www.hciti.hr NEW CROATIANPLAYS// EXIT AUTHOR PROJECTS NATAŠA RAJKOVIĆANDBOBOJELČIĆ THEATRE, ASMALLOASISOFDREAMCOMETRUE// www.hciti.hr THE ROADTOFOREIGNSTAGES// ON THEOTHERSIDEOFTHEATRICALILLUSION//

CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007

Croatian centre ITI

CROATIAN THEATRE 2/20ISSN 07 1846-0860 www.hciti.hr contents editorial

Dear friends and colleagues,

Here is the second issue of Croatian Theatre magazine, the yearly publication issued by the Croatian Centre of ITI, with the aim of informing colleagues abroad on the ten- dencies in contemporary Croatian drama and theatre. The numerous praises we have received for the first issue of Croatian Theatre have convinced us in the functionality of our editorial concept. This certainly does not mean that we do not intend to expand Željka Turčinović the volume of our publication in the future, featuring more texts and introducing some 4 AUTHOR PROJECTS ∑ THE ROAD TO FOREIGN STAGES new segments. We therefore ask you to send us all your proposals, wishes and ideas via e-mail at [email protected] Following the concept inaugurated in the first issue, the core of the Croatian Theatre Hrvoje Ivanković magazine consists again of three thematic segments. The first part features texts on 14 NATAŠA RAJKOVIĆ AND BOBO JELČIĆ ∑ ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THEATRICAL ILLUSION certain recent phenomena and particularities of Croatian theatre. The first text intro- duces the major events in the past theatre season in Croatia; the segment dedicated to the most distinguished author personalities of Croatian theatre features the inter- Tajana Gašparović nationally acknowledged directorial-dramaturgical tandem, Nataša Rajković and Bobo 20EXIT THEATRE, A SMALL OASIS OF A DREAM COME TRUE Jelčić; and the segment designed for informing about the currently most interesting Croatian theatres and festivals features a story on the independent Zagreb Theatre EXITTHEATRE, A SMALL OASIS OF A DREAMHrvo COME TRUE Exit. 28NEW CROATIAN PLAYS The second part of the publication is dedicated to contemporary Croatian dramatists and their works, which we found to be potentially interesting and transparent to the- Hrvo atre audiences abroad. This time we feature six playwrights of different generations INFO / ADRESSES with one play each: Darko Lukić, Borivoj Radaković, Ivana Sajko, Asja Srnec Todorović, 54 Slobodan Šnajder and Tomislav Zajec. The third part of the publication is again reserved for information on the activities of the Croatian Centre of ITI as well as the address book of Croatian theatre societies, institutions and centres. We hope that you will find Croatian Theatre interesting and perhaps even useful, and we would like to mention that the entire content of the first issue is available in PDF format on the English pages of the Croatian Centre of ITI Website (www.hciti.hr.). The same pages contain the content of the two issues of the publication Guide to Croatian Dance as well as an ample database on Croatian drama and theatre. Editorial Board

2 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 3 Željka Turčinović S. L. Vidulić:Next Door to…, directed by Rene Medvešek, Zagreb Youth Theatre, 2005 AUTHOR PROJECTS ∑ THE ROAD TO FOREIGN STAGES

In the past two years (2006 and 2007), Croatian theatre hasand institutions This results in someone continued nurturing the mistakes of the transition period.begin ning to practice how to run a theatre and These are mainly manifested in the inefficient organisation createof cultural politics every once in a while theatres, poor repertoire concepts, but most of all in the lackwithout taking responsibility for failures. of vision and discipline within theatres (e.g. employed actorsHeads of theatres, Ministries and City Councils are increasingly engaged outside their theatre houses in var-(Offices) leave with every change of the ruling ious TV soaps). And while throughout the 90s hundreds politicalof party and not due to their poor man- workers in shipyards, textile and food industries and otheragement of cultural politics and institutions. production areas were laid off due to company reorganisa-It was within this period that the most re now- tion or privatisation of factories, Croatian theatres remainedned woman of Croatian theatre √ Mani Goto vac the last bastions of the socialist model of organisation √in who was persistent in pledging for provoca - which permanent positions and wages were guaranteedtive theatre and the “poetics of risk” √ conclu - regardless of the amount of work done. Therefore it is notded her mostly turbulent and thrilling 15-year rare that an actor or actress might be on the payroll of onecareer of being General Manager (&TD The- theatre while working in another or acting in TV soaps.atre, Croatian National Theatre Split and Cro- Sympathising with the existential conditions (sic!) of theiratian National Theatre Ivan pl. Zajc Rijeka) by artists, theatre managers are in tacit agreement when goingit into retirement. She was responsible for comes to such occurrences but also without any actual toolsbringing Croatian diva singer Severina Vučko- that might enable them to resolve the problem. Those toolsvić onto the theatre stage to star in the pro- should have been contained within the Law on Theatres thatductions of was passed on January 1, 2007, even though its first versionbays has existed since 1991. The problem lies in the absence of Karolina of Rijekaand The Glem political will to implement the law in its entirety: in reality, it - high-quality local directors, which, in turn, points to the inef-material costs, programme co-financing). The , which attracted unprecedented media functions in some of its segments, but overall it does not ficient curriculum of the Department of Theatre Directing sameat model applies to approximately ten chil- attention and, along with this, new audiences bring the results that were its essential raison d’être and the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zagreb. Undoubtedly, we dodren’s and puppet theatres, the rest being pri- to the theatre. One thing is certain: her theatre that is the fluctuation and exuberance of artists on the local have a problem with directors, but besides the Academy, itvate is theatres (with their own venue) and the- management polarised the professional com- also institutional theatres that bear an equal share of theatre projects (without a permanent venue) scene. munity, bringing theatre into the focus of pub- blame, with their chaotic repertoires, persistent ignoring merelyof co-financed by the state or local Being democratic merely declaratively, our society still doeslic interest more than ever in recent history. the role of the dramaturg and enforcing a conventional main-authorities. The repertoire of the latter is often not acknowledge the independence of art from politics. It is This was also a fruitful time for foreign direc- stream repertoire devoid of artistic risk and provocation. based on commercial (entertainment) produc- true, however, that there is no longer the kind of censorshiptors (Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovenia, Russia, tions; an exception is Exit Theatre (separately that existed in the era of socialism yet every new governmentPoland, Macedonia) staging productions in There are over twenty professional theatres in Croatia (na tiofeatured- in this brochure) with a serious artis- places their people in leading positions in cultural politicsCroatian institutional theatres and as it now nal as well as city theatres) owned by the cities or the state;tic programme founded on the poetics of stands, this trend is likely to continue in the this means that these institutions are being financed eitheractors’ artistry, and workshop/collective future. This is primarily due to the lack of by the state or by local municipalities (employee wages,working process with all performers being

4 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 5 equal co-authors √ a theatre especially loved and frequentedtheatre &TD (with its most successful ma- by young urban audiences. As to city theatres, the Zagrebnager Vjeran Zuppa) has been a theatre with Youth Theatre (ZKM), run by theatre critic and dramaturga contemporary dramatic repertoire for 40 Dubravka Vrgoč, is the most intriguing repertoire theatreyears, where we had the opportunity of seeing with the greatest number of successful performances. plays by Genet, Queneau, Handke, Fo, Besides hits for youth ( Stoppard, Ionesco, Beckett and Bond for the Little Mermaid, Koko in Paris), this first time. Now it has become the Center for theatre features contemporary classics (Tol stoy, Chekhov, Performing Arts Re search/&TD Theatre under Vitrac, Fosse) and young women dramatists of inter national the artistic leader ship of Marin Blažević, the- reputation (Ivana Sajko, Tena Štivičić, Biljana Srbljenović). atrologist and professor at the Academy of Productions of a particular interest are those by creative Next to…) Dramatic Arts, and Nataša Rajković, the authors such as Rene Medvešek ( leader ofthe Culture De partmant in Student Brot her Donkey, The Door or those by the tandem Nataša Rajković and BoboCentre of the Univer sity of Zagreb. Its new pro- Jelčić whose productionOn the Other Sidehas become the file focuses on post-dramatic theatre, the lab- oratory concept of performances, and per- most successful Croatian theatre ex port item, performing at forming practices, naming this revolution the numerous festivals (Nitra/Slova kia, Skopje/ Ma cedonia, Heidelberg/Germany, Vienna/Austria…) and theatre manifes- tations world-wide. Culture of change. It is still too early to judge What is characteristic for this period is the pursuit of possi- the results of this aesthetic and organisation- bilities to introduce Croatian theatre and playwrights abroad, al shift; yet it is certain that anything new and as, unfortunately, Croatia is still different is stirring and shaking the somewhat terra incognitaon the world drowsy atmosphere of theatre institutions. theatre map. This pursuit is usually reduced to isolated And the audience is the most obvious indica- efforts by theatre managers to present their theatres with the tor: it pursues a good performance regardless best performances of their own choosing, often forgetting the of its marginal or institutional position, the criterion of provocativeness of productions and subjects that current result being 1:0 for the margin. might be of interest to foreign producers and festival selec- Apart from the already mentioned productions tors. The notable theatre/dance company BADco. has its own of ZKM and Exit, there have also been other network for offering their productions, while three years ago good and intriguing productions: in Rijeka, Pe- the Croatian Centre ITI launched the Croatian Showcase that ter Shaffer’s gathers foreign theatre professionals, offering them the best A. P. Chekhov,Uncle Vanya,directed by Mateja Koležnik, Croatian National Theatre Split, 2006 of Croatian theatre in a European context. Amadeusand Miroslav Krleža’s Yet another theatre has fundamentally chan ged its aesthet- The Glembays(Croatian National Theatre Ivan let in the Village of Mrduša Donja ics and profile during this period. Founded in 1966, the cult pl. Zajc); Ivo Brešan’sThe Production of Ham (marginal -

6 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 7 I. Sajko:Arche , P. Shaffer,Amadeus,directed by Tomi Janežič, type: Medea/Woman-Bomb/Europe directed by Ivana Sajko, Franka Perković, Dora Ruždjak Podolski, Croatian National Theatre Ivan pl. Zajc, Rijeka, 2006 Zagreb Youth Theatre, 2007

Orchestra

HKD The atre); in Pula, Hristo Boychev’sTita nic and P. P. Pasolini’sLittle Fish(Istrian Na tional Theatre); in Zagreb, Janusz Glowacki’s Fourth Sis and A. S. Pushkin’sBlizzard (Gavella ter Dra ma Theatre), W. A. Mozart’s Magic Flute(Zag - rebSo Puppet Theatre), I. Šimić’s Parachutistsand prano S. Šesto’s Boom Tommy(Small Scene); in Split, A.P. Chekhov’s Uncle Vanyaand E. Ionesco’sBald (Croatian National Theatre Split). The marginal theatre KNAP had its first hit pro- duction, Mr. Ladder’s Sense of Life, directed by Saša Anočić, yet another interesting author in Croatian theatre. The innovative author group

Sha dow Casters, which has been increasingly positiondrawing the attention of both professionals and broader audiences with their theatrical experi- ments, performed their urban theatre projectEx- in the abandoned factory Gorica in central Zagreb as well as at numerous festivals at home and abroad, winning the Special Jury Prize at the 2007 edition of BITEF √ Belgrade International Theatre Festival. Buying up old cinema theatres that have lost their battle with modern multiplexes has become a most welcome trend in Zagreb, bringing hope for the launching of more performing venues. Thus the cinema Apollo (formerly known as Olympus and Kozara) was allocated to the independent Theatre Company Histrion, a group that has been cherishing the populist theatrical style ever since the early 70s. City authorities have undertaken the renovation of the cinema Lika (in Ilica, the main

8 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 9 A. S. Pushkin,Blizzard,directed by Aleksandar Ogarjov, Gavella Dra ma Theatre, Zagreb, 2007

street in central Zagreb) allocating it to the Zagreb danceBesides some rare foreign guest productions in community, the strongest in Croatia, but renovationCroatian theatres throughout the season, Croatia works have been halted due to unresolved real-estatehas three significant international theatre festi- issues. All this is happening in a situation where thevals that strive to be the window to the world for launching of the Dance Centre is impatiently awaited asthe still hermetic local scene. These are the World Zagreb dance groups have no regular venue for present-Theatre Festival, www. the atrefestival.hr (festival ing their productions, instead moving from theatre toof emi nent theatre personas) and Eurokaz, www. theatre barely managing to obtain dates for performanc-eurokaz.hr (festival of new theatre) in Zagreb, and es that are far too expensive for their meagre budgets.the Inter na tional Small Scenes Festival in Rijeka, Similar plans are in the works for yet another old cinemawww. theatrefestival-rijeka.hr (festival of cham - theatre, which would become the home of Croatianber theatre). There is also Contempo rary Dance National Theatre Drama, which now shares the stageWeek, www.danceweekfestival.com, the oldest with Opera and Ballet. This situation has become intoler-and most renowned festival among those dedicat- able as none of the National Theatre ensembles have eda to dance art. The oldest festival of puppetry is sufficient number of premiere and re-run dates. PIF √ International Fes tival of Puppet Theatre. The ever-shrinking space for theatre reviews in the dailyBoth festivals are held in Zagreb. press indicates a crisis of theatre critique in recent years.During the summer, festivals move to the Adriatic Cultural sections are being remitted (Vjesnik, Večernji Coast √ a logical occurrence for a Mediterranean list, Jutarnji), while the number of pages dedicated to country such as Croatia. The oldest and the lar- culture is constantly decreasing. Their place is being gest summer festivals are the Dub rovnik Summer appropriated by advertisements, commercials or bom- Festival and Split Summer Festival, which are pri- bastic articles from the world of entertainment and marily international theatre and music festivals written in idiosyncratic regional language idiomsthe authors have not had luck with first director spectacle. A good production or an outstanding artist is with a site-specific orientation. The Split festival of (Dubrovnik dialect, Čakavian, Kajkavian) but those playsinterpretations of their plays. Zagreb Youth The- not news, but a scandal, usually of the lowest level and are rarely staged (we had the chance to see an interest-atre (ZKM) is again in the lead when it comes to related to a celebrity, definitely is. A more consistent fol-domestic drama and author theatre √ Marulić ing production of staging these authors. In their reper toire they fea- lowing of events in theatre and dramatic arts is then leftDays √ held each year in April, is important for Lucretia or We Might Say Gluttonby an man-Bomb/Europeture the theatre trilogy to specialised magazines that, naturally, have no massinciting the staging of local authors √ both con- anonymous 17 th-century author at the Rijeka Nights Arche type: Medea/Wo temporary and classic √ on Croatian sta ges. The Festival). We therefore hope that the 500th reception. There are two such magazines: anniversary of by Ivana Sajko (1975), innova t - festival features the best local and foreign pro- - the great Renaissance comedy author, Dubrovnik-born ively directed by three women-directors: the aut- ductions based on Croatian texts. When we speak Marin Držić, is welcome in 2008, when a number of hor herself, Dora Ruž djak Podolski and Franka Theatre, about domestic texts, we need to empha sise that Držić’s comedies and pastorals are due to be staged. Perković. There is also the latest play by Tena which is conceptualized to give an account of theatre there is still too little in Croatian theatre. Older As for contemporary drama, Croatian playwrights of mid- Štivičić (1977), events in Cro atia, and Croatian literature abounds in dramatic heritage Fire , directed by Janusz Kica, Frakcija, more inclined to alterna- and younger generations (born between 1960 and 1978) flies while her best play to date, tive theatre and theory. They are both published two or form the stronger segment of Croatian theatre. Local Fragile, was staged by three times a year, de pending on financial capacities, theatres are still insufficiently interested, while many ofthe Slovenian Youth Theatre in Ljubljana. Nina which are, as a rule, modest. Mitrović (1975) writes outstan ding plays, such as

10 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 11

2CROATIAN THEATRE 12

side Down, This Bed is Too Short or Just Fragments When We Dead Slaughter Each Other, Neighbour theat these texts have had their premie Lukrezia, Rijeka Summer Nights, 2007 res as well abroad (Slo directed by Jagoš Marković, venia, Bosnia-Herzegovina,

res in several Croatian

ho od Up

And .

