The play "Nestvarni grad" conceived as a guided walk through Budva's Old Town premiered last night as part of the drama program XXXVIII of the Grad Theater festival.
This special combination of theater, history and modern technology provides an unforgettable experience that deeply connects the audience with the space and past of Budva.
The oral testimonies of Slobodan Bobo Mitrović, Dalibor Antoniolio, Jerolim Dragičević, Ljerka Dragičević, Dragan Stefan and Marija Pjerotić greatly contributed to this, which further enriched the narrative and awakened the most beautiful emotions in the participants.
The audience, equipped with headphones and without their mobile phones, moved through the most important places in Budva's Old Town, starting from the Citadel, over the ramparts, the Palm Square and the Square in front of the Čekrdeković house, all the way to Poets' Square and Brijeg od Budva beach, where the walk had emotional and nostalgic finale.
During the walk, participants were encouraged by the narrator, Marija Liješević, to interact with the environment and tourists, search for symbols and props, but also self-examination.
A special experience was a short break in a restaurant in the old town, where the participants were served Budva specialties and when they could talk about everything they had heard and seen up to that moment, but also get to know each other and discover some details from Budva's past that they had not told until then . Music is also one of the important factors of this performance, and the most significant and emotional moment was the sound of the trumpet while the participants stood on the Palm Square under the window of Nikola Mim Mitrović, the famous jazz musician from Budva.
In addition to Vuk Ršumović, the author's team consists of assistant director Ana Tomović, sound designer Jakov Munizaba and author of visual design Andreja Hamović. Girls Ana Pavlović and Sunčica Babić took part in the play, who additionally contributed to the authenticity and emotional charge of the performance. Ršumović: "Nestvarni grad" as a gift to Budva Ršumović, after the premiere, said that it was very important for him to hear the first impressions.
"The impressions are phenomenal, I can see that they reacted very emotionally. The participants at the premiere were mostly old-timers who are also the main heroes of this story. They really care about Budva, they have spent their whole lives here. Given that the theme is memory and what Budva used to be and what it is now, that's what struck most of them and emotions are key here. Everything that makes up our identity is tied to our emotions and memories and that was inevitable. The first decision in creating this play was to make something very warm and positive. I was honored to be invited by the 'City of Theatre' to work on this project, so I wanted to give this to Budva as a gift of mine."
When asked if "Grad Teatar" justified its name with this play, Ršumović said that he had not thought about it, but that now he is sure that it was.
"The complete Old Town from beginning to end is our scene in this play, so that makes sense. What is constant is the theme of what Budva used to be and what it is now. The complete play is interactive and it is expected that this interaction takes place with people passing by, that was something we were counting on. What I didn't expect was the speed with which things change in the Old Town. New restaurants and tables appear here literally overnight, the quiet corner next to the olive tree becomes something else. This is one aspect that was completely unexpected and that I absolutely did not count on, but it is also part of our reality," said Ršumović and added that the interaction with the environment, but also among the participants themselves, was crucial.
"Especially that moment in the restaurant where they have the opportunity as a group to have a certain interaction, to talk, to ask each other questions, to find out some other things and to tell some anecdotes. It will always depend on who is in that group of people. That is still an aspect that is completely unpredictable and that makes every performance completely different".
Ršumović pointed out that it is inevitable that we will remember today's time as a wonderful time, just as older people remember the time from 50 years ago.
"I have known Budva since the beginning of the nineties, when I started coming here, specifically at my aunt's house in Rafailovići. I came every year and I adore Budva, mostly in May before the real season. Over the years, I have been visiting "Grad Teatar" and a bunch of shows that formed me. I witnessed how this city is changing. I'm sorry for the way it's changing, but I'm sure that in ten years we'll remember this moment with some longing and warm emotions." said Ršumović and emphasized that "Nestvarni grad" is planned to be played throughout the year.
"We are continuing in September and the plan is to continue during the next year, so it is an opportunity for not only the people of Budva, but also people who come to Budva as guests, to get to know this city in a different way", he concluded.
The play "Nestvarni grad" will be shown on July 28, 29 and 30, at 19 p.m. Also, due to the specificity of the program, the performance cycle will be organized for the audience that will follow the festival in August, from August 22 to 25.
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