Autumn in Tyrol and Other Writings

'Two travelers linger in a nearly empty Alpine hotel on their last evening together. They speak of dreams, love, and parting, while the woman’s hidden history unsettles the man’s carefully imagined intimacy. Kishida Kunio’s complete one-act play Autumn in Tyrol gives this varied collection its English title.

Thirteen accompanying writings range from terse travel impressions to a charged dialogue between two young women, tales of Breton spirits, and memories of people encountered in Paris, Germany, and aboard a homeward-bound ship. Essays consider farce, fantasy, the relationship between authors and characters, French playwrights, theater repertoires, and the practical division of performance royalties.

A central figure in modern Japanese theater, Kishida brings humor, critical precision, and unease to both observation and argument. These complete translations preserve the supplied order, all dramatic turns and stage directions, sung lines, and the original royalty figures. Concise notes explain literary references, uncertain names, historical inconsistencies, and the period attitudes found in the text.