The play "The Case of Medea" premiered last night on the Main Stage of the Montenegrin National Theatre (CNP), the CNP announced.
As stated in the statement, instead of a classic tragedy, the audience watched a story that is not afraid to question the boundaries of guilt, violence, and silence.
"The direction of the play brings a contemporary, almost forensic approach to Euripides' heroine. The cast showed enviable artistic strength, leading through a dense web of conflict between personal pain and collective expectations," the statement reads.
According to director Diego de Brea, going beyond the myth was the path he followed throughout the entire process of working on the play. As he stated, the goal was to bring Medea closer to modern man – "Medea is among us" – so that the audience could identify with her. In this sense, it was, he says, crucial to adapt the text and place it in a contemporary context.
"Medea as a character is extremely layered and exciting, because throughout the play she plays out all the female archetypes. That play carries a strong dose of self-irony, which makes it even more powerful. In an hour and forty minutes on stage, we go through seven years of hell in a relationship. It is precisely in this rift between the intimate and the collective, between the inner scream and the outer silence, that the Medea that we can all recognize today is born," said De Brea.
Working on the character of Medea was a great challenge for actress Nada Vukčević, the CNP's drama champion.
As she said, the working process itself was specific, because the director built each scene in a different way, using various approaches and expressive means. That is why, as she points out, it was necessary to find an internal link – a "buckle" – that would connect all these fragments into a coherent and emotionally rounded whole.
"I can rank this role among the most demanding, precisely because of all the betrayal that Medea goes through. However, in a way, this is also the sweetest role for me so far – it may sound strange, because it is so complex and dark – but I play it with great enthusiasm," said Vukčević.
For young actor Luka Stanković, this role represents an important turning point in his career. As he pointed out, the invitation to participate in the play took him by surprise, but, as he says, in the end everything fell into place just right.
"With Diego, I came to the conclusion that a lot of filth often comes out of people when they are weak. It is clear to me that some of the audience, while watching us, may activate some defense mechanism. However, I would like the audience to come without masks and prejudices - open to hearing and seeing what this play has to offer," said Stanković.
The value of this play, as emphasized by actress Jelena V. Đukić, is reflected in the depiction of obsessive love – the kind that can turn a person into both a victim and an executioner.
"It's not just that we all, in one way or another, neglect ourselves for our partners - that we forget who we are, what we are, what we feel. In the end, it is precisely through this neglect that we unconsciously destroy both ourselves and the other person. That was the starting point in working on this play. I believe that the play is about that - about the loss of identity, about love that turns into its opposite, and the moment when only the feeling of annihilation remains," said Đukić.
Actor Jovan Dabović pointed out that, after a long and demanding work process, the premiere was eagerly awaited, and that the audience's standing ovation during the premiere night was a strong confirmation that the effort was worthwhile.
"I enjoyed working with Diego. From the very beginning, we started intensively - after the first conversation with the director, it was clear to us what was expected of us, which made the further process much easier. We worked with dedication, delving deeply into the characters and their inner worlds, and the audience, I think, recognized and felt that," said Dabović.
For young actress Ivona Raković, this is her first professional role. According to her, it is a real rarity for the character of Glauka to be given such a significant role in a play, which was both a challenging and extremely rewarding experience for her.
"It was important for me to develop Glauka as a complete character, not just a supporting figure in Medea's story. It was precisely the space she was given on stage that allowed me to explore her inner world, insecurities, fears, but also motives more deeply. For my acting development, this role is of invaluable importance," Raković emphasized.
The role of Kerberos was played by Predrag Pavićević. In addition to directing, de Brea is responsible for the conceptual design of the play and the lighting design (together with Dejan Kalezić and Sreten Milošević), the dramaturgy is Kata Đarmati, the costume designer is Lina Leković, the assistants for dramaturgy and costume design are Sergej Pavlović and Maša Mirković. The sound editing is entrusted to Filip Radević, and the video and photo material is signed by Duško Miljanić and Vukša Vujošević. Dubravka Drakić is in charge of the stage speech, and the executive producer of the play is Danilo Milatović.
"The play was realized in co-production with the Cultural Center of Bar, so after the Podgorica premiere, the play will also be realized as part of the 38th International Festival "Bar Chronicle" on the Summer Stage of the Cultural Center "Vladimir Popović Španac" in Bar, on August 16th at 21:30 pm, with a repeat performance the day later at the same time. The proud friend of CNP in 2025 is Crnogorska komercijalna banka," the CNP statement concludes.
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