The drama program of the XXXVIII Grad Teatar festival was set last night on the stage between the churches with the play "Budućnost" based on the text by Žiga Divjak and Gregor Zorc, and directed by Žiga Divjak.
The play is a production of the Belgrade Drama Theater and the Municipal Theater of Ljubljana. The play "The Future" is a powerful and engaging piece of theater that deals with the themes of species extinction and biodiversity loss, exploring the question of what is actually lost when a species disappears from the face of the Earth.
Through an innovative approach and minimalist expression, "Future" poses difficult questions about the relationship of man to nature, reminding the audience of the importance of all forms of life in preserving the ecological balance. This play is not only an ecological manifesto, but also a deeply emotional and philosophical exploration of our connection with all living things on the planet.
Through subtle and thoughtful direction, Divjak manages to convey a sense of urgency and responsibility, but also to emphasize how important it is to talk about these topics now, while we still have the opportunity to influence the future. "The Future" is both a critique of contemporary society's indifference to ecological crises, but also a call to action and reflection on the world we leave to future generations. After the play, Divjak stated that one of the missions of this play was to leave a strong impression on the audience.
"I think it's worth trying. Maybe it's not the first attempt that will change something, but one of the attempts will eventually trigger some change. I believe that it will be so and I believe that art can do a lot, to bring us a different view and to with her help, we are building sensibility, which is very important if we want to have any kind of future", said Divjak.
When asked why he decided to use non-verbal communication in the play, Divjak explained:
"The original idea was to create cooperation between Belgrade and Ljubljana, but we wanted it primarily to be people, not Serbs or Slovenians. We have been talking a lot lately, but only when we shut up can we see some other things and build others sensibilities. There is a human story that is very loud, but other beings do not have a voice and this time it is a bit the other way around", explained Divjak and added that he also saw a similarity between the events in the play and the city where the play took place.
"We were talking about this while we were passing through Budva, that maybe the situation is a bit too similar, but this is not a special feature of Budva, it's the state of the world. We all work so much, we have those ten days off and instead of resting it becomes some other kind of hysteria that doesn't exist connections with rest or the desire to be in nature, a kind of frustration and madness is already present."
Actor Milan Kolak said that non-verbal communication is a completely different tool than the one actors are used to.
"This cleaning of excesses, in this case also of language, brings the actor closer to the content. So this was a significant experience that I now use in other projects as well, I draw from this project a sense of the essence. It was very significant and interesting for me. Already at the first rehearsals, we were amazed at how much we don't really think about these topics, how much garbage man produces, how self-sufficient he is and how much he has no relationship with other living beings and nature. It's a painful awareness of the way man functions," said Kolak and added that playing outdoors is a special experience.
"Especially when the weather is like this. We have played this play indoors so far. It can be a problem in plays when there is a lot of text and then the voice goes in all directions and it is harder to reach the audience, but here it was much easier for us. The atmosphere is pleasant, we hear the sound of the waves, and the scenery is the beach, so we are exactly where we should be".
Actress Milena Vasić said that it was a big challenge to remain silent on stage.
"It was really a big challenge in that process, but it was also very clear to us what we were getting into and what we were doing. Žiga gathered us, attracted us and pulled us into his story, he is really a man who is very emotionally involved in this problem. It was a pleasure to work on this project. The text of the play appears on the screen together with our reactions and behavior. I think that the text is not missing here and that we decided on purpose that there is only one place where words are spoken, and that is saying the names of children who are no longer there. We are very proud of this play," emphasized Vasić.
The play "The Future" managed to leave a deep impression on the audience through its innovative expression and strong message, confirming the importance of theater as a medium for reflection and inspiration in dealing with social problems and challenges.
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