-

Mortem Trilogy (1975) in post-war syndrome: Du Macedonia). Several authors deal with the The Frog , Lada Kaštelan (1961) in , Mate Matišić (1965) in brav

ko Mihanović

Before

Post

Sleep Jump on These Clouds Šovagović (1966) in ships is Elvis Bošnjak (1971) with his plays modern sensitivity dealing with male-female relation- commercial degradation of Croatian theatre space. toire and aesthetic profile, thus struggling against the insti tal side of Croatian theatre. Last but not least, some the exploratory and experimen- projects are nurturing that urban theatre the borders of their homeland and are being translated all the more and staged beyond up writing remarkable and actual plays in this period, that Croatian playwrights, who have not given news is examples from foreign theatre practice. The good international festivals in Za theatre is gradually being cured thanks to the claustrophobia and self-appeal, Croatian sufferer of play (Virovitica City Theatre) and Miro Gavran (1961) in his duction Euro is a dignified representative of Croatian theatre at that (Med that have brought liveliness to the Croatian scene past period is marked by author projects All in all, this talism in transition times. din) tackle the subject of presence brutal capi- Vidić in his play tutional theatres have gained a distinctive reper-

pean and world festivals (Rajković/Jelčić’s pro- ee,Aoi) n eas a first production a vešek, Anočić), and we also had Norah Today

, Ivan Vidić (1966) in On the Other Side

(Cro Life in the Shadow of Bananas Bricky atian National Theatre Varaž

and Big White Rab . A remarkable author of ). After being a long-time

greb and Rijeka good

Wires and Ra

bit zors

and Filip Let’s Go . Ivan

- Theatre KNAP, Zagreb, 2006 Mr. Ladder’s Sense of Life , directed by Saša Anočić, 2/2007 13 Hrvoje Ivanković On the Other Side,Zagreb Youth Theatre, 2006 NATAŠA RAJKOVIĆ AND BOBO JELČIĆ ∑ ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THEATRICAL ILLUSION

Bobo Jelčić (1964) and Nataša Rajković (1966) are the most promi - renowned author tandem in contemporary Croatian theatre.nent theatre critic, pronounced the text of this Although their professional vocations might suggest aperformance, clas- even though “invented”, “the sical director-dramaturg relation √ Bobo being a graduatebest ofplay that has appeared recently in Cro- Theatre Directing and Nataša of Comparative Literatureatia. In√ his review he wrote: “ themes”. Dalibor Foretić, ObservationsCroatia’s mostis a they sign all their performances together along with author unique theatrical experience, in which specta- projects in which directing, dramaturgy and the creation of tors are also individualised, thinking that as dramatic text are a single indivisible work and where the voyeurs they are observing other people’s lives contribution of the actors working on individual projects is while being unaware of the fact that the peo- abundant and distinctive. Nataša and Bobo began their col- ple from those lives are actually observing laboration in 1993 when they staged Botho Strauss’ play them… Although it uses elements of happen- ing and performance, Tourist Guideat the Gavella Drama Theatre. The several per- Observationscould be formances that followed were mainly based on German liter-defined as a play of everyday life. This is a dra- din Stories ature. Yet the true beginnings of what is known in Croatiamatic form that creates the illusion of every- today as “the theatre of Bobo Jelčić and Nataša Rajković”day life through the theatrical estrangement was the performance Observations(with the subtitle:Varaž effect. Elements of estrangement and illusion - ), staged in 1997 at the Croatian National Theatreplace it within the postmodern genre, so in Varaždin. It was an absolute novelty in the otherwise stan-essen tially different from naturalism and dardised offering of Croatian theatres, both aestheticallyverism, and which strive to imitate the authenticity repertoire-wise. Instead of using the stage, Bobo and Natašaof life.” took their actors and spectators (a maximum number ofThe fifty) success of this performance both in the for a stroll through the backstage spaces of the Varaždineyes the- of the critics and the audience enabled atre, thus implying a walk through everyday-life situationsNataša and Bobo to continue developing their and spaces (post office, street, park, phone booth, flats…)experimental in theatrical concept. They found which thirteen actors and actresses played themselves,their re- temporary “home” at the ITD Theatre in interpreting their own life stories. The characters, situationsZagreb where they made two productions: and the text of the performance were created spontaneous- ly, during the rehearsals. Yet the series of fragments from the “banal everyday life” were assembled in a dramaturgi-Slowing Down(1998) and Precarious Story cally solid and comprehensive whole. As the same charac-(1999). Gathering a smaller, five-member ters appeared in different scenes, the spectators weregroup and moving to an “integrated perform- offered the possibility of “reconstructing” their individualance space”, Bobo and Nataša advanced their dra mas, undoubtedly insignificant to the theatre’s method of working with actors as collateral authors of a performance, while bringing the “great

14 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 15 Workshop for Strolling, Talking and Inventing, Dubrovnik Summer Festival, 2003

at once realistic (not real!) and poeticised, the- event in Austria in 2000. Meanwhile, Bobo and atrical; or perhaps better said: ironic. Each Nataša continued experimenting with their realistic situation, even the simplest of emo- theatrical concept: they staged the perform- tions, is being observed from several different ance City within a Cityat the Zagreb Youth perspectives. While the audience is being Theatre (1999), in which they temporarily gave shifted from state to state, what is expected fictitious names to their characters and placed from them is to be ready to constantly change them in a somewhat wider social context (a their attitude towards the presented story and company undergoing bankruptcy), while in certain characters”. Nataša Rajković on the Hannover Schauspiel they experimented with other hand emphasises, “the mixing of the interactivity in the performance Heim real and unreal, the pragmatic and irrational”, spiel as the fundament of such “realism”. Dissect - (2002), enabling the audience to partly conduct ing the everyday life of a social microcosm the stage actions. With the introduction of the (mother, two daughters, son and the boyfriend audience among the actors, the stage is of one of the daughters) in these two perform- entirely deprived of its traditionally hierarchi- ances, Bobo and Nataša continued probing cal position of being an untouchable and the closed inner worlds, investigating what sacred performance space. The next step lies behind the communication routine and could have been easily predicted: the com- mechanics, and experimenting with the capa- plete abandoning of the stage and tackling city of theatre to shed light on a particular authentic life stories in authentic spaces. event from different perspectives, and in this Bobo and Nataša made this step in the per- way utterly subverting the notions of “real” formance Workshop for Strolling, Talking and and “truthful”. In venting , at the Dubrovnik Summer Festival entsin 2003, as well as in their laboratory works within the project X Wohnungen(X Apart m- Precarious Storytoured with great success in ), in which they took part in 2003 (Duis- Wales, Sibiu, Bruxelles (Kunsten Festival des burg), 2004 and 2005 (Berlin). The Dubrovnik relation of fiction and reality to a more complex level through Artes), Hamburg (Kamp na gel), Frankfurt Workshoptakes place in eight open-air and the selection of offered biographical/dramatic materials. (Mou sonturm), Munich (Spielart), Berlin inner spaces within the city walls. These are They thus created a hybrid genre format that balances (Schau bühne), Québec (Carrefour internation- spaces off main tourist tours, which is entire- between the documentary/reality show and theatrical con-al de théâtre), Hannover (Teatarformen) and ly logical for a story that is created beyond the vention. Their theatre began to be labelled as “New ReaVienna- (Wiener Festwochen), where the cul- historical myths and the tourist glamour of lism”, which Bobo Jelčić tried to additionally explain in onetural of magazine this jet-set city. The heroes of the stories are Falterproclaimed the perfor- his interviews. “The kind of realism we deal with”, he said, “is the inhabitants of those spaces: the tenants of mance the second most important theatrical

16 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 17 Workshop for Strolling, Talking and Inventing, Dubrovnik Summer Festival, 2003

housewife Ursula Jagotzky, on the tenth floor of an enorsimply - “slaps the face with truths that are mous condominium building in Lichten berg, a settlement beingin thought rather than spoken out loud.” the former East Berlin. Mrs. Jagotzky and her lonely lifeAnd those truths have nothing to do with poli- story, in which the “focal point” is one Sunday in 1972 whentics or the high spheres of social life but with she drew 5 numbers in the Lotto game, is at the centre of thecommon everyday relations among neigh- process of the “theatricalisation of reality”, typical for bours and friends, parents and children… This Nataša’s and Bobo’s directorial-dramaturgical procedure. might partly serve as the ex planation for the The elderly lady’s story is brought to life by the young actress Inga Hampel, while the unfolding of the action extraordinaryis success of this production accompanied by Bobo’s and Nataša’s assistant Ivana Sajevićamong the widest possible range of theatre playing her own musical composition. audiences: besides tours in Croatia, this suc- cess was also confirmed in Belgium, Bosnia Lonely life stories are the basis of Bobo and Nataša’s latest and Herzegovina, Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia, production, Serbia and Switzerland. On the Other Side, staged again at the Zagreb In the meantime, Bobo and Nataša have begun Youth Theatre. New life was breathed into an already tried work on a new project at the Zurich Theater model: four actors create a comprehensive dramatic story am Neumarkt, while also preparing the shoot- through the process of working on the performance. “TheKnowing Aboutof their Me second film. The first film, play that is born out of that process abolishes the difference between the passive and the active”, between the subject and All You the object, between the central and the peripheral. Ironically, , which was shot in 2005, in a this procedure renews the “awareness” of the presence ofparticular way was the continuation of the pro- theatrical conventions. Thus one of the actors drags a realductions Observationsand Precarious Story. refrigerator onto the stage when wishing to offer his neigh-Bobo Jelčić, on the other hand, has the oppor- bour a drink , and the reflector that suddenly falls onto tunitythe to verify his theatrical concept through stage makes a direct intrusion into the “private” unfoldinghis of work with students at the Zagreb Academy events on the scene. Yet it seems that through their previousof Dramatic Arts, where he teaches acting, the home for the elderly, children, married couples in eter-atre as a fundamental postulate of the Dub- work with “ordinary people”, Bobo and Nataša have acquiredwhile in 2004 Nataša Rajković was made nal conflicts, laughingstocks and eccentrics. Fragments rovof nik Summer Festival dramatic programme a more emotional approach to the stories of their perform-Director of the Cultural Programme at the their stories interweave with ancient tales and legends of themight therefore easily be labelled as being ers so that the performance Student Centre in Zagreb, which houses one of locality. Ten young actors inconspicuously join this proces-anthological. the most propulsive Croatian theatres, ITD, On the Other Sidebears a sig- sion through the circle of life and death, helping assemble within its frame. It is within those similar parameters that Bobo nificantly maudlin and over-sentimentalist note that could the scattered fragments into a comprehensive dramaturgi- and Nataša evolved their theatre in the works not be subdued either by a number of black-humour ele- cal whole. In this performance with its Fellini-like atmos- of the ments or by the all-present Brechtian distance of actors phere, theatre and life intermingle into a truly inextricable X Woh project. Thus, for instan- nungen from their characters. That is why one has the impression web. The contribution of the ce, they discovered the space for their 2004 performance in the apartment of 84-year-old that this production, as the critic Helena Braut pointed out, Workshop to site-specific the-

18 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 19 Tajana Gašparović EXITTHEATRE, A SMALL OASIS OF A DREAM COME TRUE

Exit Theatre is one of the rare independent theatres Grinchin Stole Christmas(based on motifs from Croatia in possession of its own venue and with several pre-Theodore Geisel’s story of the same name) in mieres per season. It is the only theatre that is often labelled1993 that pointed to Matko Raguž’s strong as cult in domestic media, with a great number of hit pro-social consciousness which was to become ductions that reach over two hundred re-runs. con s picuous in the entire Exit produc- Exit repertoire. tions, acclaimed both by critics and audiences alike, particu- Grinchwas actually a children’s performance, larly attract the younger, more alternative-oriented popula- a humanitarian gesture by a few theatre peo- tion, even teenagers, which is a true rarity nowadays. Yet ple led by Raguž who performed it in the mid- despite the fact that it is one of the most awarded Croatian dle of the war in cities on the frontline and in theatres in the last ten years and one of the few that runs refugee camps. Exit was thus born out of a pe- according to the European model of actors’ auditions, Exit cu liar guerrilla energy which, in Raguž’s case, Western Railway Station,directed by Ksenija Zec, 2006 still continues to receive minimal state financial support.included Its the dimension of ethics, morale and poetics and repertoire are remarkably distinct, or, to puthonesty it √ traits rarely present in Croatian the- atre art √ the actor, while demonstrating how little can benia a (2005) examines in a critical-humorous more generally: it balances between experimental andatre. ex - His later performances remained on this lot. It is important to stress thatDecadence , withtotal acting way the state of affairs in mature capitalism, ploratory theatre √ an orientation cherished by course, narrowly bonding aesthetics with Exit’s Artistic in which an individual becomes an ego-corpo- ethics, i.e. a distinctive artistic expression with as its strongest feature, is still on Exit’s repertoire, which Director, director and actor Matko Raguž √ and commercial ration whose sole aim is to turn the world’s socially engaged themes that are everybody’s speaks for itself of its cult status. appeal that is imposed upon it by the reality of material cir- situation to their own advantage. Even though concern. cumstances. But, paradoxically, it is perhaps that constant Exit’s following two productions made an equally strongthe performance has lucid observations, the tension that has resulted in productions that are not only the Yet the first production that marked the found- impression: Imagoand Bouncers. Each applied the features systematically applied form of marketing peak of ing of already presented in Decadencein their own way.Imago presentation and the one-dimensionality of Exit’s repertoire, but of the entire Croatian theatre Exit in 1994 and powerfully outlined its the actors’ expressions wears out fairly scene. These are productions that encourage exploratory (1995), directed by Nataša Lušetić, was based on motifs from aesthetics was Steven Berkoff’sDecadence quickly, leaving passion yet do not envelop themselves in a hermetic elitism R. D. Laing’sKnots and co-produced by Gavella Drama The- Egoma , in spite of its inter- intelligible only to a few theatre experts. On the other hand,directed by Raguž, featuring √ besides the atre and was entirely founded on the performing discourse of nia esting concept, unfortunately well below the alre ady established actor Vili Matula √ the uni- contemporary mime (Nataša had also taken courses in the they never reach the level of tasteless commercial kitsch to level of cri tical sharpness and ludic playful- merely please a wider audience. Just as the lack of materialque actress Nataša Lušetić, who was crucial Paris school of Jacques Lecoq). It was a performance made ness that was so admired in Imago. means may have determined for Exit’s founding together with Raguž. Hav- for theatre aficionados, full of furious rhythm, the group Exit’s poetics of “poor theatre”, energy of the performers dominated by expressing stress ing freshly arrived from London where she John Godber’s Bouncers(1996) directed by where the stage is often almost bare, and the costumes very and aggression and accentuated humorous critical sharp- had graduated from the East 15 acting school, Raguž presented a continuation of two previ- plain, the art of acting √ in which verbal theatre tightly co- ness towards the accelerated world of briefcases, grey suits Nataša brought an entirely new acting style ous productions in the sense of acting expres- exists with physical theatre and mime √ is the uncontested and the world of capitalism to which Croatia has just recent- that united word and mime to the stale atmos- sion uniting verbal and movement theatre, ruler of productions. ly been introduced, and Nataša was already then pointing to phere of Croatian theatre in the first half of the while bringing yet another feature of its negativities. Her latest multimedia project in Exit’s The energy of guerrilla: Aesthetics in symbiosis with ethics1990s. Decadenceis an economicalperform- Exit wasproductions √ the momentary actor’s power of It was already Exit’s first informal production Howof theance that brings us back to the source of the- conceived much along the same lines and subjects. Egomatransformation (each actor in te rprets several -

20 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 21 S. Berkoff,Decadence, directed by Matko Raguž, 1994 J. Godber,Bouncers, directed by Matko Raguž, 1996

ularity not only among theatre audiences but also among the teenage population. This was partly due to the ban to all schools against organising visits to the performance, issued by the-then Minister of Education and instigated by a letter from an embittered priest speaking of, I paraphrase, “the amoral, cursing and vul- gar performance that will mislead the youth”.

Bouncerswas a vehement performance full of performers’ adrenaline, in which just four actors with the energy of perfectly harmonised play, interspersed with effective rap songs and typified gestures, evoke, even on the most lit- eral spatial set design level, the night world of disco-clubs, drinking, drugs and endless par- tying. The set was superfluous as it was creat- ed by the actors’ body language. Despite its wit and performing appeal, the dark picture of yet another lost young generation depicted by the performance left a bitter aftertaste of empti- ness and lack of perspective after the show. It is this effort to shape serious social themes, even taboos, theatrically and in a humorous way without blunting its critical edge that is another important feature of

Exit’s poetics. How to artistically shape the banality of every- roles) √ to its peak. Apart from that,Bouncers was, much like day life is a frequent question to which Decaden , exceptionally well adapted in the sense of dram- Exit ce aturgy and language to the local milieu, which, along with thestrives to offer possible answers. frequent choice of texts by contemporary Anglo-SaxonA new actors’ generation ripensExit in dramatists usually not previously staged in Croatia, is yet Raguž’s interest for marginal social groups, another distinct feature of Exit. It is certainly worth mention- losers and social outsiders as well as various ing that it was Bouncersthat providedExit with its cult pop- forms of urban loneliness and estrangement

22 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 23 Only God Knows,directed by Saša Anočić, 2004

the actors that excelled again: the young trio of certain social groups. By the beginning of the new millen- perfectly fit intoExit ’s rebellious, socially nium,Exit ’s productions, significantly refreshed with the act- engaged profile, bringing along a new creative ing energy of the young graduates from the Academy of Dra- energy and acting expression that balanced on matic Arts, seemed to be focusing more strongly on the indi- the edge from hyper-convincing film acting to vidual, his/her almost existential loneliness and the desper- grotesque distortion. It was the same group of ate need for love, along with the issue of establishing per- young actors, joined by Hrvoje Kečkeš, who in meating interpersonal, often male-female re lationships. The 2001 perform ed in production of Exit’s first production for Only God Knowsopened up these questions in children and youth, Adrian Mole(still on the a painful and candid way, at the same time not ignoring Cro- repertoire), based on Sue Townsend’s novel, atia’s social context as a typical transition country. Although carried out in collaboration with the Children’s the majority of Exit’s productions are born out of a long-term Theatre Smiley and directed by Nataša Luše- process in which the actors are not merely interpreters but tić, who directed the actors towards a precise- also co-authors of the productions, ly profiled mime style. It was more or less the Only God Knowsis a pro- same team of actors that carried out subse- duction in which the actors’ authorship (Daria Lorenci, quent productions that have strongly marked Rakan Rushaidat and Bojan Navojec) is its most conspicuous Croatian theatre at the turn of the millennium: trait. Together with the director, they are the authors of the Stefan Kolditz’s monodrama text that was born, as was the entire production, out of many Eva Braun(2001) improvisations. Although documentarism is at its base, the directed by Edvin Liverić, where Daria Lorenci production actually scrutinizes in a multi-faceted way the playing the role of Hitler’s mistress definitely principles of play described in Huizing’s Homo Ludens: play confirmed herself as one of the most dedicat- as fight, contest and as performance. Thus the border ed and charismatic young actresses; David between living and presenting is blurred, while the actors’ Exit √a shelter for the misfits Harrower’sKnows Knife in Hens(2002) and yet anoth- play offers us multi-faceted mirroring. Besides the symbol- As for the people who have been engaged with er of Exit’s cult performances,Only God ics of play, what distinguishes this performance from the Exit, it is interesting to observe several things. was yet again manifest in his staging of Berkoff’sEast (2000), (2004). Both of the latter performances genre of documentary is the grotesque oddness of certain First, it seems thatExit , given the themes it the first performance that served as a generational stepping- were realised in co-production with the scenes that are akin to Monty Python’s poetics with their deals with, is a sort of shelter for outstanding pungent humour. In the best tradition of out for acting students √ Daria Lorenci, Rakan Rus haidat and Independent Artistic SceneBaru from tana Exit, the productionindividuals who are not entirely adapted to the Franjo Dijak √ who were to become the carriers of Osijek and directed by Saša Anočić. Exit’s of Only God Knowssucceeds in being funny, dramatic andCroatian theatre scene. Many of them are not repertoire in the years to come and as such launch them- just actors as they reflect upon theatre in an What might be called the first phase of Exit’s sad at the same time; grotesquely twisted and psychologi- authorial way and have usually studied and selves to the very top of the young generation of Croatianexistence in the 1990s was often characterised cally nuanced; one of the few productions that manage to lived extensively abroad (besides Nataša actors. Much like previous dramatic texts, Eastwas adaptedby criticism of the society we live in, in which mirror the endless and immensely diverse energy of life Lušetić, there are Mladen Vasary and Željko thematically and linguistically to the local milieu while it wasindividuals were often typical representatives itself.

24 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 25 6CROATIAN THEATRE 26

which is again in the spirit of the sound of his own movements). Another interesting fact, children’s performance in which the dramaturgical function Berg’s Edvin Liverić and Saša Anočić to Zijah Sokolović (Sybille Matko Raguž and Nataša Lušetić to the already mentioned in h one-man show tion, the Vukmirica √ author and performer of tors working in and Rene Medvešek ( female relations in the modern world a humorous way) exceptional actors’ creations, questioning estranged male- SHAKEspeare on EXit

Dog, Woman, Man Exit

, directed by Matko Raguž, 2006 And the Tree Was Happy

are often professional actors: from Mr. Single

, 2004; another production with Exit speis is that the direc- ’s poetics,

fa lonely man producing of Exit ’s 1999 hit produc-

03 a subtle , 2003;

EXit prepared 2006 production of currently searching for its identity. The long- actors’ creations, it seems to me that spite of high-quality productions and brilliant students. Yet, in feature young acting again of although the performance, much in spirit have displayed masterful acting skills and the actors ironic distance. Still, even though works in a virtuoso rhythm and with much Shakespeare’s ruse: three actors perform Matko Raguž, is based on an entertaining means “drink to the bottom”), directed by After the young actors who marked way). of music has been used in a most original open to exploration, a permanent actors’ ensemble and that it is not have existence. Given the fact that it does tentatively speaking, the third phase of its The mime performance exercises at the Academy of Dramatic Arts. last two productions emerged from student fessional but still entertaining theatre. The age to surpass the level of a skilful, highly pro- man- does not ty in Croatia, the performance the stale theatre atmosphere and social reali- educational acting methods of the Academy, theatres to film √ active in various other spheres √ from first years of the new millennium became Exit (a play on words √ “on ex” in Croatian

, contains many critical allusions to the

Exit Exit a entered into, again has

’s latest productions

Western Railway

SHAKEspeare on

Exit Exit in the

is

Station cisely what integral part of any exploration path. And this is pre- are an However, the wanderings and occasional circlings around mation. performing level √ an effective mastery of actors’ transfor- ordinary people that balances between funny and sad; on the atre: on the content level √ a socially engaged story about strongly referring to the already tried methods of this the- progress of the Master Class run by Academy and Exit, author project of director Ivica Boban, created as a work-in- What Do You Mean I’m Not Here? creativity. tricks in order to depict the world of infantile imagination and er to each other, using the language of clowns and magic two beings to get clos- attempt by story on loneliness and the

(2006) by author Kse

What Do You Mean I’m Not Here? Exit strives to do: explore while holding onto its nija Zec is an exceptionally warm , directed by Ivica Boban, 2007 (2007) is the oasis of a dream come true. of the magazine. are in the Info Addresses segment at end numbers and dates of all mentioned festivals pe and Contact addresses theatre critic once said nicely, sidered as theatre: a well-known Croatian why it is much more than what usually con- own aesthetic and ethical convictions. This is

rsons, telephone Exit is a small 2/2007 27 newcroatian plays

28 CROATIAN THEATRE DARKO LUKIĆ TESLA (1962)

Title: TESLA Received his B.A. in Comparative Literature, Theatrology and Philosophy Premiere: Mittelfest, Italy (Pandur.Theaters in co-production with Ulysses Theatre), 2006 at the Faculty of Philosophy in Sarajevo, his M.A. in Theatrology in Belgrade Number of characters: 4 female + 20 male and his Ph.D. at the Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb. A dramaturg and theatre Length: 23 scenes theoretician, he was General Manager of ITD Theatre in Zagreb from 1998 to Translations: English 2003. He is a professor at the Department of Theoretical Works on Theatre, Contact: [email protected] and he also publishes prose works. Positive Plays (selection): SUMMARY: A Dream of Sarajevo(1991),Plastic Camellias(1997), The dramatic action follows the life of the famous scientist unfolding backwards, from 1943 towards Tesla’s Argonauts √ Ship Diary(2000),Queens (2002),The Importance of Being childhood. In his three incarnations differing by age (young, old and mature age), Tesla encounters his bene- (2004),Hope from the Closet(2004),Tesla (2006). factors and plagiarists, admirers and men of political power, family members, friends and platonic female loves. The action begins with a conversation between the old Tesla and Kenneth Sweezy, writer and close friend, flowing from confluence towards the source, delineating Tesla’s life path full of the lack of under- standing of his milieu, financial problems and lack of acknowledgment of his genius. Conversations inter- change in a swift rhythm of sketched fragments. Tesla’s affinity towards Robert and Kate Hudson and Antal Szigety, his rivalry with Michael Pupin and Thomas Alva Edison as well as the battle for financial means with men of power like J. P. Morgan and Hobson √ all these scenes follow one another in Lukić’s play all the way to the scientist’s youth and life at his parents’ home in the village of Smiljan. The play ends where it began: with the news of Tesla’s death and a hint of the existence of a number of important inventions that are never to see the light of day.

ON THE AUTHOR’S POETICS: Darko Lukić with

Teslaproves over and again that he is a skilful dramatist, thorough in his preparation of material and meticulous in elaborating motif complexes. Instead of writing a romanticised biography of the great scientist, Lukić develops a composition of the work in a particular, almost essayistic way, deriving the dramatic conflict mainly out of Tesla’s social contacts. The regressive structure of the dramatic action ques- tions the traditional linear concept of time and breaks up the predictable structure of usual biographic dra- matic attempts. The story of Tesla is not a study of an isolated genius but a mirror of a great part of the 19th- and 20 th-century social and political situation in the world, which Lukić presents in his work with great suc- cess. The main character is delineated with great integrity, in spite of the fragmentary and essayistic manner of presenting the material. Tesla is depicted as a man aware of his fate of unrecognised genius, whereas the lukićother characters function as mediators whose influence on the protagonist guides the dramatic action, thus creating a comprehensive study of the great scientist.

30 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 31 Tesla,directed by T. Pandur,Pandur.Theaters in co-production with Ulysses Theatre, 2006 EXCERPT FROM THE PLAY:

6. MEMENTO √ Catherine Johnson TESLA: There is no dead matter, Catherine, every- Catherine Johnson and Tesla. thing shimmers throughout the entire endless universe, everything moves and lives. It LIVES!!! CATHERINE Clear formulae of time relations. CATHERINEsits : ... but you are as silent as ever. Act 1. Scene 3. TESLA absentmindedly: I’m just lonely...

Tesla alone. As always. Standing still. As always. Tesla leaves. Tesla leaves. Tesla leaves. Catherine Johnson enters, one of the most adored women of New York high society. Her elegant CATHERINEalone, as always: Don’t let me wait too long... perfume satiates the room. Tesla stares at her. She is waiting. As always. Tesla enters. Tesla enters. He walks slowly towards her. He touches her skin. He is smiling. She feels his lips on her TESLAspeaks slowly: Is that you, Catherine? neck. Catherine enjoys this. He is kissing her √ CATHERINE whispering: It’s me, dear. You haven’t where she hasn’t been kissed before. Tesla forgotten me, have you? enters her. Catherine trembles. Pure electricity lights up her body. The sensa- TESLA sits: ...they told me you’d also died. Yes... tion of a new life overwhelms her. CATHERINE quickly: I’m here. You know I’m always here. CATHERINEsarcastically: And now she knows that it would never happen. TESLA tenderly: So... You haven’t forgotten me either? Good night, Mr. Tesla. TESLA: Good night, Catherine. CATHERINE closing her eyes: I forgot how to forget. I have been deprived of pain already for a long Tesla washing his hands. Catherine is watching. time. And nothing is mine anymore, except memories. Someone should be looking after you. CATHERINE: Tesla is washing his hands compul- sively. Good night, Mr. Tesla... TESLA deeply in love: You should have stayed. TESLA: Good night, Catherine. CATHERINE smiling: Do you remember how you CATHERINE: Tesla is washing his hands compul- would always laugh at me when I would tell you sively again. Good night Mr. Tesla... about the bond between souls, about spiritism and the afterlife ... about Madame Blavatsky ... TESLA: Good night, Catherine. I had to die so that you would finally accept that I was right.

