Prince Tandi of Cumba or the New Menoza Book

The 18th century playwright J.M.R. Lenz played a leading role in the revitalization of German literature through an experimental style of writing that rejected conventional, rationalistic forms. Much of Lenz's later life and work remains obscure. Today he is known for a rich outpouring of writings dating from the first half of the 1770s, and above all for three plays. The Tutor, The Soldiers, and Prince Tandi of Cumba or The New Menoza. In his plays, Lenz reacted against 18th century theatrical conventions with a cavalier disregard for the unities of time, place and action, and with a combination of humorous and serious elements which blurs the distinctions between comedy and tragedy. Lenz's theatre represents a radical step forward in the direction of realism, both in his use of language and in his vision of the human condition.
The origins of this book lie in a symposium held to mark the bicentenary of the death of Lenz, the central event of which was a performance of Lenz's Pr