NEW YORK CITY—There’s a fine line between comedy, tragedy and pathos, but playwright Rajiv Joseph navigates it brilliantly in his play “Archduke.” Presented by the Roundabout Theatre Company, the work is having its New York City premiere at the Laura Pels Theatre.
It’s 1914 and much of Europe is a political powder keg. In Belgrade, Serbia, two destitute young men suffering from tuberculosis, Gavrilo (Jake Berne) and Nedeljko (Jason Sanchez), have been directed to a deserted warehouse where they might receive employment. They might also receive the supposed meaning of life.
They are soon joined by Trifko (Adrien Rolet), a slightly older man, who takes them to the home of Dragutin ‘Apis’ Dimitrijevic (Patrick Page), a Serbian Army captain. Apparently a career soldier, Dragutin has gone to great lengths in the service of his country, some of which he relates with detailed and fevered glee.
While his guests enjoy a sumptuous feast prepared by his cook Sladjana (Kristine Nielsen), Dragutin explains how he intends to assassinate the Archduke of Austria and thus end the corruption that has infested the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It will be Gavrilo, Nedeljko, and Trifko’s job to carry out this plan.
The cast of “Archduke.” (Joan Marcus)The trio, however, are more fixated on the plates of food in front of them and train ride they are promised than on actually committing murder. Dragutin’s attempts to explain the geopolitical history of the time is interrupted with inane questions, especially whenever he says something in French (for example, “vis-à-vis”).
The evening eventually takes on the air of a frat-house party. One sequence with a large bowl of pudding calls to mind Charlie Chaplin’s the Little Tramp. Eventually, the gathering turns darker as Dragutin employs cajoling, bravado, patriotism, and outright threats to bend the group to his will.
Though it was almost a throwaway line when first uttered, “the meaning of life” ultimately becomes the story’s focal point. The playwright explores what this concept represents to each character. Each, in his own way, is filled with contradictions. The choices they make going forward are an attempt to come to terms with their pasts.
Dragutin “Apis” Dimitrijevic (Patrick Page) explains his plan to assassinate the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, in “Archduke.” (Joan Marcus)The Performance
Page perfectly embodies Dragutin, a man with an outward sense of purpose and the air of an evangelist. With a manner that brooks no disobedience, he is the master of the slow burn. One can almost see the steam of exasperation emerge from his ears as he tries to explain the situation to his guests. It’s eventually clear that Dragutin sees his plan as a way to atone for old mistakes. These haunt him despite anything he might say to the contrary. He’s also determined that his men kill the Archduke. That way, other factions who are also planning his death won’t get the credit.
Nielsen is excellent as Sladjana who, despite her apparent loyalty to her employer, doesn’t want the mission to succeed. She presents Gavrilo, Nedeljko and Trifko with large sacks of food, far more than they need for their mission. This is a quiet attempt to enable them to break the cycle of violence and bitterness in which she remains trapped. The suffering she faced long ago is visible in moments of anger laced with macabre humor and a twist involving cherries and brandy that no one sees coming.
Berne’s Gavrilo is the most sympathetic character of all. An idealist looking for a place to belong, he becomes so transfixed by Dragutin’s convictions that he turns into a fervent believer. Yet even as he moves forward in this new certainty, he questions whether the mission is truly the right thing. Or, as he wonders aloud, perhaps the best way to be remembered is simply by living one’s life as long as one can, surrounded by loved ones and children.
(L–R) Jason Sanchez, Jake Berne, and Adrien Rolet in “Archduke.” (Joan Marcus)In this same vein, Nedeljko changes from a bitter man with a penchant for violence, into someone who finds joy in simple things, like a warm bed and a good meal with lots of pudding. Even Trifko, who seems a seasoned and cynical soldier at first glance, quickly reveals his innocence. In fact, he may be the most innocent of the three.
Direction by Darko Tresnjak helps move the story along, seamlessly melding elements of humor, history, and tragedy without anything feeling forced or awkward. Alexander Dodge’s sets, which range from a suitably ominous warehouse to a train car, also help invoke the proper ambiance. The same goes for Matthew Richards’s lighting, which is particularly striking during a climatic scene in Dragutin’s private chapel.
Compelling and informative, “Archduke” offers insights into the human condition, where in the end, each person must do what is right for them alone.
‘Archduke’
Roundabout Theatre Company at the Laura Pels Theatre
111 W. 46th St. New York City
Tickets: RoundAboutTheatre.org
Running Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes (one intermission)
Closes: Dec. 21, 2025
Judd Hollander is a reviewer for stagebuzz.com and a member of the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle
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