The International Manifestation of Chamber Drama Productions - MAKADO in a short time gained great popularity and aroused the attention of the audience, as well as the professional public, and since last year Makado is no longer the same, the selector and director told "Vijesti" Obrad Nenezić.
The eighth Makado will be opened tonight with the premiere of the play "Confessions", based on the novel "The Lonely One" Ežena Ioneska adapted, directed and starred in it Slavko Kalezić, together with Vanjom Jovićević. The show starts at 20:13 p.m., when the program officially opens on the big stage of the "Budo Tomović" Cultural and Information Center, and the event lasts until February XNUMX.
The original conception is based on camera realizations of independent and free scenes and a quality selection of performances. Thus, in the competitive part, there will be seven theater pieces from Montenegro and the region, and the award "Sat kula" will be awarded for the best play, the best male or female role, but also for bravura.
Attraction and commercial are not the goal
Nenezić reminds "Vijesti" what makes Makado stand out and in which direction it is intended to develop further.
"Since last year, Makado is no longer the same. It has grown from a revue into a competitive, international festival of dramatic camera works. The 'Clock Tower' award, the work of a sculptor Marko Petrović Njegoš, it is already recognizable and was carried by the bards Zijah Sokolović i Vili Matula. And we're not done yet! Our goal is for MAKADO to become a festival of independent camera works. Which he is, but not completely yet, because that production is still rare. It is a kind of festival and theater expression and space that appeared between the offers of the Montenegrin National Theater, the Podgorica City Theater and the Festival of International Alternative Theater FIAT", explains Nenezić.
A diverse selection consists of pieces: "Confessions" by Slavko Kalezić, "Our Days" Radoslav Milenkovic, "Little Miracles" Sanje Milardović, "A night in Mr. Kolak's house" directed by Irfan Mensur, "Not giving up" Marija Medenica, the project "Golf 4" by four Montenegrin actresses and "Prequalification" Vanje Radosevic, and in honor of the awardees, the anti-cabaret "Gentleman" directed by Obrad Nenezić will be performed on the last evening. He, as a selector, points out that the method of selection is specific, considering the budget that depends on the Capital City of Podgorica.
"The budget of the drama program at KIC is very limited, and so is Makada. Maybe the selection can be more attractive, but that is not our goal. We are not interested in commercial theater, but we have nothing against folk theater. These are nuances that grow into huge differences. But we all have an audience. Also, since we don't have our giro account, we have to have a selection almost half a year in advance in order to adopt our work plan and program. Sometimes that's good. So, already, for 2024, we have a dozen plays that have applied to us in the meantime. We try to come out with one or two premieres a year, also camera productions, which we mostly secure through contests and co-productions. And with that, we give our own stamp to Makad", he emphasizes.
Nenezić reminds that last year's edition opened with the play "Excellence".
"This year there is the premiere of 'Confessions' at the opening and the anti-cabaret 'Gentleman' at the closing, which is out of competition. We are working to have one or two premieres this year, for which we will provide almost the entire amount through contests and co-productions", announces Nenezić.
Kalezić's prelude and Ionesko's text
The performance "Confessions" realized by KIC "Budo Tomović" in co-production with the non-governmental organization Montenegrin Art Factory - Danilovgrad will be premiered on the big stage at 20:XNUMX p.m.
"It is a play that deals with the meaning of existence of a modern man who is oppressed by difficulties such as alienation, the impossibility of interpersonal communication and depression, but also threatened by social disasters and social inequalities. The time we live in imposes a disturbed value system and constant struggle is inevitable. Actress Vanja Jovićević and actor Slavko Kalezić have created a theatrical world that will surely touch every individual who finds themselves in the auditorium," the description states.