32 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 33 BORIVOJ RADAKOVIĆ WHAT NOW? (1951)

Title: WHAT NOW? Received his B.A. in Comparative Literature and Yugoslav Studies and Literature Premiere: Satirical Theatre Kerempuh, 11.1.2002 at the Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb. He has published several novels and col- Number of characters: 2 female + 3 male lections of stories as well as translated a number of contemporary writers, main- Length: Two-act play ly from the English-speaking part of the world. In 2002, he published a collection Translations: English of plays Blue City. He lives and works in Zagreb. Contact:[email protected]

Plays: Welcome to the Blue Hell(1994),Miss Skyscraper for Miss World(1998), SUMMARY: What Now?(2002). Josip and Biba and their children Inka and Denis are members of the Zagreb family Bužek. They live in a small apartment with Josip’s father Ivan. Through a series of tragic life circumstances, a seemingly harmo- nious family co-existence falls apart. Josip’s and Biba’s marriage is dysfunctional. Josip has a mistress, his retired father Ivan is an alcoholic; Denis doesn’t manage to enrol at the University, while Inka feels unloved and neglected. The trigger that sets the action in motion is Denis who becomes a heroin addict. His addiction results in a total family collapse. Denis turns from a family darling into a bum and thief. Burdened with debts, he leaves the family home and lives in the street, while the rest of family deals with this each in their own way. Ivan drowns himself in alcohol; Josip spends more time with his mistress than at home; Biba and Inka kill time with idle hope for Denis’ recovery. As the first prospective trial of Denis’ recovery fails, a tragic end is imminent in spite of Josip’s return home. The Grandfather dies in the arms of his drugged grandson. Realising what has happened, Denis is incapable of uttering anything else than: What now?

ON THE AUTHOR’S POETICS: What Now? is the concluding part of Radaković’s trilogy Blue City that also includes Welcome to the Blue Hell and Miss Skyscraper for Miss World. The distinctive features of all three plays are the urban motifs of the fall of the ruined middle class in Croatia following the exhausting war of the 1990s. Yet while in his first dramatic work he deals with the provocative relation between a football fan group and authorities and in its continua- tion with a trivial trial of escape from the monotony by way of a beauty contest, in What Now? Radaković goes one step further in questioning the attitude of the closest relatives towards a drug addict. The private hell of a small family is depicted here merely as a concise sketch of the general climate in a society with no mecha- nisms to fight against the heroin plague. Radaković’s style is harsh and uncompromising in a rock ’n’ roll way, the dialogues realistic and truthful, written in the authentic urban Kajkavian dialect. What Now? is a true document of its time, precise in its description of frustrations and the helplessness of individuals, but also radakmerciless in seekingović the cause of such a state of matters in society.

34 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 35 EXCERPT FROM THE PLAY:

Image VIII Is there a heart under that shield, is there blood (Slap) flowing, maybe your kidneys hurt…?” Out of the Scene 1 √ Deni, Josip question! Just give, give, give! You never asked if I What now?, directed by P. Veček, was happy with life… You never asked if someone JOSIP: You’ve done it again, haven’t you? Ha? Satirical Theatre Kerempuh, Zagreb, 2002 was guilty for my life, if someone ruined my DENI: I think… dreams. You never asked if I felt so bad that I JOSIP: You think? You think at all? Is there anything would blow myself up and not ever see any of you in that head of yours that could think? Why are you again, that I’d rather not be at all, and let every- staring at me like a bloody fool? Just look at you: thing go… to hell! You never asked anything! But idiot! Ah, ( I’ll tell you something. I’ll tell you something that waves with his hand) there’s no reason would surprise you if you weren’t such an idiot. to talk to you… ( he turns away to leave). (Ironically) For the first time in my life, I’ve got DENI: That’s what I’ve been telling you. someone who I can tell everything! As you were a tree! Listen then: you almost got a brother, you JOSIP ( Turns abruptly): What?! know? Brother, yes! A little bro. (He waves his DENI: That there’s no sense. In anything. Life has no hands as if swinging a baby) Yeah! But not twenty sense. years ago, yesterday! You heard well √ yesterday. JOSIP: You’re gonna tell me about the sense of life, if And with another mom… And then I told her: it’s there or not? You came up with that, like… You “I won’t have it!” I don’t want a new life! I don’t gave it a hard thought, right? And you got it, right? want to have a new jerk! I won’t give them a new You really thought it over, right? man for their shit, their wars, I won’t give another DENI: There is nothing… There’s no sense… life for their arms; I won’t make them a new life JOSIP: No sense, you say? No responsibility, that’s what so that they can ruin it with drugs, as they ruined you mean. Responsibility. That’s the easiest way, you! And I told her √ have the abortion. I won’t my boy √ giving it up. And let others work for you. spend the little I’ve got left of my nerves for a new Let others work their butts off, and you just keep on creep. One like you! Look at you, just look at you! waiting. You’d stuff yourself with any bloody thing in And you’re gonna tell me about life having no this world. But you won’t give anything away. You are sense! Then die! Die before you ruin us all, die! sheer darkness, the darkest, gloomiest… You’re a Die! ( black hole, the darkness that devours everything. But it makes no difference to talk to you or a wall. There’s nothing in you but drugs and the money you Slaps Deni) Die!... gave for it. Something else? Words, thoughts, brainsDENI ( Falls to the ground speechless) √ no way! Emotions? Did you ever ask some of us how we felt? Did you ask your mom? Did you come JOSIPto the Stares (couch at him in awe): Where is your strength? to me and say: “Listen, old man, you fool, you idiot..”, hisWhere arm around is your himstrength?Pulls ( him up, drags him whatever √ did you ask: “Listen… you rhinoceros… ) Get up! Fight!Sits ( next to him, puts do you need something in life, is it hard for you? ) Son, where is your strength? ( Cries) Dark

36 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 37 IVANA SAJKO WOMAN-BOMB (1975)

Title: WOMAN-BOMB Received her B.A. in Dramaturgy at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zagreb and her M.A. in Premiere: Theaterlabor - Darmstadt, Germany, 2004 Literature at the Faculty of Philosophy. Her plays have been translated to several languages Number of characters: 1 female and staged in Croatia, Germany and the Netherlands. She is co-founder of the theatre group Length: 8 scenes BAD co. Her activities include theatre directing, dramaturgy, critique and theory, as well as Translations: English, German, Slovenian publishing prose. She is a lecturer at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zagreb. Contact: [email protected]

Plays (selection): SUMMARY:

MutterOrange Courage in Cloudsand Her(1998), ChildrenReconstructions √ a Comic Funeral of the Opening Sentence(1998), the Wall and Hooves in the Throat Woman-Bombopens with a self-referential statement from the author herself. On the eve of yet another 4 Dry Feet(1999),Archetype; Medea √ a Monologue for a Woman Who Occasionally Talks new war, frightened by the candour of her own sentence, she admits, the author conceives a monologue (2000),Rib Like Green Walls(2000),A Mass for the Pre-Election Silence, The Dead Man Behind of a woman-suicide bomber who comes to a convention dedicated to an unnamed powerful politician with (2002),Woman-Bomb (2003),Europe: a Monologue for a bomb attached to her waist. From there on the author passes the word to the protagonist who knows the (2004). target of her attack well. She has twelve minutes and thirty-six seconds left to live. Sajko asks herself as well as the others: What can one do when one knows there are still twelve minutes and thirty-six seconds to live? in noisyThe death. text continues halved into the monologue of the suicide bomber in expectation and the testimonies of witnesses and actors of terrorist acts in the twentieth century: from the Baader-Meinhof group to the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. Women are the most desirable recruits in suicide attacks, states the author. To her suicide bomber, the bomb is at once her child and her lover. Her short and quiet life of a woman will end

ON THE AUTHOR’S POETICS: Ivana Sajko is a dramatist whose works have been staged with success more often abroad than in Croatia, partly because her plays have no particular local colour and do not therely controversyon of exoticsbut rather scrutinise universal themes mainly anchored in dead-end situations. This work is structured as a twofold document of a moment imminently preceding a catastrophe. The feverish reflection of a politically motivated suicide bomber collides with the documentary nature of facts that provide the mono-play with its contextual frame. Ivana Sajko’s behind the heroic act? Woman-Bombis no remote and unfathomable fanatic of a foreign religion; with her Da Vinci-like nickname and Lou Reed’s Sweet Jane on her lips, she more resembles a neighbour- sajkhood girl who struggleso to answer the question: Is it a heroic act ending (…) in suicide or a suicide hidden

38 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 39 Arche , directed by I. Sajko, F. Perković, type: Medea/Woman-Bomb/Europe D. Ruždjak Podolski, Zagreb Youth Theatre, 2007 EXCERPT FROM THE PLAY:

7. “You keep saying that.” MY EARDRUM HAS BURST! Street. The excitement mounts. The earth It’s true. A sudden noise in my right ear quakes with the distant motorcade. Flags are “And what if there is?” Bloody worm! making a rustling paper sound. Flags are There ain’t. A thin stream of blood trickles out of my ear rising in the wind. A woman, looking like her “Would you like one?” The worm crawls through my eardrum face had been rolled into flour, makes her Too late now. towards my brain way into the first row. “Maybe it doesn’t go off?” He doesn’t hear the ticking of the clock any more tick-tock tick-tock It will. only the deep bass of the heart muscle tick-tock tick-tock “And if it doesn’t?” dum-dum dum-dum- dum-dum my bomb is a nervous worm I’d survive. the worm gnaws away climbing slowly up my spine “Like the rest of them.” the worm scares me crawling towards my head That’s only logical. the worm spikes my guns around my neck and under my hair “Would you like that?” the worm is a real danger to my project into my ear ... the worm is the voice of doubt the worm asks me: “I’ve asked you a question.” the worm is the enemy within “How long?” I heard. I know. the worm is a foreign body I’ve stopped counting. “Would you like to survive?” “You’re out of your mind.” I don’t wanna listen to it “Why don’t you look at the watch?” No. No. I forbid myself to listen to it It doesn’t matter anymore. “That’s some mantra?” “It’s not worth it.” “Better run while you still can.” Stop it. How would you know? I’m not afraid. “Who taught you that?” “You don’t understand.” “Sweet Jane, sweet sweet Jane...” “They’ll find you out.” Shut up. I’m not suspicious. “Who’re you protecting?” Youdon’t understand. the worm screams: “You’ve got a bomb!” Myself. “You’re impossible to talk to.” “Your brain is scraped drained whitewashed! And an innocent face. “I don’t believe a word.” Then shut the fuck up. Your brain is full of ciphers and unplugged! Only slo- “They’re giving you funny looks.” You don’t have to. “You’ll disappear without a trace.” gans and explosives! Have you ever looked inside? Who?! “What’s your name?” Already have. It’s terrifying: numb, grey, no air, nor signs of life!” “Turn around.” Mona Lisa. “Will you give up?!” Right. There ain’t NO EXIT from my brain. No. I mustn’t draw attention to myself. “Bullshit! You’re lying again.” NO! “Use that bloody worn out generator of yours! “They’ve noticed you anyway.” Prove it. NO! Turn the TV on! Louder! Zip the channels! Put your You can’t confuse me. “I know your real name.” My bomb is the worm in panic eyes on! Cut the wires! YOU HAVE ONLY FIVE “I want to help you.” What’s the use. I’ve forgotten it. squirming in my ear, shaking from fear MINUTES LEFT!!!” Liar. You wanna make me quit. “I’ll say it.” so my chin starts to shake, then my shoulders, Enough for glory. “Would you?” I won’t respond. arms, knees “Air your brain. Open all the windows! Switch No exit. “You don’t know what you’re doing.” the worm routs deep inside my ear yourself on! Let me out! I DON’T WANNA BE BOOM BLOWN AWAY !!!!” ? No exit, you treacherous worm.

40 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 41 ASJA SRNEC TODOROVIĆ DEAD WEDING (1967)

Title: DEAD WEDDING Received her B.A. in Dramaturgy and Film and TV Directing at the Academy of Premiere: &TD Theatre, Zagreb, 1990 Dramatic Arts in Zagreb. She writes plays, radio plays, short stories, screen- Number of Characters: 2 female + 2 male plays and essays, occasionally directing her own plays in theatres and makes Length: Prologue, 2 acts and 2 epilogues documentaries. Apart from Croatia, her plays have been produced in France, Translations: French while her radio plays have been broadcasted on BBC. Contact: Croatian Centre ITI [email protected] Plays (selection): SUMMARY: Green Room, Swing, Before Dawn, Touch, In the Hollowing Circle, Countdown A modest home where a Father, Daughter and dead Mother, who occasionally comes out of a closet where she dwells otherwise, live. The Daughter dreams ominous visions. From time to time, they are visited by the Groom who patiently tries to ask for the Daughter’s hand, in spite of the awkward timing given Mother’s recent death. The wedding is constantly being postponed. Memories gush forth… Until one day the closet doors open to reveal the Daughter sitting there instead of the Mother √ dead. And memories and gloomy omens still gush forth. The wedding is still on hold.

ON THE AUTHOR’S POETICS:

Dead Weddingis the first text by Asja Srnec Todorović that brought her great success in Croatian theatre at the beginning of the 1990s. As in the majority of her later plays,Dead in Weddingthe author questions the dark states of intimacy in a philosophical manner close to the Theatre of the Absurd, dissolving the bitter world in which time has been put on hold, where memories become the essential part of living and death and life make an inseparable entity. In this highly surrealistic world, communication is reduced to poetic monologues of powerful expressionistic scenes as well as rambling dialogues that fail to establish srneca true contact among thetodorovi characters for they remain imprisoned within the walls of their own loneliness. ć

42 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 43 Dead Wedding, directed by B. Violić, &TD Theatre, Zagreb, 1990 EXCERPT FROM THE PLAY:

Suddenly, the left wing of the closet opens. DAUGHTER: I was cold. The DAUGHTER sits in the closet, all bloody and MOTHER: And what will you do now? muddy. Her hair is wet. FATHER: Let her be. She should eat. We will think of something. DAUGHTER: I am beginning… DAUGHTER: I was waiting for a flash. It didn’t The GROOM screams. appear. I was waiting for pain. Nothing. FATHER: Don’t worry, we won’t let you end up in MOTHER: Finally! the cemetery. FATHER(runs towards the closet): Our baby is back… DAUGHTER: I’m hungry. MOTHER: You will decide by yourself what you want. The FATHER helps her come out. He accompanies her to the table. The DAUGHTER sits down. GROOM(stands up): And our wedding? FATHER: That depends on you. MOTHER: You need to warm yourself up. You must beGROOM: I hope you haven’t lost the ring. cold. The DAUGHTER extends her hand with pride. The DAUGHTER devours the food. MOTHER(grabs her hand): You are so cold! GROOM(whispers) : She is so pale! My baby has drowned. (Starts weeping.) FATHER: This happens when you expect too much. FATHER: Calm down. You will only upset her with It is all so humiliating. Look at your dress, it’s so your sobbing. dirty. MOTHER DAUGHTER (cries): Look at her! She is dead, dead! (keeps her head bowed): There is mud at DAUGHTER: Don’t cry. I am dead but I still came the bottom of the river. DAUGHTER(installs herself in the closet): I feel sleepy back home. I jumped out of the stretcher and The MOTHER stands up and stands still. from running. I ran to you. They watch her eating. MOTHER: And where will I sleep? DAUGHTER(obediently comes out of the closet): MOTHER: My daughter is dead. Where are those Forgive me, Mommy. DAUGHTER: You can’t see the sky when it is dark. FATHER: Let her be. You know how tired she is. people who took her out of the river? MOTHER There was no one at the shore. I struggled for a long MOTHER: This is my half of the closet. (installs herself in the closet): And now Will they come to look for her? empty the right side! time. The river was so hard. Rocks kept rushing intoFATHER: I’m not letting anyone into my house my face… I didn’t scream. Suddenly, everything beca- The DAUGHTER sits still in the closet. FATHER: The right side! So why did we tidy it up anymore. in the first place… me calm. I remained floating. Later, the sun appearDAUGHTER- MOTHER: Get out of my little den! ed and my blood became golden. I heard people’s MOTHER: Hurry up! The girl will freeze… (stands up): I feel dizzy. I need to DAUGHTER: But Mommy… I’m dead! voices. Someone screamed. They dragged me to the sleep. (Walks towards the closet.) MOTHER: There’s no excuse!(Starts weeping.)You are shore. Someone’s hand closed my eyes. I open ed sending away your only mother to a damp grave! The FATHER and GROOM take out items from them again. While they were lifting me onto the streGROOM:- Don’t let her go. We have to talk about To a creaky coffin! the closet. The DAUGHTER stands next to the tcher, I saw the shadows of branches on the river. the wedding. FATHER: There, there. Let her sleep a while. This is MOTHER and smiles contentedly. Then I remembered home. I let them carry me, andFATHER: Just take it easy… We’ll arrange every- just temporary. Besides, we will soon have our little then I slid to the grass. They weren’t looking for me. thing… GROOM wedding. (grabs the DAUGHTER by the hand): I am MOTHER: But why did you take up my side of the closet?still waiting for you…

44 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 45 SLOBODAN ŠNAJDER BRIDE OF THE WIND (1948)

Title: BRIDE OF THE WIND Received his B.A. in Philosophy and English Studies at the Faculty of Philosophy, University Premiere: Windsbraut, Stadttheater Bochum, Germany, 1998 of Zagreb. He co-founded and acted as editor of the theatre magazineProlog and as editor Number of characters: 3 female + 11 male of editions published by the publishing house Cekade. From 2001-2004 he was Managing Length: 25 scenes and the epilogue Director of the Zagreb Youth Theatre. He has been publishing novels, essays and plays Translations: German and Italian since 1966. He is a columnist of the daily newspaper Novi list. Since the beginning of the Contact: [email protected] 1990s, he has been frequently abroad, especially in Austria, Germany and France. His plays have been translated to several languages and performed all over Europe. SUMMARY:

Plays (selection): Bride of the Windis inspired by the biography of an actual person √ the actress Gemma Boić, who was born in Zagreb in 1883 and who achieved her artistic maturation in Vienna, where she took her life at the age Kamov Deathalogue, Držić’s Dream, Croatian Faust, Duman Silences, Bauhaus, of 32. Based on a mosaic dramaturgy, the play follows partly factual, partly fictitious excerpts from the life Snake’s Skin, Comfort of the Northern Seas, The Fifth Gospel of a melancholic-dissident woman, who deeply aspired for freedom and was prepared to pay the full price of that freedom. Yet, although we primarily follow Gemma’s tragic fate, through its numerous dramatic characters, Bride of the Windcreates a picture of a stagnant, amoral and primitive environment, theatrical as well as social, Croatian as well as Austrian, in thefin de siècleperiod, dissolving one of the fundamental dramatic conflicts √ that of a prominent, lonely individual and a corrupted society.

ON THE AUTHOR’S POETICS: Slobodan Šnajder is one of those rare Croatian playwrights who experienced theatrical success already in the 1970s and is still productive nowadays. His writing of dramatic biographies is always preceded by exten- sive research of public as well as intimate facts of the person he is writing about, along with social-political facts of their time. He mainly deals with prominent individuals, social outsiders, questioning through their existence motives frequently present in his opus, such as freedom and repression. Besides often establish- ing poetic intimate relations between characters, his writing is characteristic for its social-political activism and critique of the present system of values, which is often mirrored in the past time of his plays. He is distinctive for his mosaic-like, dispersed dramaturgy of threading scenes where time, space, reality and šnajdedreams dissolve and roverlap.

46 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 47 Bride of the Wind, directed by Ivica Boban, Croatian National Theatre, Zagreb, 2003 EXCERPT FROM THE PLAY:

GRIMALDI: What roles have you played to date? like this: heroic popular play with shooting, then GEMMA: Everything.(She takes out a paper.)Here are one-act plays where everything revolves around (He shows his empty pockets.)I’m tormented by eighty roles. THAT thing, and it wasn’t written by any Boccaccio, your humiliation. You still carry it with grace. GRIMALDI: You carry eighty different women in that pretty and finally a local writing notability played once for GRIMALDI: Dear Miss Boić: why don’t you pawnThat’s that a beauti-sign that you’reThings still aren’t young. going You’re well still for you. You’re hungry. head of yours? You are densely populated, lady. the writer’s family. ful fur coat of yours and buy yourself somethingcapable to of eat? flirting with everything and everybody: GEMMA: There’s a large crowd in me. GEMMA: I want to act. GEMMA: That’s out of the question. even with the thought of voluntary departure. GRIMALDI: Erase them. Purify yourself with some kind of GRIMALDI GRIMALDI: Is it a present from that pig you christened your (grabs his head): You know, what I fail to flying teacher? Latin lover, understand is the following: You have no idea of enema. Dry prunes are good for that. They always help me. I presume. It’s all right to fly with a lady. where we live. We are being bought in the market GEMMA: Have you seen my reviews? But to properly feed a female being, and a very good- like carrots. What you want to sell them, they don’t GRIMALDI: Here and there. Local matadors have had you in looking one by the way √ that no. their sights. You didn’t send a smile to some of them atwant: what they want from you, you won’t give them. the right moment. But all in all, very good. (Pulls up her skirt.)This is what it’s about, GEMMA: Well, aren’t these some kind of recommendationslady. I didn’t do much philosophising either that then? night in that little town on the edge of the Empire, GRIMALDI: You must be joking. You are the only one who when I had to save myself from an upcoming attack remembers reviews. Even the critics have long forgottenof melancholy √ and I know you are familiar with them. And I cannot sell a lexicon of world literature. Onethose states! I told them how a guy came to a Goethe rarely honours the audience with his presence.doctor, how he wanted to shoot himself and the And I am not his agent. There where I can sell you, it’s doctor told him… not important how you handle this or that role, but rather what you wear on you, how you carry your dress. (Silence) Do you even know how to walk? Come on, walk, walk a They were rolling with laughter. Well, what’s so little! funny, I asked, coming to the ramp, staring at (Gemma rises and makes a few insecure steps.) some fat guy in the first row. And they shot back That’s not good. Perhaps for the role of some geisha. from the dark: You! This is how a woman walks √ la donna, mi capisci √ in paperGEMMA: collar.) I hate our theatre like I hate the plague. GRIMALDI: Ah, but of course: criteria. today’s theatre. Pret-â-porter(Demonstrates.) See, it’s (Points to the all in the hips. Tits out, back straight, sizzling look… My sling is made of paper. I cannot Try with an apple on your head. This is no Wilhelm Tell! even properly hang myself, something any The fur is sensational √ if it’s really yours. And I know it apprentice can do. isn’t. (Removes his paper collar.)I read you from the firstGEMMA: But if he writes lyrical poetry, he must be moment: we are birds of a feather! But it’s worse if the married. paper rustles in the play than if you wear it around your GRIMALDI: I said: hang, not marry! Everything has its neck. So, you’ve played everything until now? And you own price. The lady wants her independence and would like to play everything from now on too? she is willing to pay for that independence. But ‘lo GEMMA: As things come, according to repertoire needs. and behold, the price seems to be too high. GRIMALDI: There where I can fit you in, the repertoire looksGEMMA: No price is too high for freedom.

48 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 49 TOMISLAV ZAJEC JOHN SMITH, PRINCESS OF WALES (1972)

Title: JOHN SMITH, PRINCESS OF WALES Received his B.A. in Dramaturgy at the Academy of Dramatic Premiere: Zagreb Youth Theatre, 2000 Arts and majored in Philosophy and Croatian Studies at the Number of characters: 1 female + 3 male University Centre for Croatian Studies in Zagreb. Besides dra- Length: one-act play matic texts, he writes and publishes poetry. He teaches at the Translation: English Academy of Dramatic Arts. His plays have been performed in Contact: [email protected] Zagreb, Sarajevo, Glasgow, Edinburgh and London. SUMMARY: John Smith is a car mechanic in a London suburb. He is divorced and in his late thirties, spending his days Plays (selection): in the car repair shop and his evenings in a small one-room flat, in which he finds solace in the glamorous Assassins, Pigs, Milk, New Nosferatu, Unlocked, Dorothy Gale world of the Princess of Wales, escaping from everything that is real. Imagining that he is Princess Diana, transforming into her, John Smith tells in his own way the tabloid-perceived truth about the People’s Princess. Yet, the royal environment is also far from ideal √ a fact that leads John Smith into a double trap. The whole story culminates one evening late in August when people from Smith’s real and imaginary world begin to threaten him increasingly, gradually cutting him off from any possible retreat.

ON THE AUTHOR’S POETICS: It was the one-act play

John Smith, Princess of Walesthat first drew the attention of the Croatian theatre public to Tomislav Zajec. This play features some of the essential characteristics of his distinctive author’s poetics: the influence of media culture on a manipulated individual, the grotesque vision of a dramatic world, the distorted picture of a society enchanted with tabloids, the black-humour and ironic distance from reality, the feelings of aimlessness and loneliness cherished by his characters. The manipulative media bring Zajec’s characters to the edge of losing control over their own lives in which reality and illusion begin to intertwine in zajeca dangerous way.

50 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 51 John Smith, Princess of Wales, directed by D. Ferenčina, Zagreb Youth Theatre, 2000 EXCERPT FROM THE PLAY:

WILLthe backKRONCKgrins ( and slaps John Smith on JOHN SMITH: If one could travel far enough so that every- the smallest ones such as soup that’s too hot, ): Well, Johnnie-boy, what about that thing ceases to be important and yet close enough to a traffic jam at Piccadilly, a Chanel suit a size too avoid loneliness. small or too large, whatever, cold afternoon tea, beer now? closer to him a belated Christmas card, the Queen’s address, JOHN SMITH ( WILL KRONCK (s still lost in thought, from his tands up, somewhat irritated): Come on tight shoes ( corner he puts on an old pink housecoat with ): ... beer? Johnnie. It’s only a scratch. A tiny little scratch. (Comes feathers and matching slippers ), a watch that ). I’ve seen it, I tell you. Two quid damage. WILL KRONCK goes( to the kitchen): Of course. stops or runs fast, an ugly photograph in the Sun, Really. Ten minute job to repair it. And it doesn’t mat- Nothing makes a man thirsty as a long dis- ladders in my stockings, a mislaid book, staticky ter, it doesn’t matter who did.... cussion. And we had a long one tonight, that’s noise on the wireless, a mismatched earring, a JOHN SMITH: Because I can no longer stand so much for sure. ( He laughs). But that’s what I always small scratch that bleeds, tasteless cornflakes, loneliness. anonymous hate letters, a crack in the wall, dust say √ each customer deserves full service. on photographs, an overflowing wastepaper bas- Hahaha. A brief pause in which John Smith, still sitting, wrings his ket, rusty nail scissors, peeling enamel bathtub, JOHN SMITH ( ( visible effort,goes after to thea pause chair and sits with hands and Will Kronck watches him totally dumbfound- he quickly applies make-up in front of the mirror ): Oh if only one ed, not knowing what to say or what to do. on the vanity), a fountain pen that does not could leave, escape, vanish. JOHN SMITHgets ( up and continues): ...I cannot stand write, ink that spills, a letter with blue stains, pine loneliness that is so alive it has turned real, or perhaps WILL KRONCK ( from the kitchen): You said needles on parquet floors, untidy closets, noise in it’s the other way round, it’s so real that it is palpable, something? the street, a crumpled newspaper, an important I can touch it, talk to it, resist it in vain, at night ... message lost, a pile of irrelevant messages, cold JOHN SMITH: If only one could get out. resist it ... and fail... rice pudding, a full perfume bottle, an empty per- WILL KRONCK ( WILL KRONCK ( fume bottle, a tennis racquet with no strings, very to John brings beers and passes one awkwardly retreats towards the door): small pictures of saints I don’t particularly like, ): What about a drink in the local? Johnnie-boy, I have.... ha ... now I ... don’t be angry but mislaid pictures of saints I like, television with the I have to ... take a leak ... is the can still ... in the same JOHN SMITH (in a crescendo, ignoring him): If volume off, cracked mirrors, burnt-out lightbulb, place...? one could leave oneself, depart from oneself, and another one, and another one and another forget oneself, stop being a mere shadow on one, not enough space underneath the kitchen John Smith stands silent and stares dazed in the space the old plaster facade of a suburban house, table, nowhere to hide because there’s no room stop being just a stranger nobody recognizes above the audience. Will Kronck looks at him for sever- for me there. ( in the street, nobody notices while he passes al moments from afar, then turns around, shrugs his of the mirror andHe carefullywith a new-found puts on his confidence wig in front by, someone so unassuming that a minute shoulders and exits. turns to Will who has just entered and stands after he’s gone you forget a living being JOHNgoes SMITH to theremains (closet and motionless takes out for a bra,a moment stuffs itand with then frozen and speechless. touched your hand and think immediately of paper and puts it on, looking at himself in the mirror. a bump in the wall, a trash can, someone’s ) I can no longer stand so Starts to speak, at first in a normal male voice which much loneliness. umbrella, the wind. proceeds to change as his body undergoes a transfor- WILL KRONCK ( mation confused): All right, just a ): Suddenly it has become too difficult to resist thought. A stupid one, come to think of it. things, things I know to be trifles, but trifles I can no But if you’re saying there’s a wind outside... longer control he( pulls on light pantyhose), not even

52 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 53 iinfo

HISTORY OF THE CROATIAN ITI

The Croatian Centre of ITI (International Theatre Institute) (promotions, round table discussions), two THE CENTRE’S OFFICE was founded in 1994 as a non-profit, professional and vol- magazines for theatre and dance art In October 2003, after several years of working in a unteer organisation (citizens’ association). At the (Kazalište/Theatre/; Kretanja /Movements/), limited space in Novi Zagreb, the Croatian Centre of Constitutive Assembly of the Centre, Sanja Nikčević was four publications (Croatian Theatre, Guide ITI moved into the new and prestigious spaces of Vil- elected its first president. Within a few years of being to Croatian Dance, Theatres in Croatia, la Arko in Basaričekova Street 24, in the centre of active, the Croatian ITI grew from a small association of Croatian Drama and Theatre) as well as the Zagreb. The Croatian Centre ITI shares its space in theatre enthusiasts into an organiser of numerous the- specialised theatrological and drama edi- Villa Arko with the Croatian PEN Centre and the atre actions and manifestations as well as a respectable tions Mansioni with 45 titles to date. Croatian Writers’ Association. The move to Basariče - publisher of theatrological publications and books. The kova Street has undoubtedly had a stimulating effect main task of the numerous programmes of the Centre is Since 2001, Željka Turčinović has been the on the enhancement of programme activities and on building a bond between Croatian theatre and the world President of the Croatian Centre ITI. The as well as its presentation abroad. At present, the members of the Managing Board are Damir the more frequent socialising of the Centre’s mem- Croatian ITI has over one hundred and fifty members and Mađarić, Radovan Marčić, Zoran Mužić, bers, but also on the encounters with colleagues from five international projects (International Drama Colony, Gordana Ostović, Ozren Prohić, Srećko Šes- abroad. Croatian Showcase, Foreign Drama Days and World tan and Dubravka Vrgoč. The members of Villa Arko Theatre and Dance Day), numerous one-time projects the Supervisory Board are Hrvoje Ivanković, Villa Arko was constructed in 1938 after a project by Katja Šimunić Nina architect Alfred Albini (son of the famous composer Kleflin, Želimir Me- and author of several operettas and ballets, Srećko sarić and Urša Rau - Albini). The investor was well-known Zagreb industri- kar Gamulin, while alist, economist and chemist Vladimir Arko. As a Dubravka Čukman Modernist edifice steeped in tradition, Villa Arko is acts as Administra- considered one of the most successfully incorporated tive Assistant in the newer buildings in the ambiance of the Old Town. Centre’s office and From 1772 until its tearing down in 1938, a non- descript one-storey house stood on the site of this Ta jana Gašparović as edifice. Ever since the last decades of the 19 expert collaborator. th centu- ry, the old house hosted one of the most popular “purger” (the colloquial name for old Zagrebians) inns, “Matejna”, named after its owner, Mijo Matejna. Back then, “Matejna” was the gathering place of Zagreb bohemians and clerks from the Old Town’s offices, whereas in the 18 th century German theatre troupes occasionally showed their performances in it.

