THEATER COMPANY EL TANBARELO - Bellombra (Rovigo, Veneto, Italy)

Carlo GOLDONI: SIOR TODERO BRONTOLON
/ OLE TODERO THE GROUCH

Director: GIULIANO VISENTIN
Capo comico: CLAUDIO ZANFORLIN
Costumes and make-up: PAQUINA FERRATI

In his numerous plays, especially commedie dell'arte, along with the enlightening and reformist principles, Goldoni infused the vitality of everyday speech and reality of disintegrated Venetian society by creating the comedy of characters, complex and specific human characters, comic or inappropriate social behavior, tolerance, gentleness, benevolent irony of hard-working and honest craftsmen dedicated to their families and home, temperamental commoners in contrast with the vanity, stinginess, prodigality and idleness of part of the nobility. Equally, the comedy Sior Todero Brontolon / Ole Todero the Grouch, is based on ridiculing human foibles, in this case the character nicknamed the Grouch, greatly emphasizing arrogance and pettiness, those immortal foibles that are so easily recognized through laughter and irony.

For more information visit: www.teatro.tanbarelo.it

TEATAR RUGANTINO – Zagreb

Ivica IVANIŠEVIĆ: SA' ĆE BOŽO SVAKI ČAS (BOŽO WILL BE HERE ANY MOMENT)

Director: MARIO KOVAČ
Set designer: MILJENKO SEKULIĆ
Costume designer: ELVIRA ULIP
Stage movements: JURA MOFČAN

The play Sa' će Božo, svaki čas/Božo will be here any moment, based on the motifs of Becketts's Waiting for Godot, has gained a local character by being adapted in terms of language itself, since the characters speak the Dalmatian chakavian dialect. Beckett's legendary characters: Vladimir, Estragon, Lucky and Pozzo become authentic local characters, familiar, recognizable, warm people: Fabijan, Jerko, Bepo and Luka. They also await the arrival of their Božo, but Božo just like Godot never shows up. The fundamental absurdist play, Beckett's Godot, returns home. And believe it or not, this home is Split! Or to be more precise, its devastated industrial suburb. The traumatic market economy transition has devastated industrial plants, leaving behind waste land. Our spiritual "landscape" has not managed to escape without consequences. Half-way between despair and resignation, the Dalmatian versions of Estragon and Vladimir pass the time absorbed in Croatia's most common pastime of this millennium: waiting. Unlike thousands of others dreaming about their jobs or hometowns, waiting for their debts to be paid or past savings to be returned, geopolitical connecting or judicial extradition, these two have long forgotten the outcome they await. They have been deprived of the past and have no right to the future, the only thing they still have is the nothingness of the present.

For more information visit: www.rugantino.hr/rugantino/

TEATRO POPOLARE CROATO - Zagabria

Ante TOMIĆ: ŠTO JE MUŠKARAC BEZ BRKOVA /
WHAT IS A MAN WITHOUT A MOUSTACHE

Director and dramatization: Aida BUKVIĆ
Dramaturge: Lada KAŠTELAN
Set designer: Dinka JERIČEVIĆ
Costume designer: Željko NOSIĆ
Music and language consultant: Mate MATIŠIĆ

The comedy Što je muškarac bez brkova/What is a man without a moustache is based on the novel by Ante Tomića, presently one of the most widely read writers of the younger generation. The plot takes place in the grocery store Miguel, also a favorite meeting place of the villagers. The classic double love entanglement together with the typical local dialect, create an unusual play with the combination of love comedy of errors and character. The young widow Tatjana who chases the village priest Father Stipan, the foreign worker who has returned from Germany, Marinko, proud owner of the car wash Croaten, with his gold bracelet and white socks, the Catholic thinker Stanislav, lazy villagers and laughing stocks who pass their time at the inn owned by Miguel, great devotee of Mexican soaps, are all familiar characters from the "tender novel about vulgar people". The plot is characterized by original, harsh local humor of the Dalmatian hinterland which is outspoken and blunt, sparing not a single person in the village or around it.

For more information visit: www.hnk.hr/hr/predstava.php?id=18

IN FIRE - DANCE WITH FIRE, PERFORMANCE GROUP FROM GRAZ
FOR SPECIAL EVENTS – Graz (Austrija)

Organizer: Wolfgang MALLY

Performers:
Claudia HOLZER
Ernst PREININGER
Franz 'Fratl' HOFER
Julia GAISBACHER
Laura EGGINTON
Sebastian WAHLHÜTTER
Werner PANKART
(special thanks to: Andreas ZMUGG, Bärbl HUDIN, Bettina FABIAN, Christian REINPRECHT, Günter HYDEN)

IN FIRE is a performance group of fire lovers (Gruppe pyromanisch veranlagter Menschen) from Graz who promote their love of fire and light through culture and art. Indoors they work with multi-colored black-light performances, while outdoors fire and light combined with music, usually percussions or some other musical background create spectacular shows. Comical elements or solemn ones, with skillfully performed artistic figures in a completely new visual perspective, transform well-known town squares and spaces into a completely different ambience and setting.

For more information visit: www.infire.at

CITY PUPPET THEATER - Rijeka

Tahir MUJIČIĆ: SEDAN KOZLINI I SAMO JEDAN BEDNI VUK /
SEVEN LITTLE KID-GOATS AND ONLY ONE POOR WOLF

Director: Zoran MUŽIĆ
Assistant director: Serđo DLAČIĆ
Puppet and set design concept: Tahir MUJIĆIĆ
Puppet maker and set designer: Luči VIDANOVIĆ
Music: Igor KARLIĆ
Choreographer: Karin FRÖHLICH

In the imaginative and witty adaptation of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm's fairy tale The Wolf and Seven Little Kid-Goats, written in the chakavian dialect, Tahir Mujičić turns to children with a new perspective of the fairy-tale, as viewed by the "poor wolf": Even wolves have a soul. Dear children and all you people, isn't it cruel and humiliating enough that you bring into your play that little liar: Little Red Riding Hood, then those three lazy and idle pigs, and (as the culmination of sadism) you drag in seven familiar little kid-goats, all of them ill-mannered and spoilt, real hooligans!? You could have also pushed in 40 thieves just to make me look bad in my homeland Croatia, Istria, Kvarner and in Rijeka…

For more information visit: www.gkl-rijeka.hr/Predstava.asp?ID=23

YOUTH THEATER - Split

Georges FEYDEAU: BIŽ' ĆA, NE MOTAJ SE GOLA! /
SCRAM, DON'T WALK AROUND NAKED!

Adapted and directed by: Vanča KLJAKOVIĆ
Set designer: Ozren BAKOTIĆ
Costume designer: Vida TUĆAN
Language consultant: Magda MATOŠIĆ

By adapting the original text of the peerless master of vaudevillian farces Georges Feydeau (1862-1921), whose successful works are still performed worldwide, Vanča Kljaković sets the plot of the comedy with elements of errors and misunderstanding Ne motaj se okolo gola golcata/Scram, don't walk around naked! (1911) in present-day Split and our local conditions, using the lively dialect and jargon of such a setting. The setting of the plot is representative of today's life in Split with its components from the hinterland: the life of member of parliament whose wife does not take all his duties and responsibilities seriously. It is in fact an adaptation that sets Feydeau's vaudevillian machinations of a possessive bourgeois with a wife inclined to the visual liberation of her charms, in the home of our member of parliament from Split. He, himself being a petty-bourgeois is unable to deal with the amount and sudden surge of his lovely wife's snobbery...

PUPKIN KABARETT – Trst (Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy)

Performers:
Alessandro MIZZI
Stefano DONGETTI
Laura BUSSANI
Janko PETROVEC
Nazareno BASSI
Massimo SANGERMANO
NIENTE BAND
Riccardo MARANZANA
Gualtiero GIORGINI

