“The Virgin Case”: True destinies that leave no one indifferent

On the stage between the churches in Budva (but also around the stage), last night, as part of the drama program of the XXXIX Grad Teatar festival, the play "The Case of the Virgin" was performed, based on the text Steel Miskovic, directed by Dore Ruzdjak PodolskiThe play is a co-production of the Royal Theatre "Zetski dom" from Cetinje and the Tivat Cultural Centre, and the author's team, in addition to Mišković and Ruždjak Podolski, also includes Saša Božić (dramaturgy, stage movement and lighting design), Tijana Todorovic (costume design), Ivanka Vana Prelevic (scenography), and Stanislav Kovačić i Luka Radovic (music).

The play features: Goran Vujović, Marija Maša Labudović, Marta Šćekić, Anđelija Rondović i Pavle Novakovic.

"The Virgin Case" deals with the fates of women who, in patriarchal Balkan environments, were forced to take on a male role in the family, suppressing their own identity, body and voice. Although the dramatic framework is constructed around the fictional character of Vanja, the foundations of the play lie in documentary research and true biographies.

Actress Anđelija Rondović said that she was familiar with the topic even before starting work, because she had previously performed her own performance inspired by the same phenomenon.

"I think this is something Montenegro should be ashamed of, not proud of. This is not a topic we have overcome. Stana, probably the last declared virgin in Montenegro, died in 2016. Fortunately, thanks to a few people from the national service, this story has been documented," said Rondović, emphasizing that they tried to reach the living descendants of one of the families, and that they wanted to share with the audience the sense of importance of this topic.

"Whenever an older person comes into the audience, I always think how nice it would be if they knew that we made this play. This evokes a lot of emotions in us, both in us and in all of you," said Rondović, confirming that almost all of the fates are based on true data.

"The story about Vanja is the only fictional one, but everything else started with documentary material. The research was thorough. These are truly true destinies." Regarding the audience's reactions so far, Rondović said that the play was performed in Cetinje and Dubrovnik.

“People, even those who have seen a film about this topic somewhere before, don't assume that it was all like this. The play surprises them with its depth and weight.” When asked about the impression left by performing in the Old Town of Budva, she said that every scene brings something new, even though it is very challenging to perform a play outdoors. “It is always challenging to perform such an intimate play outdoors. You have to speak very loudly about very intimate things. As much as it helps, it also hinders. But on the other hand, we see the moon, we see the walls, and I believe that these settings remind the audience of the stone houses in which they lived. That touches the audience in a way.”

Her colleague Marta Šćekić added that she herself was familiar with the topic, but that it was rarely discussed.

"It's a phenomenon that everyone knows existed, but it's as if it was far away. It's as if virgins are something from the past, like dinosaurs. And the last one died only seven or eight years ago. The topic is actually very current."

Šćekić also pointed to the broader social context, emphasizing that repression against women still exists today.

"Virgins are not just here. It is important to talk about the fact that women still do not have the right to vote, that things are happening today, both here and in the world. Sometimes we flatter each other by saying that we have solved something, but these are small steps. And so many lives have fallen under that boot. The scariest thing for me is that I do not see that we were moving forward before, and now we are going backwards. I think we have never been forward enough," said Šćekić.

The ambient scene between the churches left a special impression on the ensemble and provided an additional layer of meaning.

"This play is such that it is always exciting to play. Every space brings something new, it is always interesting what you can use. And you shouldn't look at what can help you because then everything will be in the way," concluded Šćekić.

The play "The Case of the Virgin" with its documentary approach, engaging tone and strong acting expressions, complemented by carefully composed visual and musical elements, leaves a strong impression and opens up space for social dialogue on issues of gender, freedom and cultural layers that continue to shape the lives of women in contemporary society. The performance at the Grada Teatr confirmed the strength of this stage reading as one of the most moving and most silenced phenomena from Montenegro and the Balkans.