Patrick Page, Jason Sanchez, Adrien Rolet, Jake Berne, Kristin Nielsen (Photo: Joan Marcus)
Archduke
By Fern Siegel
The assassination of Archduke Ferdinand in 1914 had cataclysmic results — Austro-Hungary declared war on Serbia — and unleashed the carnage known as WWI.
The assassination was carried out by 19-year-old Gavrilo Princip, aided by fellow nationalists and members of the Black Hand. In Archduke, a dark absurdist comedy by Rajiv Joseph, now Off-Broadway at the Roundabout/Laura Pels, a Serbian nationalist, a rather unhinged Captain Dimitrijevic (a wildly entertaining Patrick Page) encourages three young men dying from TB to destroy Austria’s imperial ruler.
Using sumptuous food and stories of previous political assassinations, Dimitrijevic fills their heads with dreams of martyrdom, given their short time to live. The glory! The history! His vision is a united Yugoslavia, hastened by the death of Ferdinand, the presumptive heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife Sophie, en route to Sarajevo.
For the trio, sympathetic to Serbia’s plight, it’s an alluring proposition. But the play, which is performed with comedic overtones, is also a study in how to radicalize young men. The play’s broad strokes are the history of the assassination — and it is important to give context. Most viewers have no idea of Serbian resentment or the Austro-Hungarian empire. You don’t need to see an assassination — that’s not the play’s point, since we know it occurred. The gist: It’s preying on the vulnerable with tales of greatness — and then watching what they will do.
Jason Sanchez, Jake Berne, Adrien Rolet (Photo: Joan Marcus)
In Archduke, having TB, a deadly disease at the time, hastened the men’s decisions. “The world has conspired against you,” Dimitrijevic declares, claiming Archduke Franz Ferdinand is responsible for their illness. The pitch is clear: Their time is finite. The assassination will give meaning to their lives.
Princip (Jake Berne), Trifko Grabez (Adrien Rolet) and Nedeljko Cabrinovic (Jason Sanchez) did travel to Belgrade in May 1914, where they received handheld bombs, pistols and cyanide suicide capsules. In Archduke, much as in real life, the men are enamored by the mythology of Serbs and Slavs who fought oppressive rule.
However, they are hesitant to kill Sophie, fearful of “lady bones.” And while the play hinges on the Captain’s culinary lures — Archduke fails to dramatically up the tension. That’s despite its offbeat humor and strong performances under Darko Tresnjak’s (A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder) direction. Strangely, the production either feels too little in terms of context or too much in its preoccupation with sandwiches.
Joseph’s focus is interesting, but his execution trivializes the circumstances. Nixing the intermission would add cohesiveness. Kristen Nielsen, who plays the Captain’s cat-hating housekeeper, relies on her usual mannerisms — over-the-top head/hand gestures, which wear thin. The set design by Alexander Dodge, especially the opening map, is fantastic. So are Linda Cho’s costumes, Matthew Richards’ lighting and Jane Shaw’s sound. There are compelling themes in Archduke, but it needs tighter construction to give it heft. “Bengal Tiger at the Bagdad Zoo,” which starred Robin Williams, is a better example of Joseph’s talents.
Roundabout/Laura Pels Theater
111 W. 46 St
Running time: 2 hours
Through Dec. 21, 2026