54 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 55 PROGRAMMES

HC ITI DANCE BOARD Thanks to the Dance Board, the celebration 32nd ITI WORLD CONGRESS 2006 of Dance Day on April 29 has become a true Founded in June 2000, the Dance holiday in the Croatian dance calendar. May 28 √ June 4, 2006, Manila, Philippines Board of the Croatian ITI has INTERNATIONAL DRAMA COLONY What we consider the most valuable result √ From Text to Performance grown into one of the rare solid The Croatian delegation at the Congress was led by of the work of our Dance Board is the strongholds of the Croatian dance Cro atian ITI President Željka Turčinović; the dele- Motovun, first week in July launching of the magazine for Dance Art scene. It represents firstly the gation included Želimir Mesarić (Theatre Education The Drama Colony is one in a series of logistic support to dance groups Kre (Movements, 2002), published and Training Committee), Jasen Boko (Interna - tanja attrac tive and useful programmes of the and projects and is the source of twice a year, as well as the publishing of the tional Playwri ghts’ Forum), Vitomira Lončar (New Croatian ITI Centre. It was launched in 1999 information and way of joining the Guide to Croatian Dance. The guide was Project Group), Lary Zappia (Dramatic Theatre and is designed for Croatian as well as for- international network on the level published in English only and is valid every- Committee) and Tajana Gašparović (Young Practiti - eign playwrights with the aim of verifying of the ITI Dance Boards. Thus the where where there is an interest and need oners Committee). the stage qualities of their plays in the form tours of our groups were suc- for information as it contains all the of public readings based on the model prac- cessfully realised in Mexico, Peru Additionally, Croatia drew considerable attention addresses, contacts and repertoires of the ticed in the American O’Neil Center in Hart- and Cyprus. with its publications (Croatian Theatre 1, Guide to current Croatian dance scene. ford, CT. The Croatian side presents young Croatian Dance 2). Željka Turčinović was elected as and non-established playwrights, giving Member of the Executive Board of the World ITI them a chance to work on the staging of (EXCOM). their text with professional actors and di - rectors, while the foreign guests of the Besides the working part of the Congress, Croatia Colony present their recent dramatic litera- took part in the Borges Project, a theatrical ture through a selected dramatic text. response to Jorge Luis Borges’s short story The Public readings have site-specific traits as Circular Ruins: eight countries (Belgium, Camero- the stagings take place in the picturesque on, Croatia, Germany, Japan, the Philippines, outdoor locations of the Medieval Istrian Switzerland, United States) selected their creative town of Motovun. “The performances” are teams and approach to the work, tapping into their staged without set and costume design, the own distinctive performance cultural myths. The actors holding the texts in their hands. Croatian team included: Larisa Lipovac and Bojan Navojec, performers; Ivica Šimić, director, Vitomira The basis of collaboration of Croatia and Lončar, producer. foreign countries in the Colony is reciproci- ty; thus our contemporary playwrights and their plays have been presented in the USA, Czech Republic, India, Mexico, Greece and Chile √ the countries of which the represen- tatives took part in the Colony’s work.

56 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 57 Our foreign guests in the Colony have been USA, Czech ICELAND CROATIAN SHOWCASE, Zagreb Republic, Slovenia, Slovakia, Hungary, Mexico, Finland, Havar Sigurjonsson:Our boy October 12-17 Greece, India, Israel, Chile, Island, Turkey and Switzer- Director: Franka Perković PROGRAMME land. The achieved interaction between local and interna- tional playwrights and directors in the Colony builds CHILE In view of the fact that Croatia is, unfortunately, still fairly NEXT DOOR TO… bridges of theatre collaboration; on the other hand, the Juan Claudio Burgos:Wasteland S.L. Vidulić, unknown on the European theatre map, the Croatian work-in-progress principle of work on the text enables Director: Klemen Markovčič Directed by Rene Medvešek Centre of ITI decided to organise the Croatian showcase √ the young writers to acquire the experience of seeing the Zagreb Youth Theatre The working meeting of the New Project a presentation of the best domestic performances in the metamorphosis of a literary text into a theatre piece. N. Rajković-B. Jelčić, ON THE OTHER SIDE Group (NPG) was held within the frame of last seasons that are still on the repertoires of Croatian Directed by Bobo Jelčić Participants: the Colony. The main subject of the meeting theatres. The selection of performances was made by was the preparations of the new project for HCITI President, dramaturge Željka Turči nović, whereasZagreb Youth Theatre CROATIA the upcoming World Congress being held in the showcase was partly connected to Gavella’s EveningsPARACHUTISTS or the art of falling Ivor Martinić: Here Stands the Title of the Play on Ante Huesco, Spain in September 2008. The √ a review of the best Croatian productions. Directed by Ivica Šimić Director: Rene Medvešek meeting was chaired by Vitomira Lončar. Participants of the showcase included selec tors of inter-Little Stage (Mala scena) national festivals, theatre cri tics, directors, translators, D. Mihanović, THE FROG Chile Iceland theatre ma na gers and producers (Darina Karova/Slova - Directed by Franka Perković kia; Nina Kiraly/Hungary; Agata Ganiebna /Poland; Andrej &TD Theatre Moskwin/Poland; Rait Ave stik/Esto nia; Aida Karić/Aus- tria; Emre Erdem/Tur J. Lacoste, COMMENT FAIRE UN BLOC key-Germany; Ksenia Draguns ka ya/ Directed by Ivica Buljan Ru ssia). &TD Theatre DOMESTICUS VULGARIS or PLAIN DOMESTIC The majority of performances were followed by encoun- conceived and choreographed by Rajko Pavlić ters with the creative teams and actors through which the LIBERDANCE, Free Dance Company showcase participants could find out more about the pro- duction, the organisation and the functioning of Croatian DISGRACE theatres. Directed by Saša Božić k.o., ADU, EUROKAZ B. Srbljanović, THE LOCUSTS Directed by Janusz Kica Zagreb Youth Theatre

58 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 59 2007 INTERNATIONAL DRAMA COLONY √ From Text to Performance July 1-7 REGION MEETING April PROGRAMME Participants:

The ITI Seat in Paris offered the CROATIA S. Anočić Croatian ITI Centre to act as regio - Rona Žulj: The Sun is Smiling THE MEANING OF LIFE BY MR LOJTRICA nal leader and coordinator for the Director: Dario Hajraček Directed by Saša Anočić reinstatement and/or founding of KNAP national centres. Thus the first SWITZERLAND meeting was held in Zagreb, which Shadow Casters/Bacači sjenki Mariane Freidig:Top Kids gathered representatives from EX-POSITION Director: Klemen Markovčič Serbia, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herze - Directed by Boris Bakal govina and Macedonia. The Seat Shadow Casters/Bacači sjenki TURKEY representative and Artistic Direc - OUT OF SERVICE (dance) Behic Ak: Earthquake Turkey Switzerland tor of ITI, Raija Sinnaka Rantala of Directed by Karen Levi Director: Katja Šimunić Finland, explained the purpose and TALA Dance Centre aims of the Interna tional Theatre Croatia N. Rajković √ B. Jelčić Institute (ITI) as well as the impor- 3rd CROATIAN SHOWCASE ON THE OTHER SIDE tance of the existence of national October 17√ 21 centres. Rantala and Željka Turči- Directed by Bobo Jelčić Zagreb Youth Theatre nović presented the models of The meeting of the Playwrights’ Forum, presi - functioning of Finnish and Croatian ded by Ja sen Boko, was held in the frame of the O. Frljić centres, which are among the most MISS RICE, MUSIC WAS HERE 3rd Showcase. active within the world organisa- A LONG TIME BEFORE GEOPOLITICS tion. The meeting was useful and Guests: Directed by Oliver Frljić instigative. As a result of this me- Nina Kiraly (Hungary), Jitka Sloupova (Czech &TD Theatre eting, another one was held in Novi Republic), Anna Garlicka (Poland), Margaret Sad during Sterijino Pozorje √ the Araneo (USA), Andrej Moskwin (Poland), Mario A. P. Chekhov Festival of Serbian Drama √ hosted Brandolin (Italy), Alex Preusz (Germany), Pavlo THE SEAGULL by Serbia. Strojbla (Ger ma ny), Tobias Biancone (Swit - Directed by Vasilli Senin zerland), Heikki Kujanpaa (Finland), Satish Zagreb Youth Theatre Alekar (India), Gad Kaynar (Israel) and Richard Crane (United Kingdom).

60 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 61 PUBLICATIONS & MAGAZINES, BOOKS Publisher: Croatian ITI

DAYS OF CZECH DRAMA AND THEATRE PROMOTION OF CROATIAN DRAMATISTS IN 1. HRVATSKA DRAMA I KAZALIŠTE / CROATIAN Zagreb, November 2007 THE WORLD DRAMA AND THEATRE 11/12, bulletin The programme for promotion of Croatian Editor: Hrvoje Ivanković The Days of Czech Drama and Theatre are part of the dramatists is the international programme of Croatian ITI Centre programme for presenting foreign the Centre whose purpose is to promote new 2. GUIDE TO CROATIAN DANCE drama literature and theatre in Croatia. Various forms of dramatic texts and authors but also of the Editor: Iva Nerina Sibila programme presentations include lectures in theatrolo- stage culture in general. gy, exhibitions, stage readings, publications of antholo- 3. CROATIAN THEATRE gies or collections as well as theatre productions from This project is realised each year in a select- Editors: Tajana Gasparović, Hrvoje Ivanković, the guest country. ed country. In 2004, it was India (Filip Šova- Željka Turčinović gović’s play Brickyin Marathi) and Mexico (El - Czech theatre was presented with a famous production 4. THEATRES IN CROATIA vis Bošnjak’s play Carried By the Riverin and most prominent Czech theatre export item, Sclavi/ Editor: Hrvoje Ivanković The Émigré Song by the theatre studio Farm in the CaveSpanish).Patient of Mister Freud from Prague. The production was hosted by the Zagreb 5. KAZALIŠTE/THEATRE Magazine for Theatre Art In 2005, it was Greece (Miro Gavran’s play Youth Theatre. This occasion was accompanied by two The Editor: Željka Turčinović more events: the exhibition Prague Quadriennale 2007 in Greek) and Chile while theatrologist Kamila Czerna held a lecture on Con- (the presentation of Croatian dramatist, actor 6. temporary Czech and director Filip Šovagović at the 5th Festival KRETANJA/MOVEMENTS Magazine for Dance Art Theatre at the Fa - of European Drama through the public read- Editor: Iva Nerina Sibila culty of Philosop - ing of his play Bricky). Following that year, we hy in Zagreb. have become regular guests of the Festival of Santiago de Chile, where several Croatian authors were presented in the following fes- tival editions: actor and playwright Elvis Bošnjak with his play Father (2006) and play- wrights Ivan Vidić, with the play Fever, and Dubravko Mihanović with the play Frog (2007).

