The Royal Theater "Zetski dom" from Cetinje received another recognition from Europe, from Italy where the play "As far as the eye can see" directed by Arpad Schilling was a guest at the Quartieri del arte festival in Viterbo in November.
Acclaimed Italian theater critic Franco Cordelli wrote a review that was published a few days ago in the most read Italian daily "Corriere della sera".
"The curse of our theater is beautiful and significant plays that often have one or two performances. Among them is the play about Workers from the Black Mountain (As Far as the Eye Can See), a text by Bence Biro, a play by the Royal Theater from Cetinje, the oldest state theater from Montenegro, which was shown at this year's Quartieri del Arte Festival in Viterbo. We probably wouldn't have seen this play, it wouldn't have been performed here, if it weren't for the direction of Arpad Schilling, one of the greatest (but also unique) European directors... We find it again in Montenegro, far from the traditional path, far from the politics of his country, Hungary. The play Dokle pogled seže was created, without a shred of doubt, on the wings of the European wind: in the case of Montenegro, there is the will, the desire to be, be in Europe. As a nation, Montenegrins had independence for a short period, their story is the story of rulers. The country that regained its independence ten years ago is located opposite Italy in a physical sense, and then we can observe it opposite Germany or England.
When you hear the words spoken by the actors in this play, their stories, it will remind you of the play 'Versoterra' by Mario Perota, which we had the opportunity to see in the city of Leće in September: it was a story about Albanians coming to Italy. They speak the same or a similar language as the Montenegrins in the Bence Biro drama, who would, and at the same time would not, want to leave their country.
They actually live a hard life, but they have this pride of independence. In the 18 scenes shown, we see discomfort in society, but also in the family: dismissals, quarrels between husband and wife, an attempt to rob a bank that ends ingloriously, the confirmation of independence of a young woman, someone's daughter who wants to leave the country, who goes to England, but after Brexit wants to return: 'Indians and Chinese are good for them, they can't stand us Balkans'.
The strength of this play is precisely in the bare scenography, performed in the church of Sant Edigio, in the form - as it is, natural, even rough, in the acting. The play is on stage, and it's as if it's not, or as if it's reserved to be seen in the privacy of a few spectators. The actors are exceptional, excellent and eloquent, they bring the text with that unique power that those who are poor, but who are determined to be something more, the actors are honest when they express their feelings and free to give the characters honesty, purity", wrote Cordeli.
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