In February 2001, at Trieste's Miela Theater, Pupkin hall, Alesssndro Mizzi and Stefan Dongetti started an informal and casual comical company each Monday, intended only to entertain and amuse themselves and the present audience. That is how this cabaret came into being, intimate, sometimes even clownish play with sketches, gags, jokes, humorous comments on current political and other events, spontaneous sarcastic and witty remarks, playing, dancing and singing, which just like when it appeared for the first time in Parisian night clubs at the end of the 19th century, gathered bohemians, intellectuals, artists and interested audience. In the beginning Mizzi and Dongetti invited known and unknown guests, who just like them, would have fun far into the night. Later they were joined by Massimo Sangermano, Laura Bussani, musicians Riccardo Morpurgo on the piano, Piero Purini on the saxophone and Luca Colussi on the drums forming the Niente Band. Week after week, Pupkin Kabarett became richer in content and number and finally grew into a rather large group of entertainers, comedians and musicians who are there to amuse, provoke, tease…

For more information visit: www.fluido.tv/pupkin/

PUPPET THEATER ZADAR

Marijana NOLA: AVANTURE ČUPIJA I MUPIJA /
ADVENTURES OF ČUPI AND MUPI

Director: Robert RAPONJA
Set designer: Vjekoslav Vojo RADOIČIĆ
Costume design and puppets: Marina ŠTEMBERGAR
Music: Davor GRZUNOV

Cast:
Tamara ŠOLETIĆ
Sanja ZALOVIĆ
Zlatko KOŠTA
Juraj ARAS
Dragan VESELIĆ

A story at the same time both funny and sad, about two little dogs who driven by a strong desire for a better life leave home and their unusual owner. In search of adventures they set out for the harsh world full of surprises. There they meet the homeless, imposters and at the end they even end up in jail. By a happy combination of circumstances and thanks to their friends they reach a conclusion at the end of their adventures - there's no place like home!.

MONTENEGRO NATIONAL THEATER (Montenegro)

Zoran HOČEVAR: SMIJA

Director: Nick UPPER
Set designer: Nina GORŠIĆ
Costume designer: Barbara STUPICA
Dramaturge: Veselin RADUNOVIĆ

The play Smija written by Zoran Hočevar can be characterized as a lively play with sad note, or to be more precise, it falls into the genre of comedy of mentality, emphasizing both the individual and general. Indeed, this is a play about the little people on the margins of social events, about pensioners whose point of life is the slogan: food, clothes and less and less often, a roll in the hay; whereas the source of information and belief is the magical box called television, whose paradigmatic representative is Smija, TV hostess with obscure education, yet threatening smile. The world of the little people on the margins of society, the imitation of life they lead, the world of wasted characters, small changes and great intrigues, tender loves and intense hatred, mostly mock existence and triviality, are just the right things for a realistic presentation of a reality comedy. Without any workmanlike prop phrases emphasizing the comical element and real-life acting to the point of privacy, it reaches the highest point of creativity and acting.

For more information visit: www.cnp.cg.yu/smija.htm

MALA SCENA THEATER – Zagreb

Grigor VITEZ: KAKO ŽIVI ANTUNTUN / THE LIFE OF ANTUNTUN

Director: Ivica ŠIMIĆ
Assistant director: Nora KRSTULOVIĆ
Dramaturge: Maja SVIBEN
Set designer: Dinka JERIČEVIĆ
Costume designer: Mirjana ZAGOREC
Composer: Igor KLARIĆ
Choreographer: Larisa LIPOVAC

Cast:
Damir KLEMENIĆ
Nina KAIĆ
Lana BARIĆ

Croatian children's poetry is extremely rich in themes and motifs that can be easily used for different theater adaptations and plays. Mala scena has already done this with theater collages such as Vagon prvog razreda/First class railway carriage or Mali zaljubljeni svijet/The small world in love. This time we want to reach even further by creating a play based on motifs of only one poem. For this theater experiment we have chosen the famous poem written by Grigor Vitez Antuntun. It will serve as a starting point for constructing a play about children's visions of the world. We hope that in Antuntun's distorted mirror children will above all find amusement, but through it learn something as well, mostly about the use and real meaning of words. We hope that they will also learn something about the world that surrounds them, about the usage value of things, but also about their own fantasies and games.

