"Spanish Fool" at Mogren Fortress: Theater between reality and virtual space

The intermedial play "The Spanish Fool" was performed at Mogren Fortress last night, based on the motifs of the play "The Spanish Cardinal" by French academic Henri de Monterlan, and collectively directed and produced by BergamArt, continuing the drama program of the XL Grad Teatar festival.

This extraordinary stage creation, resulting from a long artistic and research work and doctoral project by Maria Bergam, opens up deep questions of identity, women's mental health, resistance to political pressures, and the value of power in contemporary society through the story of the foolish Spanish Queen Juana the Mad.

Last night's performance at Mogren Fortress brought a special curiosity because the play was performed outdoors for the first time. Although it is a technically and visually demanding production that combines classic acting with modern digital technologies, generative visuals and specific sound effects, the entire author and performing team managed to fully adapt all elements to the new conditions. The ambience of Mogren Fortress entered into a fascinating dialogue with digital projections, creating a unique stage atmosphere under the open sky.

"The Spanish Fool" represents a theater of ideas in which physical and virtual space intertwine, and the combination of classical drama and cutting-edge digital innovations has proven that technology in theater makes full sense when it serves the story, the actors' emotions, and artistic truth.

Actress Maja Stojanović emphasized that performing on an open stage was both a challenge and a great excitement:

"This is my first time on this stage and I'm really excited and thrilled, the stage is beautiful. I'm a big fan of this festival and I couldn't wait to be a guest. Since the show was being performed outdoors and at Mogren Fortress for the first time, we all listened to how everything would go from a technical perspective, whether there would be wind, noise and whether the sound system would function without any problems, but in the end everything went perfectly. Otherwise, working on this project was a completely new experience for all of us. It's a specific show and every time it's challenging, especially the part we perform off stage, but since we're a well-coordinated team and have been playing it for over a year, I can see that the audience values ​​and appreciates it immensely."

Stojanović also commented on the director's work and the layered nature of the template itself:

"The direction is collective, with the exception that in the final phase of rehearsals we were helped by Belgrade director Nikola Zavišić, who is extremely imaginative and talented, with specific aesthetic affinities. As for the text itself, it is an extremely layered project that, in addition to Monterlan's work, also relies on extensive literature in the fields of philosophy and psychology, which is why the entire performance is so unusual and different in the theatrical space."

The author of the concept, adaptation and lead actress, Marija Bergam, explained the essence of the play and the challenges of adapting it in an open space:

"The play began as an experimental doctoral work, and was based on the motifs of the work 'The Spanish Cardinal' by Henri de Monterlan. I introduced the topic of women's mental health into the adaptation, which was also supported by the Hemofarm Foundation. The essence was to use digital technologies as an equal directorial tool that contributes to the story and the state of the characters, and not for it to be a mere effect or sensation in itself that would consume the actors. I am especially pleased that young people react fantastically to this approach, digital language is the language of new generations and when you talk to them about important things with it, they understand it unmistakably."

Bergam also emphasized the amount of stress that accompanied the performance at Mogren Fortress, but also highlighted the strength of the author's team:

"We were extremely nervous and in a great state of anxiety, we even dreamed of this performance because the play is technically extremely demanding. The wind and open space can be very ungrateful for this type of production, but the weather served us well and everything went smoothly. The key to success is in the people. Doing an experiment like this is only possible with top professionals and good people who support you. Slobodan Beštić was the best possible choice for the role of the cardinal, he is an impeccable, dedicated and humble actor, and Maja Stojanović is a fantastic actress with a wide range of talents with whom I get along wonderfully. Also, Sanjin Ćorović bears more than half the credit because he conceived and implemented the entire digital installation in terms of production and creation. The play continues its life at the Bitef Theatre, and international tours are also planned."

The text adaptation and concept are by Marija Bergam, the creator of the interactive visuals is Sanjin Ćorović, the associate director is Nikola Zavišić, the costume design is by Boris Čakširan, the music is by Lena Kovačević, which is her first applied music, while the choreography is by Tamara Pjević.

The play stars: Slobodan Beštić, Marija Bergam and Maja Stojanović.