62 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 63 THE MANSIONI SERIES PUBLISHED (1994-2007) Chekhov Mikhail: To the Actor √ On the Technique of Ivica Buljan: The Anthology of New French In the twelve years of its existence, with an THEATROLOGY Acting, 2004 Drama, 2006 ample scope of interests connected to the- Marvin Carlson: Theories of the Theatre 1, Hećimović Branko: In Theatre’s Embrace, 2004 atrological studies, dramatic texts, theatre 1996 Muzaferija Gordana: The Theatre Plays of Miro Gavran, travelogues, essays and biographical writings, Boris Senker: Croatian Dramatists in their 2005 TRANSLATIONS OF CROATIAN DRAMA the “Mansioni” series has defined and estab- Theatre, 1996 Roach R. Joseph: The Players’ Passion, 2005 Tomislav Bakarić: La muerte de Stjepan lished itself as one of the most important Nikola uretić: Theatre Travelogues and Darko Lukić: The Production and Marketing of Radić (The Death of Stjepan Radić - Croatian theatrological editions. The issues in Milestones, 1996 Performing Arts, 2006 Spanish), 1998 this series feature both domestic and foreign Marvin Carlson: Theories of the Theatre 2, Mirella Schino: The Theatre of Eleonora Duse, 2007 Maja Gregl: The Loves of Alma Mahler/Die authors; besides books in Croatian, transla- 1997 Lieben der Alma Mahler tions of plays by Croatian dramatists are pub- Sibila Petlevski: Drama and Time, 2007 Marvin Carlson: Theories of the Theatre 3, (Croatian/German), 1999 lished in foreign languages, with the aim of 1997 promoting Croatian drama abroad. PLAYS Mislav Brumec: Smrt Ligeje/Death of Manfred Pfister: Drama, 1998 Author group GONG: Repeated Prophecy of Cracks, 1994 Ligeia (Croatian/English), 2000 urđa Škavić: The Glossary of Croatian Miro Gavran: Droll Pieces, 1996 Tomislav Durbešić: Drames Choisis Theatre, 1999 Davor Špišić: Foreplays, 1996 (Selected Plays √ French), 2002 Antonin Artaud: The Theatre and its Double, Borislav Vujčić: White Tragedies, 1997 Different Voices √ Eight Contemporary 2000 Davor Špišić: Paradise with No Closing Time, 2001 Croatian Plays (English, edited by Boris Senker), 2003 Vinko Grubišić: Artaud, 2000 Ivan Vidić: Plays, 2002 Lada Kaštelan: Prije sna/Before Sleep, Acija Alfirević: The Australian New Wave, Mate Matišić: Post Mortem Trilogy, 2006 2000 2007 Sibila Petlevski: Symptoms of Dramatic ANTHOLOGIES Postmodernity, 2000 Irena Lukšić: The Anthology of Russian Dissident Drama, Peter Szondi: The Theory of Modern Drama 1998 1880-1950, 2001 Ian Brown: The Anthology of Contemporary Scottish Antonija Bogner-Šaban: The Return to No- Drama, 1999 Return, 2001 Borislav Pavlovski: The Anthology of New Macedonian Adriana Car-Mihec: The Diary of Three Drama, 2000. Genres, 2003 Sead Muhamedagić: The Anthology of New Austrian Sanja Nikčević: Affirmative American Drama Drama, 2002 or Long Live the Puritans, 2003 Contemporary Italian Drama-selected authors (edited by Peter Brook: Threads of Time, 2003 Mario Mattia Giorgetti), 2003 Ivić Sanja: Sturgeons of Second-Rate Franciska Ćurković-Major: New Hungarian Drama, 2005 Freshness, 2004

64 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 65 infoaddresses CROATIAN ASSOCIATION OF LITERARY TRANSLATORS NATIONAL AND UNIVERSITY LIBRARY (Društvo hrvatskih književnih prevodilaca) (Nacionalna i sveučilišna knjižnica) Ilica 42/II, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Hrvatske bratske zajednice br. 4, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Tel/Fax: +385 1 4847 565 Tel: +385 1 6164 111, Fax: +385 1 6164 186 E-mail: [email protected] Central Info. Service: Tel: +385 1 6164 002, 6164 040 Web page: www.dhkp.hr E-mail: [email protected] President: Iva Grgić Web page: www.nsk.hr Director: Tihomil Maštrović ASSOCIATION OF DANCE ARTISTS OF CROATIA (Udruga plesnih umjetnika Hrvatske) DEPARTMENT OF CROATIAN THEATRE HISTORY UNESCO THEATRE ASSOCIATIONS CULTURAL ASSOCIATIONS Šenoina 26, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia INSTITUTE FOR THE HISTORY OF CROATIAN LIT- Tel: +385 1 4813 786 ERATURE, THEATRE AND MUSIC OF THE CROAT- CROATIAN CENTRE OF ITI CROATIAN CENTRE OF P.E.N. 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Web page: www.upuh.hr (Odsjek za povijest hrvatskog kazališta zavoda za International Theatre Institute Basaričekova 24, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia President: Snježana Abramović Milković povijest hrvatske književnosti, kazališta i glazbe HAZU) Institut Internationale du Théâtre Tel: +385 1 4880 014; Fax: +385 1 4880 015 Opatička 18, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia E-mail: [email protected] Međunarodni kazališni institut CROATIAN WRITERS SOCIETY Tel: +385 1 4895 333 Web page: www.pen.hr Fax: +385 1 4895 302 Basaričekova 24, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia (Hrvatsko društvo pisaca) President: Zvonko Maković E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +385 1 4920 667; Fax: +385 1 4920 668 Basaričekova 24, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Web page: www.hazu.hr E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +385 1 4876 463, Fax: +385 1 4870 186 Head of Department: Branko Hećimović Web page: www.hciti.hr CROATIAN ASSOCIATION OF DRAMATIC ARTISTS E-mail: [email protected] President: Željka Turčinović (Hrvatsko društvo dramskih umjetnika) Web page: www.hdpisaca.org Amruševa 19/III, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia President: Velimir Visković MATRIX CROATICA CROATIAN CENTRE OF ASSITEJ Tel: +385 1 4920 717, Fax: +385 1 4920 718 (Matica Hrvatska) E-mail: [email protected] (Hrvatski centar ASSITEJ) CENTRE FOR DRAMATIC ART Ulica Matice hrvatske 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Web page: www.hddu.hr Tel: +385 1 4878 360 International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People (Centar za dramsku umjetnost) President: Goran Grgić Fax: +385 1 4819 319 Association Internationale du Théâtre Pour L’enfance et la Jeunesse Prilaz ure Deželića 26, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia E-mail: [email protected] Međunarodna udruga profesionalnih kazališta za djecu i mlade Tel: +385 1 4846 176; Fax: +385 1 4846 180 Web page: www.matica.hr CROATIAN INSTITUTE FOR MOVEMENT AND DANCE c/o HDDU, Amruševa 19/III, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia E-mail: [email protected] President: Igor Zidić Tel/Fax: +385 1 4813 252 Hrvatski institut za pokret i ples (HIPP) Web page: www.cdu.hr E-mail: [email protected] Bijankinijeva 5, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Executive Board President: Goran Sergej Pristaš Web page: www.assitej.hr Tel. +385 1 4621 969; 4621 967; Fax: +385 1 4641 154 FACULTY OF PHILOSOPHY President: Miran Hajoš E-mail: [email protected] Additional Study in Theatrology √ Department Web-page: www.danceweekfestival.com CULTURAL, SCIENTIFIC AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONSof Comparative Literature Founding Artistic Director: Mirna Žagar (Filozofski fakultet, dodatni studij teatrologije CROATIAN CENTRE OF UNIMA MINISTRY OF CULTURE OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA √ Odsjek za komparativnu književnost) (Hrvatski centar UNIMA) I. Lučića 3, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia CROATIAN ASSOCIATION OF THEATRE CRITICS (Ministarstvo kulture RH) International Puppeteers Union Tel: +385 1 6120 111; +385 1 6120 115 AND THEATROLOGISTS Runjaninova 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Union Internationale de la Marionnette Tel: +385 1 4866 666; Fax: +385 1 4816 755 Fax: +385 1 6156 879, 6120 212 Međunarodna udruga lutkara (Hrvatsko društvo kazališnih kritičara i teatrologa) E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] c/o HDDU, Amruševa 19/III, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia B. Magovca 17, 10010 Zagreb, Croatia Web page: www.min-kulture.hr Web page: www.ffzg.hr Tel: +385 1 4920 717, Fax: +385 1 4920 718 Tel: +385 1 6601 626, Fax: +385 1 6601 619 Minister of Culture: Božo Biškupić Head of Studies: Boris Senker E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Dean: Miljenko Jurković President: Igor Mrduljaš Web page: www.unima.hr President: Zvonko Festini CITY OFFICE OF EDUCATION, CULTURE AND SPORT √ ASSOCIATION OF CROATIAN WRITERS DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE ACADEMY OF DRAMATIC ARTS (Društvo hrvatskih književnika) (Gradski ured za obrazovanje, kulturu i šport √ Sektor za kulturu)(Akademija dramske umjetnosti) Trg bana Jelačića 7/I, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Ilica 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Trg maršala Tita 5, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Tel: +385 1 4816 931, Fax: +385 1 4816 959 Tel: +385 1 6100 505, Fax: +385 1 6100 503 Tel: +385 1 4828 506, 4553 243; Fax: +385 1 4828 508 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Web page: www.dhk.hr Web page: www.zagreb.hr Web page: www.adu.hr President: Stjepan Ćuić Head of Office: Pavle Kalinić Dean: Branko Ivanda

66 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 67 CROATIAN COPYRIGHT AGENCY CROATIAN THEATRE BRITISH COUNCIL GAVELLA DRAMA THEATRE (Hrvatska autorska agencija √ centar za intelektualno vlasništvo)(Hrvatsko glumište) (Britanski savjet) (Gradsko dramsko kazalište Gavella) Preradovićeva 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Publisher: Croatian Association of Dramatic Artists Ilica 12, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Frankopanska 8-10, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Tel: +385 1 4811 055, 4840 047, 4840 049; Fax: +385 1 4817 122 Amruševa 19/III, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Tel: +385 1 4899 500; Fax: +385 1 4833 955 Tel: +385 1 4849 222, 4864 601 E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +385 1 4920 717 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: +385 1 4848 540 Web page: www.haa.hr E-mail: [email protected] Web page: www.britishcouncil.hr E-mail: [email protected] Theatre Copyrights Administrator: urđica Paić Web page: www.hddu.hr Director: Adrian Chadwick Web page: www.gavella.hr Manager: Darko Stazić Editor-in-Chief: Dubravka Lampalov “CULTURELINK” NETWORK FRENCH CULTURAL INSTITUTE (Mreža Culturelink) (Francuski institut)Institut Français CITY COMEDY THEATRE Lj. 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Box 303, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia FRACTION √ Magazine for Performing Arts Bogovićeva 1/II, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia (Zagrebačko gradsko kazalište Komedija) Tel: +385 1 4877 460, Fax: +385 1 4828 361 (Frakcija √ magazin za izvedbene umjetnosti) Tel: +385 1 4855 222 Kaptol 9, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia E-mail: [email protected] Publisher: CDU Fax: +385 1 4856 082 Tel: +385 1 4812 179, 4835 212 Web page: www.culturelink.org Prilaz ure Deželića 26, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia E-mail: [email protected] Fax: +385 1 4812 179 Co-ordinator: Biserka Cvjetičanin Tel: +385 1 4846 176; Fax: +385 1 4846 180 Web page: www.ambafrance.hr/institut E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Director: Stéphane Ré Web page: www.komedija.hr Web page: www.cdu.hr/frakcija Manager: Niko Pavlović ARTS ACADEMY UNIVERSITY OF SPLIT Editor-in-Chief: Marin Blažević (Umjetnička akademija sveučilišta u Splitu) GOETHE INSTITUTE Glagoljaška bb, 21000 Split, Croatia (Goethe institut) KEREMPUH SATIRICAL THEATRE Tel: +385 21 348 622; Fax: +385 21 348 620 Ulica grada Vukovara 64, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia LUKA √ Magazine for Puppet Theatre (Satiričko kazalište Kerempuh) E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +385 1 6195 000 Ilica 31, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia (Luka √ revija za lutkarsko kazalište) Web page: www.umas.hr Fax: +385 1 6274 355 Tel: +385 1 4833 354 Dean: Miljenko Grgić Publisher: Zagreb Puppet Theatre E-mail: [email protected] Fax: +385 1 4833 348 Trg kralja Tomislava 19, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Web page: www.goethe.de/zagreb E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +385 1 4878 458, Fax: +385 1 4878 466 Director: Juliane Stegner Web page: www.kazalistekerempuh.hr UNIVERSITY JOSIP JURAJ STROSSMAYER OF OSIJEK E-mail: [email protected] Manager: Duško Ljuština ARTS ACADEMY OF OSIJEK Web page: www.zkl.hr (Sveučilište Josipa Jurja Strossmayera u Osijeku, Umjetnička Editor-in-Chief: Petra Mrduljaš ITALIAN CULTURAL INSTITUTE Akademija Osijek) (Talijanski institut za kulturu)Istituto Italiano di cultura ZAGREB YOUTH THEATRE Kralja Petra Svačića bb, 31000 Osijek, Croatia Preobraženska 4, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia (Zagrebačko kazalište mladih) Tel: +385 31 253 300; Fax: +385 253 322 MOVEMENTS √ Magazine for Dance Art Tel: +385 1 4830 208, 4830 209 Teslina 7, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia E-mail: [email protected] (Kretanja √ časopis za plesnu umjetnost) Fax: +385 1 4830 207 Tel: +385 1 4874 560 Web page: www.uaos.hr Publisher: Croatian Centre of ITI E-mail: [email protected] Fax: +385 1 4872 551 Dean: Helena Sablić Perić Web page: www.iiczagabria.esteri.it E-mail: [email protected] Basaričekova 24, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia Director: Paola Ciccolella Web page: www.zekaem.hr Tel: +385 1 4920 667; Fax: +385 1 4920 668 Manager: Dubravka Vrgoč E-mail: [email protected] THEATRE MAGAZINES Web page: www.hciti.hr Editor-in-Chief: Iva Nerina Sibila THEATRES ZAGREB PUPPET THEATRE THEATRE (Zagrebačko kazalište lutaka) (Kazalište) ZAGREB Trg kralja Tomislava 19, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Publisher: Croatian Centre of ITI Tel: +385 1 4878 444, 4878 445 Basaričekova 24, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL CENTRES CROATIAN NATIONAL THEATRE IN ZAGREB Fax: +385 1 4878 465 Tel: +385 1 4920 667, Fax: +385 1 4920 668 (Drama, Opera, Ballet) E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Web page: www.zkl.hr AUSTRIAN CULTURAL FORUM (Hrvatsko narodno kazalište u Zagrebu √ drama, opera, balet) Web page: www.hciti.hr Manager: Nikola Ćubela Editor-in-Chief: Željka Turčinović (Austrijski kulturni forum) Trg maršala Tita 15, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Österreichisches Kulturforum Agram Tel: +385 1 4888 488, +385 1 4888 413, +385 1 4888 410 Gundulićeva 3, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Fax: +385 1 4888 417 Tel: +385 1 4881 250, Fax: +385 1 4830 739 E-mail: [email protected] Web page: www.hnk.hr E-mail: [email protected] Intendant: Ana Lederer Web page: www.kulturforum-zagreb.org Director of Drama: Sanja Ivić Director: Christian J. Ebner

