The first premiere of this year's Grad Theater festival "Krčmarica Mirandolina" based on the text by Karl Goldoni, is also the first directorial experience of Belgrade director Jug Radivojević at the Budva festival.
Mirandolin", was the first in Yugoslavia, in the long 50's in the Yugoslav Drama Theater, staged by the legendary Bojan Stupica, and the title role, Mirandoline, was masterfully played by Mira Stupica.
Krčmarica Mirandolina", is a co-production of the Grad Theater and the Croatian National Theater of Ivan the Noble Zajc - Rijeka summer night festival, and after the premiere in Budva, it will also have its premiere performance in Rijeka in front of the "La Grotta" tavern.
In an interview with "Vijesti", Radovijević spoke about his experiences in Budva, his new vision of Goldoni's "Krčmarica", political temptation, directorial plans.
How does Jug Radivojević feel in Budva, bearing in mind that he has just finished directing "Krčmarica Mirandolina", i.e. he collaborated with the Grad Theater for the first time, which is a great honor for many artists, I assume for you as well?
Directing a play produced by the Grad Theater is one of the most serious professional references in the region. It was a great honor for me, as well as a reward for the effort invested so far, which obviously paid off. The directors who sign the direction of the play in the production of this festival can say for themselves that they are accomplished.
How, in general, do you perceive this space, I mean Montenegro, as your own or foreign, that is, do you think that drawing borders can affect different experiences of different people?
I don't recognize borders, I ignore them, and thanks to my work, I do everything to erase borders by establishing cooperation with artists in the area of the entire former Yugoslavia.
This "Mirandolina" is not the first one you have done, how do you view the increasingly common phenomenon of directors directing the same pieces more than once?
I almost never returned to the same pieces until now, I made 95 performances, and only repeated certain texts three or four times. However, the fact is that you can do great writers often, because great pieces open up again and again.
In a situation like this, is it possible to make your own choice, choose which Mirandolina you like better, which is more to your taste?
These are two completely different plays, I even have the impression that if you watched them one after the other, you wouldn't even be sure that it was the same play. The first, Buha's version, is funnier, and the second, Budva - Rijeka, perhaps smarter...
Is this your first time directing outdoors, what are your experiences in that regard?
This is not my first outdoor job, there have been several so far, even several of my plays were played in Budva. I love ambient theater, it has a special charm, regardless of all the obstacles and surprises...
What is theater, work or a way of life for you? Or both?
I try to make directing and theater my job, otherwise what would my life be? There are many more important and beautiful things in life that we have to deal with...
JAre you familiar with the program of Grad Teatr, how do you rate its quality?
As for the festival program, it is excellent as every year, and I especially welcome the idea of three Goldonis in three different co-productions...
Your "Mirandolina" ends differently from the original text, here everyone leaves her, she is also beaten, in some way she is punished for all the manipulations with men. What is the message you wanted to convey?
The message of the new "Mirandolina" is contained in the song of the legend Đorđe Marjanović that from love to hate we are only one step away... It is a story about a woman who tried to heal a misogynist and to ennoble him, but in the end he did not because of his male vanity understood and reacted completely wrongly.
People are cruel when they don't get what they want. We can't deal with strong, self-aware and beautiful women...
What are your plans in the near future, are there any new projects on the horizon?
I'm always happy with new projects, and I feel like I'm just getting started with directing.
I will start the new theater season at the National Theater in Belgrade with the premiere of "Women's Orchestra", by Žan Anuj, and after that, with great pleasure, I will approach Igor Bojović's new play, "The Damaged", which I will perform for the National Theater of the Republika Srpska in Banja Luka.
That's it for this new half-season, and I hope that the next half-season will also be marked by my hundredth jubilee direction.
You are a member of a political party. What are the reasons for such a thing, isn't the task of the theater to criticize politics, even the best one, doesn't that seem like a kind of "conflict of interest" to you?
I entered politics in order to help untangle the accumulated theater problems in Serbia, a country without a theater law. I hope that I will be useful in that endeavor, even if it is considered that I am in a conflict of interest.
I don't like politics as it is, and I will fight for a policy of a different approach, which, as before, I will call out whenever there is a need for it - said Radivojević.
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