Standing ovations for the play "Kus petlić" on the stage between the churches

The drama program of the 36th Budva City Theater festival continued on Tuesday, July 19, on the stage between the churches with the performance of the play "Kus petlić" by the National Theater from Subotica.

The staging of the cult drama Aleksandar Popović, directed by Milan Nešković and dramatized by Maja Todorović, won numerous awards, including nine at the 66th Pozorje, seven of which were from Sterija.

"Kus petlić" is the third play from Popović's cycle that Nešković directed, after "White Coffee" and "Carp Spawning".

The action of these plays takes place in the tumultuous times around the Second World War, and the focus is on small people who try to manage in such times and live decently. Although the consequences of that war are still alive, the characters seem contemporary, and their relationships are what today's audience recognizes and identifies with.

After the performance on the stage between the churches, Nešković said that the play has won all possible awards during the last 14 months.

"I had a lot of trepidation from the Budva audience, since this is my fourth time here, I also had the premiere on this stage three years ago. My heart is so full that a story like this came here from Subotica and that it is from Budva this is how the audience received it. Take care of this festival and the people who run it," said Nešković.

In addition to Nešković and Todorović, the author's team consists of stage designer Marija Kalabić, costume designer Biljana Grgur, assistant costume designer Marko Marosiuk, proofreader Saša Latinović, while stage movement is in charge of Igor Greksa, who portrays the character of deacon Avakum in the play.

"This is the first time we play outdoors and we are very satisfied with the reaction of the audience. I think the audience reacts very well to all the shows at this festival, because it has a long tradition and brings good shows, and this show has deserved its awards and the number of performances and tours to come here. It seems to me that people really liked her," Greksa pointed out.

He explained his dual role in the play.

"In the middle of the process, the director asked me if I would also do stage movement because he needed songs between acts and some other things related to stage movement. I wholeheartedly accepted it, and it was extremely nice to work with Milan. Those songs would they were supposed to represent the kind of life these people imagine it to be, ideal, sugar-coated, with Yugoslav hits," he pointed out.

Actress Minja Peković believes that Aleksandar Popović is a great writer, and time does no harm to such writers and their creativity.

"The longer the period of time and the text offers the possibility for a new reading and a new interpretation, the higher the quality of the text. My feeling as an interpreter in all this is that actually what is mental is always the same. Technology advances, but the soul does not move at that speed . Our psyche and our feelings, these changes are very small. Even if 70 or 150 years have passed, we are essentially the same, we have similar problems and the same things are happening inside," she said.

In addition to Minja Peković and Igor Greksa, Sanja Moravčić, Dimitrije Dinić, Srđan Sekulić and Miloš Lazić also play in the play.