Historia zapomnianego sukcesu. Livia Quintilla Stanisława Marka Rzętkowskiego
The story of a forgotten success. Livia Quintilla by Stanisław Marek Rzętkowski

Summary/Abstract: The article is devoted to the success story of Stanisław Marek Rzętkowski’s one-act play Livia Quintilla, which had its premiere in Kraków in 1868. The play was subsequently staged in Warsaw as well. Livia Quintilla was the only play by Rzętkowski to achieve success on stage. The title role was played by Helena Modrzejewska herself in the premiere performance. The plot of the play centres on the turbulent life of Livia, a young Roman patrician woman, who in the finale is forced to make a tragic choice. She commits suicide, refusing to give her heart and devotion to an influential Roman patrician. Rzętkowski also introduced into the plot a melodramatic subplot involving a young slave’s love for Livia, as well as a villain’s intrigue leading to the final catastrophe. The play attracted the attention of audiences and critics alike due to its dramatic qualities. Its plot was full of melodramatic events that created stage effects.

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