Kalezić reminded that he presented himself at Makad for the first time last year with his monodrama "Soulfood", and the fact that the premiere of his new author's play will open this event is an additional pleasure. Jovićević reminded that theater is healing, but also that she has never worked on a project similar to this one and that she believes that the audience will experience it as well. Kalezić added that in this sense, the greatest satisfaction for him will be for the audience to leave after watching the piece and take with them a play and a theater that makes sense. He pointed out that lately many plays have been staged on the Montenegrin theater scene (in which) the importance and potential of the actor are devalued, which this one will definitely not be.
"This author's work means a lot to me, in the sense that I think that after 15-16 years of acting, I am really ready for directing work. Without needing to offend anyone, I will remind you that he is a professor Boron often said that actors are still the best directors. I would like to reveal one more thing, which is that in addition to Ionesco's text, which I have tried to fully respect, there is also a prelude scene that I wrote. I think that the pregame will make it clear why the play is happening, why it is really important at this moment and why it all concerns us", said Kalezić.
He added that the play lasts about 45 minutes, during which he introduces the audience together with Jovićević into a kind of theatrical illusion and world, which is due to the complete atmosphere, from black costumes and minimalist scenography, to the team that deals with light and music.
"People will have the opportunity to see two human beings who collide with everything that Ionesco wrote, and which, unfortunately, we still live with today. One of the motives is reading the daily newspaper and the news that we face every day. The show has a collage character, it questions, it is dynamic and I am sure that the audience will not leave the theater indifferent", he says and reveals that they both play one character, one persona, for which he was additionally inspired by the yin-yang concept of Chinese philosophy.
Intertwining, monologues or dialogues, merging and competition, constant struggle, and agreement, it will be especially interesting to see from these two actors, additionally because they claim that they are connected by similar energy and unique acting expression.
A diverse repertoire
The monodrama "Our Days", authored by the actor and theater director from Belgrade, Radoslav Milenkovic, will be performed tomorrow in the Dodesta hall, at 20 p.m., as part of the event, and a day later in Nikšić, at the Nikšić Theater, also at 20 p.m.
"The text was created by dramatizing satirical songs Vladislav Petković Dis ('Our days' and 'Hymna') and the most significant short stories Radoj Domanović, ('Stradia', 'Danga' and 'Dead Sea') who sharply, critically mercilessly and wittily portrayed the government of his time, steeped in corruption and violence. Through an imaginary journey that the main character undertakes in an effort to return to his homeland after a long exile, he meets with representatives of the authorities and becomes a participant and witness to the destruction and ruin of all segments of society. The main character experiences the most dramatic change when, in questioning national myths, he is faced with a devastating truth that cancels the idealized (and mythomaniacal) image of the land of his ancestors," the announcement reads.
Sanja Milardović's author's project "Mala čuda", co-produced by the Exit Theater and the Teatrum Art Organization from Zagreb, can be seen by the public on Wednesday, in Dodest at 20 pm.
"The tragicomic monodrama fragmentarily follows the present and past of the writer Ana in combination with a surreal and absurd story built around Flora, the main character of her novel. So this is a story about a woman in her thirties. Ana suddenly and abruptly lost a close person, and then by her own choice she completely isolated herself from the outside world and focused on the writing process in order to survive. Her recovery gradually turns into an unpredictable and bizarre journey during which, writing about Flora, she will learn an immense amount about herself," the description points out.
"A night in Mr. Kolak's house", according to the text Vladimir Đorđević, and in which roles they play Vladimir Kerkez, Boda Ninković and Irfan Mensur, who is also the director, will be performed on Thursday at 20 pm in Dodest. The co-producers of the play are the Cultural Center of Inđija, the Stara Pazova Cultural Center and the production company "Jugoart" from Belgrade.
The writer said, among other things, that this is a play about three antiheroes, after which the men are not comfortable, and the women are all clear.
"In the time of terror of beauty and youth and the triumph of form over essence, lies over truth and rights over justice, in the time of sex without love and theater without writers and actors, in the time when things are digitized, rationalized and trivialized, whether in at that time, a man of old age, analogous to some type, can find meaning? Translated into the language of today: Do men today have a use value? In memory of my friend Petar Kolak (1977-2017)"" wrote Vladimir Đorđević.
