43rd BITEF - Belgrade International Theatre Festival (15-25th September)

The Crisis of Capital, the Art of Crisis

"Theater is the art form that reacts most quickly to social developments. The world is only waking up to the reality of economic crisis, but the theater has already started to react. Sociologists, anthropologists, politicians, spectators, audiences and, most of all, artists themselves are asking this question: will the crisis of capital also be a crisis of the arts? Theater in an era of crisis need not be a time of crisis of the theater. It can, instead, be the art of crisis"


By TIJANA ĐURIČIĆ (tijana.djuricic@wavemagazine.net)
from Belgrade, SERBIA


"BITEF attempted to highlight instances of the art of crisis in those productions that deal with the subject directly or reflect it and, brought them to Belgrade in September 2009 for the 43rd annual BITEF. Not all the productions strictly to adhere to the theme, but there was plenty for our domestic and international audiences to take in all at once and all in the one city whose theater festival has since 1967 been the expression of the arts of our times."

Special impression on the audience (only 28 spectators could attend the show) left a performance of Shadow Casters - an artistic and production platform dedicated to interdisciplinary collaboration, creation and reflection, exploring and searching for new creative languages, especially in the field of Urban and Public Art and New Media - questioning the existing concepts of individual and collective identities, dealing with all forms of social, political and cultural intolerance and segregation and encouraging the debate on the nature and contradictions of the on-going globalization process.

At this years' BITEF - Boris Bakal (director), Jelena Lopatić, Damir Klemenić, Marija Skaričić, Bojan Navojec, Katarina Pejović, Stanko Juzbašić, Martina Franić, Željko Zorica-Sis, Barbara Blasin (authors and performers) - performed the play "Odmor od povjesti" - Vacation from History, in modified space of Cvijeta Zuzorić.

"Odmor od povjesti" is the first and the last part of the trilogy, "Proces_Grad", inspired by Franz Kafka novel, "Process" and its philosophical and political implications. The project targets (physical) suggestion of Kafka's works: "Travel on the verge of collective and individual consciousness through the landscapes of dreams and death as the only safe refuge from history."

Every spectator gets its own show and has contact with only one actor in the beginning. On this journey, which is always different - every man is different each time - creators examine not only the complex levels of personal real life, but the viewers reaction in potentially stressing situations - moments of aggression, fear, sadness... The decision to come to the theater followed the unexpected spectator position (lying in the comfortable bed, relaxing and revealing dreams, themselves and universe).

According to Damir Klemenčić, "Odmor od povjesti" is a wonderfully non-aggressive for the audience. The audience is allowed to create its own image, story. The traditional perspective of the viewer is not held and the audience does not become the acting ansamble; it is simply trapped in a strange discrepancy between the energy that initiates relaxation and cleansing of conscience. Briefest levels are being freed with the intervention of acting - creation, launch mechanisms, principles and opportunities that seek to reconcile (voice, rhythm, associations). The communication (emotional, mental or subtle) requires the cession and trust, which are easily achieved with meticulous orchestration. Seemingly everyday situations or surreal images examine the harmony or disharmony of social codes and inner life of individuals and through community, fellowship.

Conscious play between the moment of reality and dream, finding the triggers and moments when people are in the best mood for game, sometimes completely unaware how time can slowly pass, turns performance into releasing holiday. Often the audience fall asleep, resting, but getting some other nuances in the moments between waking and semi-dream.

This year's BITEF audience left the Shadow Caster's performance in different moods - generally feeling strange impressions, peace, serenity and joy. Someone was surprised, someone reborn, someone offended, shocked, but all fresh. Selflessly pleasant experience.

With its firm commitment to the essence, research in long lasting, real, ancient values and imagination, Shadow Casters gave the audience a very special experience (does that brings us to the positivity after a purification, a step above the catharsis?) and guarantee itself a significant number of dedicated fans.


(Published: 11.10.2009.)