For more information visit: www.mala-scena.hr/hrv/predstave_antuntun.asp

TIGAR THEATER – Zagreb

Anica TOMIĆ: KRALJICA VEŠMAŠINA / THE WASHING MACHINE QUEEN

Director: Jelena KOVAČIĆ
Music: Vlatko PANIĆ
Set designer, costume designer and props: Iva Matija BITANGA Leo VUKELIĆ Ida MATI

Cast:
Judita FRANKOVIĆ
Petar ATANASOSKI

The play Kraljica Vešmašina/The Washing Machine Queen is a love story which takes place in the bathroom. In this merry and unusual version of Romeo and Juliet the main characters come from the Potkošulja (undershirt) and Čarapa (socks) families. But in the kingdom of the Washing Machine Queen this love story has a happy ending. The serious conflict is solved by detective Klozetko (toilet), minister Šlauf, minister Gačuljko and other odd characters. With all these unusual characters this dynamic and lively play teaches children how slight misunderstanding can lead to big trouble and only tolerance and attention can solve this.

For more information visit: www.tigarteatar.hr/html/ves-masina.htm

THEATER WORKSHOP SMJEHOTIĆI – Zagreb

Matko ELEZOVIĆ: LUDI MUŠKARCI / CRAZY MEN

Music assistant and costume designer: Elvira ULUP

Cast:
Žarko POTOČNJAK
Damir ŠABAN

Teatro di Sebenico - Sebenico

Mate MATEŠIĆ: FOREIGN WORKER'S CHRISTMAS EVE (CHRISTMAS FAIRY-TALE)

Director: Mate GULIN
Set designer: Branko LOVRIĆ CAPARIN
Costume designer: Adela JUGOVIĆ
Lighting and sound: Joško BAKULA

Cast:
Jasminka ANTIĆ
Mate GULIN

This is a story about the strange fate of two Croatian foreign workers. It is full of unexpected turns of events and surprises, warmth, innocence and the most noble human sorrow. A greater part of the audience will recognize their own fate or the fate of relatives and friends. The play itself captures everyone's attention, whereas the laughter, which you simply can't resist during the entire play, is in fact laughter accompanied with tears. This is the fate of our people living according to a predetermined plan, which for many Croats was conceived by Yugoslav socialism with a human face. Confronted with this play, each Croat living abroad will feel as if standing in front of a mirror. It will be much more than an hour of sorrow, laughter, tears and warmth.

CROATIAN THEATER - Pecuh (Hungary)

Miro Gavran: VESELI ČETVEROKUT / MERRY QUADRANGLE

Director: Stipan FILAKOVIĆ
Set designer: Gabor KAZINCZY
Costume designer: Katica BUNJEVAC
Assistant director: Đula BERI

Instead of the expected and usual triangle, in this playful but also ironic comedy of situation Gavran offers a love quadrangle of intertwined relationships where the relations husband - wife- lovers are reversed and inverted. It is a well-known story of two likeable couples, who after ten years of idyllic marriage experience the delights and bitterness of adultery for the first time in their life. The plot based on the strong desire for someone else's husband or wife is not solved or final after a double change of partners, but it multiplies and opens up the possibility for new twists and turns. However, this lover's whirl of entangled marriages and lives, constantly in search of fragments of human happiness is solved through a comedy prism, but doesn't lack the direct warning of the moral category of everyday life.

For more information visit : http://horvatszinhaz.hu

MARIN DRŽIĆ THEATER - Dubrovnik

Vanča Kljaković: TEŠTAMENAT / WILL

Director: IVAN LEO LEMO
Set designer: MARIN GOZZE
Composer: PAOLA DRAŽIĆ ZEKIĆ
Selection of costumes: ANJA VLAHINIĆ and IVAN LEO LEMO

Inspired by Gianni Schicchi, Vanča Kljaković wrote the comedy Teštamenat/Will, setting it in the Split ambience. Toni Balaturica is dead. A series of comic situations connected with his death make this comedy a - black comedy. So, death is not the end but an ideal beginning, both before God and the audience. Toni Balaturica was well aware of that because in his will (testament) he tried to redeem his soul with a message to his family members to be good and godly, because otherwise they will burn in hell. And that hell where Toni's entire family is burning is what makes us laugh and in which we recognize ourselves in the play. Naturally, the dialect of Split is spoken in hell, since there is no better dialect for insulting, arguing, lying and mocking.

