητή. Εαν παρατηρεί, δεν θα είναι αμερόληπτος. Έχει κιόλας μιά επιθυμία, να παρατηρεί. Ή πάλι θα παρατηρεί αφηρημένα και τότε δεν θα είναι καλός παρατηρητής. "
"Μα αφού συνέβη στο παρελθόν, το γεγονός δεν είναι το ίδιο. Το γεγονός που θυμάσαι είναι κάτι ολότελα διαφορετικό. "
"Το αίσθημα της μοναξιάς σ'ένα ενήλικο άτομο πώς αλλιώς μπορεί να καλλιεργηθεί παρά με την επαφή του με τους συνανθρώπους του; Αν ένιωθα μοναξιά ήταν γιατί δεν ήμουνα μόνος..... Τρέχουμε προς το μέλλον και πηγαίνουμε τόσο γρήγορα που το παρόν μας ξεφεύγει και η σκόνη που σηκώνουμε στο πέρασμα μας κρύβει το παρελθόν. "

[Soha Seliem]

Capturing.. concise.. leaves a strong impression.. laid to so many interpretations ..
I liked the character of Zenobia much and could relate to it..
The play is a dramatization of pain, death, and suffering.. Everyone has a "Schmurz" in his\her life which he\she tries to ignore the existence of.. unfortunately though, one can never escape from this haunting existence no matter how hard he\she tries..