Last night, in the unique ambience of the amphitheater of the Monastery of the Holy Trinity in Stanjevići, the play "Mihael Kolhas" was performed, produced by the Yugoslav Drama Theater from Belgrade, which closed the XXXVIII "Grad Theater" festival in a magnificent way.
The play, based on the work of Heinrich von Kleist, dramatized by Fedor Šili and directed by Boris Liješević, premiered in April this year.
The central character, Mihael Kolhas, whose justice exceeds the limits of the law, shows in a cruel way the struggle of an individual against a system that is corrupt and unjust.
Through this direction, Boris Liješević skilfully showed how revenge campaigns, even when they are motivated by righteous goals, can lead to tragic consequences, raising the question of the limits of morality and legality.
Vojin Ćetković, in the lead role, masterfully portrayed the inner struggle of Kolhas, a man whose justice crosses borders and leads him down the path of violence. The rest of the acting ensemble, consisting of Miodrag Dragičević, Vojislav Brajović, Nikola Rakočević, Zoran Cvijanović, Bojan Dimitrijević, Milena Vasić, Aleksej Bjelogrlić and Kralj Čačka, provided exceptional support to the main actor, contributing to the layered portrayal of the characters and their mutual dynamics.
Ćetković: Every man has the desire to resist injustice
After the performance, Ćetković emphasized the importance of the theme of justice that pervades this play, stressing that every human being has the desire to resist injustice.
"I don't know who is doing justice today, but I know that each of us and everyone in the audience would like to at least one day have such a power to do justice. I think that every person feels deep inside that they want to somehow resist injustice and take justice Of course, it's very dangerous when an individual starts to do justice, it's very dangerous and then it probably ends like this. We didn't judge the characters, we just told the story so it's up to you to judge Is Kolhas a positive or negative character or is it all in one person, are they all villains, and these are positives. I think it's completely connected, mixed and that circumstances force us to be animals sometimes," he said Ćetković added that this is the first time he is playing in the amphitheater of the Monastery of the Holy Trinity in Stanjevići and that he is delighted with the space.
"In my opinion, this is the best stage that the Grad Theater has, primarily because of the climate, there is no humidity. It was windy, but not as much as when it blows from the sea, and the problem is that your voice goes somewhere to Bečić. I did two or three performances at Gradu Teatr and I know how it is. I used to spend a month or two in Budva and we had problems with the audience and with bad weather and so on, but tonight was really wonderful. We will also tomorrow to play this show. I hope that the audience will come, because every time we play, something changes in us and every time we get that 'feedback', we get better a serious show. We didn't expect a standing ovation even at the premiere. Here the silence is the best indicator that the audience is following, since this is not a show that will make you laugh and it won't be easy for you to go for a drink after this show. So, I really think we succeeded let's tell this story. My heart is full, because I love this festival, I love Budva and I hope that we will play again at this festival", said the actor.
Brajović: Grad Theater must remain a cultural institution
Vojislav Brajović, who plays several important roles in the play, expressed his satisfaction with his return to the Grad Theater after a long absence as an actor, praising the director Boris Liješević for the choice of this work and the cooperation with the entire ensemble.
"I'm in this play thanks to Boris Liješević, who called me in the distribution of this wonderful piece. What can I tell you, it never depends on the actor, it depends on the needs of a certain repertoire or a project, so then these or those are chosen. My time It's just passing, it's not coming. I've had over ten premieres at the Grad Theater. I say, and I repeat myself, that's why we have to fight to keep it. They always complained about some kind of music or taking up space. I still regret that not all the theater spaces in Budva were intended to be theatrical let's say it is held at full capacity, with the greatest desire to be the best in the world. That the City is a theater. Now it's up to the people who decide to take care of it, to see how valuable it is to have it," Brajović added. that the theme of the play is extremely relevant today.
"Look at how relevant that piece is today and how that unfortunate writer ended up. And how these writers are so important that they write and create a work that is for all time. You seek justice, you get justice and you pay for it with your own head. This playing with people is also clear in the piece, how it leads to tragic consequences. We are our own worst enemies. Either out of malice, sometimes out of excessive love. You saw what Martin Luther said that only good works lead to heaven. Of course he turned against the corruption in the Catholic Church. That's interesting, he died before death came to him. Because that's what you see in these plays, it's always a threat and the fear of revolution. We always think that it is evolution that will fix things or at least arrange them, but it seems that maybe revolution was the only option," said Brajović.
The play "Mihael Kolhas" will be performed once again tonight at 21 p.m., and the audience will have the opportunity to enjoy this exceptional play again, which closes the XXXVIII edition of the Grad Teatar festival in the best possible way.
Bonus video:
