The city theater is the last bastion of culture in Budva

The play "The Reader" co-produced by the Belgrade Drama Theater and Beo Art was recently declared the best play of the 25th Yugoslav Theater Festival in Užice. The director of the play Boris Liješević won "Ardalion" for the best direction, Mirjana Karanović for the best female role, and Marko Grabež for the best male role in that play.

Grabež is a well-known name at Gradu Teatr, as he also played in the festival co-production "Crvena" six years ago, and at this year's 35th festival he played in the play "The Reader", which the Budva audience had the opportunity to watch on the 7th. and on August 8 on the stage between the churches.

Speaking about the play "The Reader", Marko Grabež pointed out that he is glad that the play is progressing even after the premiere.

"It is interesting how the perception is changing, given that the press conference was back in October. It is best to observe the play from this point of view. I really like the way the play progresses after that completed process. The process never stops, we are still working and changing things. That is what is most important for the play to live, in my opinion. Whenever the team of the play stopped after the process, that play did not have a long life, it is a process that never ends", says Grabež and continues the conversation with "Vijesti".

Do you always have that freedom to work on the play even after the process is over?

Unfortunately, I don't. This was an ideal opportunity for improvisation. Not so much for improvisation as for the freedom to change something. We are far from improvisation, but it's a great feeling that someone will support you and see you off if you take a different path. The whole cast absolutely supports that and we all support each other. I think the prerequisite for creating such an atmosphere is actually the team that surrounds you.

The play "The Reader" recently won four Ardalions, among other things, for the best male role for the character you portray in this play. How much do awards mean to you?

We received awards for the best play, best director, best female and best male role. I didn't expect it, who else can expect that? It's "La la land", we took all the Oscars. It's really an honor. I think whoever says that awards mean nothing to him is telling a lie. It is an acknowledgment that you are doing something good and that someone else has seen it and recognized that it is good. So that kind of recognition is always welcome.

How much has corona changed the world of art and theater? Did the audience want theater performances even more?

I think that's always the case when someone takes something away from you. I'll give you an example, I haven't been to the theater for a year and then corona happens and I realize that I can't and then I miss it and that's when I want to. That's what the corona did to all of us in all aspects, it canceled everything you know you can do and then it's your will whether you want it or not. But when a complete suspension and lockdown happens, then a person wants various things, to start doing them all over again and looks forward to them. We were all looking forward to the theater. That feeling was recognized at the first applause after the corona, it's different. It's not just applause for the performance, but applause for the meeting, applause for the theater itself that lives again.

You recently started playing music, you founded the rock band Koikoi in which you are the lead vocalist. What is the difference between applause after a concert and applause after a performance?

The music scene gave me some space of freedom. The theatrical framework is much more closed and brings more frameworks with it, and through a musical performance it seems to me that I can influence the theatrical as well, considering the freedoms that the rock scene brings. I can also change my feeling on the acting stage with that, so I think they are very compatible and play for each other.

The last time you were at the Gradu Teatr was in 2016, you played in the co-production of the festival "Crvena" together with Branislav Lečić. What was your first association with the Grad Theater festival?

While we were playing "Crvena" I was thinking that the Grad Theater is the last bastion of culture in Budva. I really have great respect for the festival, considering that I am absolutely sure that every year it is a big pain to hold it, because of the other content that Budva has. As far as I'm concerned, I give all my support for it to survive, because in addition to so many clubs and noise and everything else, it's really a credit to the fact that the Grad Theater is still going.

The music scene gave me some space of freedom. The theatrical framework is much more closed and brings more frameworks with it, and through a musical performance it seems to me that I can influence the theatrical as well, considering the freedoms that the rock scene brings.

It is interesting how the perception is changing, given that the press conference was back in October. It is best to observe the play from this point of view. I really like the way the play progresses after that completed process. The process never stops, we are still working and changing things. That is what is most important for the play to live, in my opinion. Whenever the team of the play stopped after the process, that play did not have a long life, it is a process that never ends", said Marko Grabež about the play "The Reader".