Announced as an unusual, intriguing and unusual monodrama "Not Giving Up", written, directed and performed by actress Marija Medenica, it will be on the program on February 10 in Dodest, at 20 pm.
"This is the story of an actress who, at the moment of awarding the award, is faced with a dilemma whether she should accept the award or finally come to terms with the system she fought against throughout her career. At the moment of the ceremony, he relives all the professional and life situations that preceded this triumph. In fact, this is a story about a woman in the modern world and the challenges that come with ambition, partnership, motherhood, and most of all her own insecurities and fears," the announcement reads.
The following day, the repertoire includes "Golf 4" about four women whose casual socializing on the golf course leads them to confess, reveal secrets, and finally gather solidarity. The play was based on a text by Norm Foster, and they play in it Marija Đurić, Jelena Đukić, Maja Stojanović i Marija Maša Labudović.
"'Golf 4' opens the door to an immature friendship where its comical content makes the audience laugh. Independent production gives freedom to choose everything that makes up a process and a performance. In that name, we can choose the roles we like, something we want to work on more, roles that belong to our sensibility, and on the other hand, you have the freedom to choose the cast... Such productions have proven to be very successful because they are always composed of actors who enter project by his own will and choice," said Đurić about the play.
Cabaret and anti-cabaret for the end
The competitive part of the program will close on February 12 with the autobiographical story of the actress Vanja Radošević, cabaret "Prequalification". The piece speaks in a satirical, comical and attractive way about the times we live in and what we have to do in order to survive and survive, the announcement says.
"What does the state offer us as an option? Retraining! Can an actress, a champion of the theater, be a clothing seller, does she thereby take away her dignity or prove that today the border between artist, seller, craftsman, cook no longer exists because we are all people fighting for survival? Are the years that an artist can dedicate to creativity lost, does the theater lose when the soul of the actors collapses with harsh realism? Does the theater really serve to laugh at what we cannot change and to go home afterwards feeling as if we have changed everything?", the description emphasizes.
On the last day of the manifestation in honor of the awardees, a poetic and musical performance of the anti-cabaret "Gentlemen" will be performed, co-produced by the Cultural and Information Center "Budo Tomović" and the Cultural Center Bar. The direction and poetry is written by Nenezić, the role is entrusted to the actor Jovan Dabović, and is a composer and performer Slobodanka Bobana Dabović Đurić.
"It is about a special and rarely seen form that met with very positive reactions from the audience. A great combination of music, recitation and poetry complemented by the sounds of the piano dominantly leaves the impression of an authentic and unusual stage form and theatrical expression that leaves no one indifferent. The musical and poetic performance 'Gentleman' addresses one, imaginary woman, who is his 'Black and White World', 'I can't stand it', 'Lord, but not God'... His 'Center of the World', but not only as a woman, but the personification of life, with all its virtues and flaws, challenges and adversities, joys and beauties... "Gentleman" will interpret and sing for us the entire 'History of their illness', in which love is the cause and effect of all the motives from which one lives and from which , finally, and dies", said Nenezić.
Tonight and the exhibition "Montenegro Theater History"
Exhibition Slavojka Marojević "Montenegro theater history" will be opened today at 18 pm in the exhibition hall of KIC "Budo Tomović", as part of the accompanying program Makada.
A publicist and a journalist will talk about the setting Vanja Kovačević and the author, who is the editor of the Publishing Department of the Nikšić Theater.
The project "Montenegro Theater History" is illustrative and narrative in nature and indicates trends in the development of dramatic art and production in Montenegro, from early forms of stage expression to contemporary theater at the local and national level. So far, audiences in seven Montenegrin cities have had the opportunity to see the performance.
The installation design is the work of an academic painter Darko Musić, and he signed the graphic processing of the manuscript and photographs Ranko Radulović. The exhibition will be open until February 13.
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