For more information visit: www.kazaliste-dubrovnik.hr

SOMBOR NATIONAL THEATER (Vojvodina, Serbia)

Miloš KREČKOVIĆ: NOĆ LUDAKA U GOSPODSKOJ ULICI /
NIGHT OF LUNATICS IN CLASSY STREET

Director and selection of music: Radoslav MILENKOVIĆ
Set designer: Juraj FABRI
Costume designer: Jasna BADNJAREVIĆ
Dramaturge: Tijana MARKOVINOVIĆ

The first version of Noć ludaka u Gospodskoj ulici/Night of lunatics in Classy street dates back to 1981 when the playwright was on his third year of dramaturgy at the Drama University. The work was written as a modest, unconscious revolt against the complete domination and terror of the so-called political theater of that time and as a result of what was read and viewed then. The plot takes place in 1940 because that was - among other things - probably the last year when the social order with accompanying iconography, essential for such a work and genre, still existed. This is a classical vaudevillian play, comedy of situation in the tradition of Georges Feydeau, a play that is easy to watch, but difficult to act.

For more information visit: www.npozoristeso.co.yu/srp/predstave/nocludaka.htm

TRAVELING THEATER VANDROKAŠI – Pančevo (Vojvodina, Serbia)

Stevan VASIĆ: FALIČNA POGODBA / FALSE AGREEMENT

Director: Zoran ROTAR
Music: Petar PAVLOV

After some two hundred performances of Pisma iz Jevrope a sa vandrovanja, Miroslav Žužić and Zoran Rotar, that is the Traveling theater Vandrokaši, have made a new play Falična pogodba/False agreement. This comedy by Stevan Vasić is partly based on a true story, its plot revolving around litigation concerning the selling of land, going on for years between quarreling neighbors, farmers Rada and Toza. Such a plot offers great possibilities for developing comic and humorous situations, so as expected the dispute becomes an occasion for washing dirty linen in public and disclosing some fateful decisions. The main feature of Falična pogodba is the old Banat dialect of the Pančevo area, and Rotar and Žužić are simply brilliant at imitating the dialect of local farmers. Worthy of praise are also the songs, specially composed for this comedy by Petar Pavlov.

SERBIAN NATIONAL THEATER - NOVI SAD
ASSOCIATION OF DRAMA ARTISTS OF VOJVODINA (Vojvodina, Serbia)

Lutz HÜBNER: GRETA, STRANICA 89 / GRETA PAGE 89

Director: Boris LIJEŠEVIĆ
Dramaturge: Jovan ĆIRILOV
Music: Stevan DIVJAKOVIĆ, Srđan DALAGIJA and Lado LEŠ
Set and costume designer: Marina SREMAC

The two actors vividly present different types of directors and actors, from those at the beginning of their career, who still have an illusion and great expectations of theater as the temple of art and sanctuary of sense, where they hope to realize their subtle artistic ideas, all the way to experienced and already tired professionals who full of cynicism, negligence and arrogance, with quite exhausted inspiration, start recycling and compressing a classical masterpiece into a patchwork that will be popular for a wide audience. At the beginning the director and actress show respect for the famed author and his theater, but end up caricaturing and ridiculing, bringing the scene and entire theater to the verge of absurdity. Hübner's work is an exceptional and above all witty comedy: it is neither about Greta nor her sad destiny, but is in fact a lucid anatomy of theater creativity and psychology of people who have dedicated their life to such an art form, being voluntarily confined among dusty scenery and heavy curtains. Hübner provides an outline of certain types of directors and actors, shrewdly pointing out to their relationships which are constantly on the verge of incident (very often even over the verge!) where there is both love and hate, hostility and collaboration, creativity and indolence.

