Talking about the meaninglessness of conflict, war and violence, but also about conflicts between the sexes, through comedy is a rare example in theatre, but also a successful one in the case of the play "to Demetra, THE WOMEN'S DAY #1", which, inspired by Aristophanes' comedy "Women in Thesmophoria", was created and directed by Fabio Toledi and premiered on Saturday evening in Podgorica.
The play is part of a large international project "ABC - The Alphabet of Love", supported by the European Union through the Creative Europe program.
Actress Roberta Kvarta from the Italian Astragali Theatre emphasized that the play is the result of many years of international collaboration between artists.
"The play we performed in Podgorica was created as part of a project that brought together actresses and actors from Italy, Tunisia, Turkey, Finland, Spain and Poland. It is about a meeting of different cultures that, through comedy, speak about the meaninglessness of conflict, war and violence, but also about conflicts between the sexes. Through Aristophanes' comedy, we try to bring serious and important topics closer to the audience through irony, humor and stage dialogue, because we believe that comedy is a powerful tool for reflecting on freedom, solidarity and democracy," she pointed out.
Young Montenegrin actress Milica Kekić is part of the ensemble, and after the premiere, she shared her own impressions and experiences.
"I enjoyed getting out of my comfort zone and working with artists from different countries; they are very entertaining, talented and professional. Networking is a great idea and I think it was well implemented. It is different from anything I have done here, a great experience that I will remember. Comedy, in terms of genre and style, is extremely demanding to implement and can easily slip from that terrain into something quite superficial and caricatured. The theme of the play is important and was implemented, unfortunately, at the right time, considering what is happening in the world, and the message it carries, which one of my colleagues talks about, is that wars really do not make sense," said Kekić.
Kvarta added that "this Demetra, THE WOMEN'S DAY #1" is the first part of a trilogy based on the works of Aristophanes.
"Following are two more plays that, although created in ancient times, directly address contemporary issues of gender relations, conflict, and social responsibility. We believe that theater, and especially comedy, has the power to connect people and cultures, regardless of national and identity differences," she says.
After the premiere, director Fabio Toledi emphasized the importance of the relationship between the stage and the audience, as well as the contemporary role of comedy.
"Every play brings its own challenges, but what is most important to me is the connection with the audience. I hope that we have managed to establish a strong contact and a common space for exchange. At this moment, I believe that comedy is extremely important, not only as a genre, but as a tool of democracy, freedom, openness and dialogue. Through comedy, we can communicate between different cultures, identities and experiences. In this play, actors and actresses from different countries work together, and it is precisely this diversity that creates a strong energy and authentic relationship on stage. It is especially important to us that we are developing this dimension of European culture precisely in Montenegro, as a space where multiple cultures and identities meet," said Toledi.
He also announced performances in Spain, Poland, Tunisia and Italy, as well as further expansion of the project.
"In the spirit of Aristophanes' legacy, comedy can be a powerful tool against apathy, fear and division, because it speaks of freedom, inclusiveness and the right of everyone to be part of a common space," said Toledi.
The music for the play is by Andrea Doremi, Roberto Gagliardi, Gianluca Milanese and Mauro Tre, while the production also used innovative technology from the Augmented and Virtual Reality Laboratory (AVR Lab) of the University of Salento.
The play stars: Milica Kekić, Roberta Kvarta, Sara Kosa, Hana Daniševska, Usema Hfajed, Mateo Mele, Luna Amelia Kalvo Merino, Simoneta Rotundo, Hulud Tabet, Sana Toivanen and Onur Ujsal.
The play is the first part of a trilogy within the project "ABC - Alphabet of Love", one of the rare medium-scale projects supported by the Creative Europe programme. The aim of the project is to revive the values of hospitality, solidarity and coexistence of different cultures through contemporary artistic expression.
"ABC - The Alphabet of Love" is a four-year international project that brings together prestigious partners: Grotowski Institute (Poland), Aykart (Tunisia), the "Alicia Alonso" Dance Foundation of the "Rey Juan Carlos" University (Spain), the Museums and Galleries of Podgorica in cooperation with the City Theater of Podgorica (Montenegro) and the AVR Lab of the University of Salento (Italy).
As part of the project in Podgorica, an interactive audio-visual installation "Amor Loci" was realized, in cooperation with the Museums and Galleries of Podgorica, as well as a conference dedicated to the international and artistic production of the play "to Demetra, THE WOMEN'S DAY #1".
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