More and more actors do not sit and wait for the role of a lifetime, but fight to show their talent through independent projects.
Although it is more difficult to do projects that are an independent production, the Montenegrin actress Marija Đurić managed to answer that task, so she gathered a team and made two plays with her colleagues. Both pieces will be presented this week. The premiere of the first play will take place tomorrow evening, while the second will be presented on Sunday evening.
"These are the plays 'Atomic Flowers' and 'Golf Four'. It was not easy to harmonize the rhythm and obligations of all of us, but on the other hand, I can comfortably say that we are very lucky that we all work, we have engagements beyond these projects, which are just another proof of how much we love and enjoy this job, so we found time for everything. In addition to female colleagues Jelena Djukic i Anđelije Rondović, our story 'Atomic Flowers' was joined by a violinist Ana Rašović who did the composition, while they Filip Rasovic i Radoje Burzan took fantastic photos and agreed to the 'experiment' of ambient shooting of the play in my apartment", says Đurić in an interview with Vijesti.
They started the second project after "Atomic Flowers" and in the last, premiere stage, they worked on both plays in parallel. Marija reveals that the play she will present on Sunday is a comedy called "Golf Four".
"In addition to Jelena Đukić and me, they joined this story Maja Stojanović i Marija Maša Labudović. These two stories are of different genres, while 'Atomic Flowers' is a tragic story of a mother and two daughters, 'Golf Four' 'opens the door' to comical, superficial and immature female friendship", reveals what Đurić's projects are all about.
Both premieres will take place in her apartment, and the actress reveals how they were conceived and why she chose the aforementioned location:
"Often through work we encounter 'injustice' or we feel that we have not been given a 'real opportunity'. Here is a way for everyone to be encouraged and to believe that it is up to us whether we will work or not. If we convincingly tell the story, which is our most important task, then I am sure that the theater and the stage is in us, and not where it is physically set. This time, it's my apartment, the next one will be the terrace of my apartment, the theater, next to the CKZ Ribnica", promises the interlocutor of Vijesti.
These projects are proof that performances do not have to be performed only in halls and amphitheatres, where the audience and actors are separated, but that art can also take place in other, alternative spaces.
"As far as space is concerned, I have just stated where everything can be played and why. I believe that in some way it is also interesting for the audience that we play with space. All in all, one thing will always be the most important thing, and that is to market the story well and clearly wherever it is played", advises Đurić.
Both one and the other play are independent productions, and when asked how much it is safe and courageous to do such projects in the time of not only the pandemic, but also the political situation where the coffers of many state institutions are "closed", Marija answers:
"Whatever the situation, culture must not be let down the drain. It is there because of our mental hygiene, because of the collective consciousness, and we must not look at it as something that should have an ideal 'timing', it is always and forever there", notes Đurić.
A small cast of actors play in both plays, and they are mostly actresses from the class with whom Đurić studied, or whom he knows from college. All of them enthusiastically accepted her idea to participate in these projects.
"I will emphasize that it is fortunate that in this, I would say 'pessimistic' time, I still have a team of people, who first of all have the knowledge, and then the courage to create together and encourage others, to convince them that the worst thing is not to work for fear of making a mistake . Mistakes should be accepted on this long journey and as long as we work, there will be mistakes, but work will always lead us to an address called success", believes Đurić.
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