ISTRIAN NATIONAL THEATER - Pula

Pier Paolo PASOLINI: RIBICA / LITTLE FISH

Director and dramaturge: Ivica BULJAN
Composer and author of songs: Arsen DEDIĆ
Set and costume designer: Ana SAVIĆ-GECAN

Cast:
Lucija ŠERBEDŽIJA
Joseph NZOBANDORA

Musicians:
Denis Rubinić (flute),
Ivan Kuruc (accordion),
Igor Mihovilović (guitar),
Nenad Mirt (double bass),
Zdravko Širola (clappers)

The text Ribica/Little Fish (Un pesciolino) written by Pier Paolo Pasolini was announced in a theater magazine in September 1957. However, the play was not performed and was published posthumously in 2001, in the fifth volume of the author's complete works related to the theater. In many ways, Ribica reflects the author's interests of that time. The central theme of the text is sexuality, more broadly the sexual difference, role of young men and women in society, and society in their relationships, and possibly an indication of duality or disparity of sex and love. It is presented in the form of confession, almost autobiographical analysis, with a slight inclination towards sociological fiction, the author speaking not only of his own sexuality, but sexuality in general. In Ribica we easily recognize Pasolini's pantheistic and naturalistic eros, painfully experienced, in the lyrical exaltation of particularity, merged with nature, but also in connection with society, belonging to a certain age group.

For more information visit: www.ink.hr

THEATRE FIGURA STUDIO – Gyergyószentmiklós (Rumunjska)

Jean-Baptiste Poquelin MOLIÈRE: SCAPIN'S WILES / SCAPINOVE SPLETKE

Director: Béres LÁSZLÓ
Dramaturge: Sebestyén RITA
Choreographer: Matei LIVIU
Set and costume designer: Cristian GATINÃ

During their father's absence, Octave and Léandre secretly marry Hyacinthe and Zerbinette. When Scapin, the strict father, returns home from his journey with plans of marrying his sons as richly as possible, the impostures of Scapin begin. Moliere's comedy about the generation gap, with a plot patterned upon improvised Italian comedies, is specific as it stresses the intriguing character of a cunning person inclined to stir up quarrels in order to achieve his planned interest. By ridiculing French society of the 17th century, class prejudice, aristocracy's immorality, middle class greed, Catholic clergy's hypocrisy ... by the very magnitude of the comical, Moliere achieved and created a social comedy. In its interpretation of Moliere, the Hungarian Theatre Figura Studio from Romania (Transylvania ) emphasizes the situations through the brilliant acting potential, especially the role of Scapin.

For more information visit: http://www.figura.ro/5/portal_news.screen?id=2182&parent=5169

THEATER WORKSHOP SMJEHOTIĆI – Zagreb

Matko ELEZOVIĆ: LUDE ŽENE / CRAZY WOMEN

Director: Snježana BANOVIĆ

Matko Elezović, the author of eight humorous stories about women in today's world, evokes the characters of women of various age groups and dialects, coming from different regions, each presenting her own personal problems. In a completely original and witty way, through numerous interesting remarks, jokes and allusions they talk about their status and problems in various situations today. The entire play is also imbued with satire of society and politics. This is in fact a mosaic comedy where through different monologues women satirically toy with common stereotypes, which were naturally created by men. A small display of various kinds of foolish things in today's world: phone sex, grannies with love problems, women from Zagorje wishing to found a political party, political jokes, regional humor, women's gossip… This political satire has been performed over 150 times throughout Croatia, always being received enthusiastically. The actresses on stage, Helena Buljan, leading actress of Gavella Theater and Jadranka Elezović, leading actress of Kerempuh Theater truly guarantee an excellent performance.

BOSNIAN NATIONAL THEATER – Zenica (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Jean-Baptiste Poquelin MOLIÈRE: UMIŠLJENI BOLESNIK /
THE IMAGINARY INVALID

Director: Adis BAKRAČ
Dramaturge: Hasan DŽAFIĆ
Set designer: Kemal HRUSTANOVIĆ
Costume designer: Amna KUNOVAC-ZEKIĆ
Assistant director: Ištvan GABOR
Music: Igor KASAPOVIĆ

Aragan has a wife and two daughters from his first marriage. Angelique is old enough to marry and has already found a future husband her father does not know about. However, her father, strongly convinced that he is very ill, wants her to marry the doctor's son, a medical student so that he may have a doctor in the family to take care of him. In this new situation Beline, Aragan's wife wants to send Angelique to a convent, but instead she obeys her husband. Servant Toinette supports Angelique and is willing to help her…The imaginary invalid is Moliere's last comedy (he wrote 33 altogether), and since he acted in almost all his comedies, at the age of 52, while acting for the fourth time in The imaginary invalid he collapsed on stage and died after several hours.

For more information visit: http://www.bnp.com.ba/php/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25&Itemid=26

SATIRICAL THEATER KEREMPUH and THEATER COMPANY NJARNJASI - Zagreb

Vladimir STOJSAVLJEVIĆ: PRVA ŽENA, DRUGA ŽENA/
FIRST WOMAN, SECOND WOMAN

Director: Vladimir STOJSAVLJEVIĆ
Dramaturge: Željka UDOVIČIĆ
Set designer: Miljenko SEKULIĆ
Costume designer: Tonči VLADISLAVIĆ
Choreographer: Snježana ABRAMOVIĆ

The new comedy by Vladimir Stojsavljević Prva žena, druga žena/First woman, second woman can be described as a classical comedy of character. The two women portrayed in a bizarre situation at first are defined as a Catholic and young Communist, but very soon we realize that their views of life have switched. Vesna turns to Matilda with a request to have a religious burial for their common  husband. As the entire situation develops Matilda shows an increasing sense of concrete. What provokes laughter is the complete absence of fluidity and religious feeling concerning all themes of life. Matilda, who practices tango at the beginning of the text, is literally passionate and stands firmly on the ground. Vesna, who is younger and a Marxist by conviction, reacts completely lyrically and fluidly to all themes. This sharp contrast leads to the development of social satire and author's comment on the recent political situation. The play starts with a realistic procedure, but develops into a stylization which would be more suitable for abstract procedure. Just as the text develops from the extreme banal to intimate and wise states of character, so the play, in major moves and fast rhythm, moves towards an unexpected ending.

For more information visit :www.kazalistekerempuh.hr/main.asp?ID=119

BOSNIAN NATIONAL THEATER – Zenica (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Carl ORFF: CARMINA BURANA

Director: Sulejman KUPUSOVIĆ
Conductor: Milenko KAROVIĆ
Choreographer: Nataša JEKIĆ

Carmina Burana was fist staged in 1937 but it became specially popular after World War II, ensuring the German composer Carl Orff worldwide fame. Carmina Burana is part of Trionfi , the musical triptych including also Catulli Carmina and Trionfo di Afrodite. It is a theatrical cantata for soprano, tenor, baritone, chorus and orchestra whose original shortened title is Cantiones profanae, based and composed on the texts of old French and vagant poetry of the 13th century. The manuscript was found in 1803 in the abbey of Benediktbeuern in Upper Bavaria, and of the 200 poems Orff selected 25 of them. Preserving their original text and melody he interpreted them as chorus and solo pieces. A strong influence of Gregorian chorale, folk and troubadour songs can be felt, developing into a distinctive wild dance of death of sensual joy and refined lyrics of irony and curse of a certain social stratum. The musical and poetic composition is structured into three sections according to the covered theme: the first extols Spring, the second presents the pleasures of life and the third presents love that rules over both life and death. In Carmina Burana Orff succeeded in linking the contemporary expression with old forms of European theater where percussion instruments play a special role in musical expression, emphasizing primitive sharpness and certain violence.

For more information visit: www.bnp.com.ba/php/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=26&Itemid=26

Folk-theater group Košovan originates from the village Koš, which also symbolizes the name of the group. This village was destroyed because of the expanding mining industry and so its inhabitants moved to another village Kanianka. There they continued with folk and theater traditions of old and new village as well. In 2004 the group celebrated the 80th anniversary of theater group from Koš with the play Divožienky ("Wildgirls“) by Jan Sokolovič, whereas in 2006 group Košovan celebrated its 25th anniversary, as one of the most famous and popular folk-theater groups in Upper Nitra. They have a large repertoire based on traditional folk works: Koš ballads, jokes, folk tales, fables and folk entertainment, where folk and theater factors blend together. Some of them are Porobeniny which is about folk magic and witchery and Saint Dorota, the play with which they became laureates of Slovakia´s Festival of Christian Theater Gorazdov Močenok in 1998. Carnival Fest is a funny custom of parting with the symbol of fun in Slovakia - double bass at the end of carnival period. The group performed this play for the first time in 1995 and won first place at The Festival of Funny Theater Divadelná. Every year the texts are modified according to the current social situation, which naturally draws the attention of audience.