Just then, Prince Andrei rocked up to Anna's joint, he was the pregnant sheila's hubby. Like his missus, he was pretty good looking himself.
Those iconic lines are from an unexpected translation of Tolstoy's War & Peace transformed into a bogan rendition by Ander Louis, a Melbourne IT professional who started this light-hearted project as a joke back in 2018.
Louis, whose actual name is Andrew Tesoriero, has dedicated years to converting the classic Russian prose into a relatable Australian vernacular enriched with local lingo, turning Russian princesses into sheilas and princes into drongos. He explained, It’s how you’d tell it down the pub. With a deal in contention, his translation is poised to reach a wider audience.
Initially seen as a light-hearted tribute to one of literature’s heaviest tomes, Louis believes that laughter is at the core of storytelling. He described his work as a 'literary heist', suggesting that he has recontextualized Tolstoy's work for modern readers, making it more accessible with everyday language.
His translation, starting with the phrase ‘bloody hell’, resonates well with audiences by using slang that mirrors the rich, social narrative originally penned by Tolstoy. It tackles heavy themes but with an irreverent Australian twist.
Louis reflects on the rise of interest in his translation, hinting that its success is influenced by both the relatable bogan culture and a growing fascination with Australian culture in the US, spurred on by popular media like 'Bluey'.
Further showcasing the adaptability of bogan as a language, he points out the term's evolution over the decades—from a label denoting the unsophisticated, to today's embrace as a badge of honor among many Australians.
In a creative twist, Louis humbly claims that, by renaming aristocrats and significant elements of Tolstoy's society, he has blended cultures, proving that literature is universal regardless of the setting.
Ander Louis's compelling project not only pays homage to a classic but revitalizes it in a way that encourages readers to engage with literature and its often overlooked, humorous tones. I actually think Tolstoy would get a kick out of it, he concluded.