68 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 69 CHERRY CITY THEATRE HISTRION ACTING COMPANY TEATAR GAVRAN POŽEGA (Gradsko kazalište Trešnja) (Glumačka družina Histrion) Dugi dol 58c, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Mošćenićka 1, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Ilica 90, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Tel/Fax: +385 1 234 6068 POŽEGA CITY THEATRE Tel: +385 1 3638 010, 3638 556 Tel: +385 1 5496 382 E-mail: [email protected] (Gradsko kazalište Požega) Fax: +385 1 3638 380 Fax: +385 1 4854 713 Web page: www.teatar-gavran.hr Trg Sv. Trojstva 20, 34000 Požega, Croatia E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Organizational director: Mladena Gavran Tel/Fax: +385 34 273 161 Web page: www.kazaliste-tresnja.hr Web page: www.histrion.hr Artistic director: Miro Gavran E-mail: [email protected] Manager: Roman Šušković Stipanović Manager: Zlatko Vitez Web page: www.gkp.hr Manager: Tomislav Čmelar BIRD OF FIRE THEATRE EPILOGUE THEATRE DUBROVNIK (Gradsko kazalište Žar ptica) (Epilog teatar) MARIN DRŽIĆ THEATRE Bijenička 97, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia B. Magovca 17, 10010 Zagreb, Croatia PULA Tel: +385 1 2347 227, 2347 226 Tel/Fax: +385 1 6609 272 (Kazalište Marina Držića) Fax: +385 1 2347 855 E-mail: [email protected] Pred dvorom 3, 20000 Dubrovnik, Croatia E-mail: [email protected] Web page: www.epilog-teatar.hr Tel: +385 20 321 420; ISTRIAN NATIONAL THEATRE Web page: www.zar-ptica.hr Manager: Davorka Juravić Fax: +385 20 321 071 (Istarsko narodno kazalište) Manager: Marija Sekelez E-mail: [email protected] Matka Laginje 5, 52100 Pula, Croatia Web page: www.kazaliste-dubrovnik.hr Tel: +385 52 212 677 I. B. MAŽURANIĆ PUPPET SCENE Manager: Petar Mišo Mihočević Fax: +385 52 214 303 ITD THEATRE (Lutkarska scena I. B. Mažuranić) E-mail: [email protected] (Teatar &TD) Vlaška 106, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Web page: www.ink.hr Savska 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Tel/Fax: +385 1 4640 953 Manager: Gordana Jeromela Kaić Tel: +385 1 4593 603, 4593 677 E-mail: [email protected] KARLOVAC Web page: www.scena-ibm.hr Fax: +385 1 4843 502 CITY THEATRE ZORA’S HOUSE E-mail: [email protected] Manager: Saša Gregurić (Gradsko kazalište Zorin dom) Web page: www.sczg.hr Domobranska 1, 47000 Karlovac, Croatia RIJEKA Artistic Director: Marin Blažević CHILDREN’S THEATRE DUBRAVA Tel/Fax: +385 47 614 950 CROATIAN NATIONAL THEATRE (Dječje kazalište Dubrava) E-mail: [email protected] “IVAN PL. ZAJC” EXIT THEATRE Cerska 1, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Web page: www.zorin-dom.hr Manager: Zvonimir Ilijić (Teatar Exit) Tel/Fax: +385 1 2910 487 (Hrvatsko narodno kazalište Ivana pl. Zajca Ilica 208, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia E-mail: [email protected] drama, opera, balet, talijanska drama) Tel: +385 1 3707 626, 3704 120 Web page: www.ns-dubrava.hr Uljarska ulica 1, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia Tel: +385 51 355 924; 355 900 Fax: +385 1 3707 626 Manager: Leo Vukelić OSIJEK E-mail: [email protected] Fax +385 51 355 923 Web page: www.teatarexit.hr E-mail: [email protected] KUFER CROATIAN NATIONAL THEATRE IN OSIJEK Manager: Matko Raguž [email protected] Tuškanac 24, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia (Hrvatsko narodno kazalište u Osijeku Web page: www.hnk-zajc.hr E-mail: [email protected] Županijska 9, 31000 Osijek, Croatia Director of Drama: Žarko Radić SMALL STAGE THEATRE Artistic direction: Franka Perković, Tel: +385 31 220 700; 220 725 Manager: Nada Matošević (Kazalište Mala scena) mob. +385 98 5316 820 Fax: +385 31 220 734 Medveščak 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia and Dora Ruždjak Podolski, E-mail: [email protected] Tel/Fax/Sec: +385 1 4683 352 mob. +385 98 9062 056 Web page: www.hnk-osijek.hr RIJEKA CITY PUPPET THEATRE Manager: Vlaho Ljutić E-mail: [email protected] (Gradsko kazalište lutaka, Rijeka) Director of Drama: Milenko Ognjenović Web page: www.mala-scena.hr TEATAR RUGANTINO Blaža Polića 6, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia Manager: Vitomira Lončar Ivana Rangera 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Tel: +385 51 325 680 Artistic Director: Ivica Šimić Fax: +385 51 325 691 Tel/Fax: +385 1 3700 638 CHILDREN’S THEATRE BRANKO MIHALJEVIĆ E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] (Dječje kazalište Branka Mihaljevića u Osijeku) Web page: www.gkl-rijeka.hr Web page: www.rugantino.hr Trg bana Jelačića 19, 31000 Osijek, Croatia Temporary Manager: Zrinka Kolak Fabijan Artistic director: Ivica Vidović Tel: +385 31 501 485 Manager: Gordana Gadžić Fax: +385 31 501 488 E-mail: [email protected] Web page: www.djecje-kazaliste.hr Manager: Jasminka Mesarić

70 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 71 HKD THEATRE ŠIBENIK CROATIAN PLAYHOUSE IN ZADAR INTERNATIONAL SMALL SCENE THEATRE (HKD teatar) (Hrvatska kazališna kuća Zadar) FESTIVAL RIJEKA Strossmayerova 1, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia ŠIBENIK THEATRE Široka ulica 8, 23000 Zadar, Croatia (Međunarodni festival malih scena √ Rijeka) Tel: +385 51 377 327 (Šibensko kazalište) Tel: +385 23 314 586 Korzo 16/2, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia Fax: +385 51 377 328 Ulica kralja Zvonimira 1, 22000 Šibenik, Croatia Fax: +385 23 314 590 Tel: +385 51 209 540 E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +385 22 213 123 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: +385 51 209 537 Web page: www.theatrefestival-rijeka.hr Fax: +385 22 212 134 Web page: www.hkk-zadar.hr E-mail: [email protected] Manager: Nenad Šegvić E-mail: [email protected] Manager: Renato Švorinić Web: www.theatrefestival-rijeka.hr Web page: www.sibensko-kazaliste.hr Manager: Nenad Šegvić Manager: Dragan Zlatović Selector: Hrvoje Ivanković Time Held: May SPLIT CROATIAN THEATRES ABROAD

CROATIAN NATIONAL THEATRE IN SPLIT VARAŽDIN BOSNIA √ HERZEGOVINA ACTOR’S FESTIVAL √ VINKOVCI (Hrvatsko narodno kazalište Split- drama, (Festival glumca √ Vinkovci) CROATIAN NATIONAL THEATRE IN MOSTAR opera, balet) CROATIAN NATIONAL THEATRE IN VARAŽDIN c/o HDDU, Amruševa 19, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Trg Gaje Bulata 1, 21000 Split, Croatia (Hrvatsko narodno kazalište u Varaždinu) (Hrvatsko narodno kazalište u Mostaru) Tel: +385 1 4920 717 Tel: +385 21 344 999 Cesarčeva 1, 42000 Varaždin, Croatia Kneza Domagoja bb, 88000 Mostar, Fax: +385 1 4920 718 Fax: +385 21 306 911 Tel: +385 42 214 688 Bosnia and Herzegovina E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Fax: +385 42 211 218 Tel: +387 36 310 506 Web: www.hddu.hr E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Fax: +387 36 319 428 Selector: Boris Svrtan Web page: www.hnk-split.hr Web page: www.hnkvz.hr E-mail: [email protected] Time Held: May Manager: Milan Štrljić Manager: Jasna Jakovljević Web page: www.tel.net.ba/hnkmo Director of Drama: Goran Golovko Manager: Ivan Ovčar DAYS OF SATIRE √ ZAGREB (Festival of Annual Satire Production in Croatia) VIROVITICA HUNGARY SPLIT CITY YOUTH THEATRE (Dani satire √ Zagreb: Festival godišnje satiričke (Gradsko kazalište mladih Split) CROATIAN THEATRE IN PECS produkcije u Hrvatskoj) Trg Republike 1/I, 21000 Split, Croatia VIROVITICA THEATRE Ilica 31, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia (Hrvatsko kazalište u Pečuhu) Tel: +385 21 344 979 (Kazalište Virovitica) Tel: +385 1 4833 354 Anna 17, 7621 Pecs, Hungary Fax: +385 21 321 258 Trg Ljudevita Patačića 2, 33000 Virovitica, Croatia Fax: +385 1 4833 348 Tel: +36 72 514 300 E-mail: [email protected] Tel/Fax: +385 33 721 330 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: +36 72 210 197 Web page: www.gkm.hr E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.kazalistekerempuh.hr E-mail: [email protected] Manager: Ljubica Srhoj Web page: www.kazalistevirovitica.hr Manager: Duško Ljuština Web page: www.horvatszinhaz.hu Manager: Miran Hajoš Selector: Hrvoje Ivanković Manager: Antun Vidaković Time Held: June SPLIT CITY PUPPET THEATRE (Gradsko kazalište lutaka Split) Tončićeva 1, 21000 Split, Croatia ZADAR FESTIVALS EUROKAZ √ ZAGREB (Festival of New Theatre) Tel: +385 21 395 958 (Eurokaz √ Zagreb) Festival novog kazališta Fax: +385 21 394 714 ZADAR PUPPET THEATRE Bogovićeva 1/IV, KIC √ 10000 Zagreb, Croatia E-mail: [email protected] MARUL’S DAYS √ SPLIT (Festival of Croatian Drama) (Kazalište lutaka Zadar) Tel: +385 1 4847 856 Web page: www.gkl-split.hr (Marulićevi dani √ Split: Festival hrvatske drame) Sokolska 1, 23000 Zadar, Croatia Fax: +385 1 4854 424 Manager: Zdenka Mišura Trg Gaje Bulata 1, 21000 Split, Croatia Tel: +385 23 212 754 E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +385 21 344 999 Fax: +385 23 311 122 Web: www.eurokaz.hr Fax: +385 21 306 911 E-mail: [email protected] Artistic Director: Gordana Vnuk E-mail: [email protected] Web page: www.kazaliste-lutaka-zadar.hr Time Held: June Manager: Petar Šimunić Web: www.hnk-split.hr Manager: Milan Štrljić Selector: Željka Turčinović Time Held: April

72 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 73 GOLDEN LION (International festival of chamber theatre) WORLD THEATRE FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL PUPPET THEATRE FESTIVAL YOUTH (Međunarodni festival komornog teatra Zlatni lav) (Festival svjetskog kazališta) (PIF) √ ZAGREB Trgovačka 6, 52470 Umag, Croatia Teslina 7, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia (PIF √ Zagreb √ Međunarodni festival kazališta lutaka) PUF INTERNATIONAL THEATRE FESTIVAL Tel: +385 52 743 447 Tel: +385 1 4872 568 B. Magovca 17, 10010 Zagreb, Croatia √ PULA, POREČ Fax: +385 52 743 474 Fax: +385 1 4872 551 Tel: +385 1 6601 626 (PUF - Pula, Poreč: Međunarodni kazališni E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Fax: +385 1 6601 619 festival mladih) Web: www.zlatni-lav.hr Web: www.zagrebtheatrefestival.hr E-mail: [email protected] Sergijevaca 32, 52100 Pula, Croatia Director: Damir Zlatar Frey Artistic Directors: Dubravka Vrgoč, Ivica Buljan Web: www.public.carnet.hr/pif-festival/ Tel: +385 52 223 915; 98 435 899 Time Held: July Time Held: September Director: Livija Kroflin Fax: +385 52 223 915 Time Held: August -September E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.kazaliste-dr-inat.hr DUBROVNIK SUMMER FESTIVAL (Drama, Music) Artistic Director: Branko Sušac (Dubrovačke ljetne igre √ drama, glazba) CHILDREN Time Held: July Od Sigurate 1, 20000 Dubrovnik, Croatia DANCE Tel: +385 20 326 100; +385 20 326 101 INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL “THE VERY BEST” Fax: +385 20 323 365 (Naj Naj Naj festival) CONTEMPORARY DANCE WEEK √ ZAGREB INTERNATIONAL YOUTH THEATRE FESTIVAL E-mail: [email protected] Bijenička 97, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia (Tjedan suvremenog plesa √ Zagreb) (MKFM) √ PULA Web: www.dubrovnik-festival.hr Tel: +385 1 2347 228; 2347 227 Biankinijeva 5, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia (MKFM √ Pula: Međunarodni kazališni festival Manager: Ivica Prlender Fax: +385 1 2347 855 Tel: +385 1 4621 969; +385 1 4621 967 mladih) Time Held: July √ August E-mail: [email protected] Fax: +385 1 4641 154 Matka Laginje 5, 52100 Pula, Croatia Web: www.zar-ptica.hr E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +385 52 214 426 Artistic Director: Marija Sekelez Web: www.danceweekfestival.com Fax: +385 52 214 303 SPLIT SUMMER FESTIVAL Time Held: April Artistic Director: Mirna Žagar E-mail: [email protected] (Drama, Opera, Ballet and Concert Programmes) Time Held: June Web: www.ink.hr (Splitsko ljeto √ dramski, operni, baletni i koncertni program) Manager: Aleksandar Bančić HNK, Trg Gaje Bulata 1, 21000 Split, Croatia SLUK √ OSIJEK: Meeting of Croatian Time Held: June √ August Tel: +385 21 344 999 Puppeteers and Puppet Theatres FESTIVAL OF DANCE AND NON-VERBAL Fax: +385 21 306 911 (SLUK √ Osijek: Susret lutkara i lutkarskih THEATRE √ SVETIVINČENAT E-mail: [email protected] kazališta Hrvatske) (Festival plesa i neverbalnog teatra Svetivinčenat) Web: www.hnk-split.hr Trg bana Jelačića 19, 31000 Osijek, Croatia ZPA, Hebrangova 36, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Manager: Milan Štrljić Tel: +385 31 501 485; +385 31 501 486 E-mail: [email protected] Time Held: July √ August Fax: +385 31 501 488 Web: www.svetvincenatfestival.com E-mail: [email protected] Artistic Director: Snježana Abramović Milković Web: www.djecje-kazaliste.hr Time Held: July DREAMTIME ZADAR Manager: Jasminka Mesarić, Tel: +385 31 501 487 (Zadar snova) Time Held: biannually / April √ May Široka ulica 8, 23000 Zadar, Croatia Tel: / Fax: +385 23 254 177 E-mail: [email protected] ŠIBENIK INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S Web: www.zadarsnova.hr FESTIVAL Artistic Director: Kristijan Mičić, (Međunarodni dječji festival Šibenik) Cell: +385 91 512 1808 Kralja Zvonimira 1, 22000 Šibenik, Croatia Time Held: August Tel: +385 22 213 123 Fax: +385 22 212 134 E-mail: [email protected] ZADAR THEATRE SUMMER √ ZADAR Web: www.mdf-si.org (Zadarsko ljeto √ Zadar) Festival Director: Jasenka Ramljak, Široka ulica 8, 23000 Zadar, Croatia Tel: +385 22 213 123 Tel: +385 23 314 586 Time Held: June √ July Fax: +385 23 314 590 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.hkk-zadar.hr Manager: Renato Švorinić Time Held: June √ August

74 CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007 75 IMPRESSUM

CROATIAN THEATRE 2/2007

A publication on Croatian drama and theatre

Publisher: Croatian Centre of ITI For the Publisher: Željka Turčinović Address: Basaričekova 24, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Tel. +385 1 4920 667; Fax. +385 1 4920 668 E-mail: [email protected] www.hciti.hr

Editorial Board: Tajana Gašparović, Hrvoje Ivanković, Željka Turčinović Associate: Matko Botić Art Director: Bernard Bunić Translated into English by: Katarina Pejović English language editing: Susan Jakopec Design & Layout: AXIS-DESIGN d.o.o., Zagreb Print: GIPA, Zagreb

Published with the support of: Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia City Office of Education, Culture and Sport √ Department of Culture, Zagreb

Front page:On the Other Side, ZeKaeM Photo by: Mara Bratoš