Director's Address
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“I don't know what the truth is. Today the truth – at least for me - is something completely different from what it was yesterday and tomorrow it will be something completely different from what it will be in a week's time. The truth also depends on whom I am speaking with. There are different truths, but the Truth does not exist. Man is acting the truth. Some time he does it better and another time worse. The same way as every actor does.”
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Dear visitors of the Ljubljana City Theatre!
Truths, reflections, solutions … are the things we intend to keep on looking for as well. In our own way and with our own means of expression. What is it that we will be especially interested in? What will be a “fil rouge” of the coming season? PERSONAL FREEDOM, INTIMATE RESPONISIBILITY and LOVE.
All of the three listed contents will be already presented in our opening project. With her dramatisation of the novel FRANKENSTEIN Žanina Mirčevska builds a convincing bridge between the romantic archetype of the stricken-loving-vengeful »monster« and its contemporary version. A bridge between the scientist of the 19th century and the scientist of the 21st century. Similar dilemmas? Same sensation of fear and horror? Similar traps? Same creeps? Similar consequences? Here and now. We are very glad that Eduard Miller is coming back to direct a play on the MGL stage after quite a long period of time.
From the collection of offered themes Ionesco's naturalistic comedy JACK, OR THE SUBMISSION picks up, of course, the problem of personal freedom and according to Jan Kott in doing so uses “an old pattern of comedy of nature about two families, timid boy, ugly young lady, matchmaker, engagement, marriage and expectation of offspring. But this comedy quickly begins to change into a carnival-like farce, almost an animal farm.” In his performance the renowned and internationally acclaimed young director Miloš Lolić will (most probably) prove that every family is like a small state. Therefore hierarchies and authorities within families can also be understood as metaphors for state regulations.
In the very heart of the season stands the dramatic »diptych«, as named and conceived together with the director Ivica Buljan, this year's winner of the Prešeren Fund Award. The left wing of the diptych is represented by a play COMEDY WITH WOMEN: the fifties of the last century, Germany. The right wing of the diptych is represented by a play BLACK ANIMAL SADNESS: nowadays, Germany. The place of occurrence is the same: A forest. The same forest. Sixty years later. Conditions: changed, of course. What else? What else? These people seem familiar … Is it a déjà vu? Are they the same people? The same, but changed. Or is it the other way around? And the nature, this beautiful nature …? The main themes? Freedom and responsibility. No doubt.
Staging of the comedy THE TRIUMPH OF LOVE by an interesting French author Pierre de Marivaux will be in the hands of an interesting director Sebastjan Horvat. There is quite a number of essential things to be found in Marivaux's plays: style, intrigue, love, truth … They are built on relations between a state of hidden and observed, imaginary and real, coincidental and necessary, sublime and banal, humorous and dangerous … Yet, they are all the time full of love. And »Love« indeed, meaning Eroticism in its manifold connotations.
The libretto for our next staging of musical is entitled WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN. It was conceived after the enchanting homonymous film by Pedro Almodóvar. The literary material is not an embarrassment to its original, as it - on the contrary - brings some refined and affectionate humour, unique acting challenges and quality music. The performance will be directed by Diego de Brea, a precious explorer and connoisseur of comedic archetypes. Walking attractively hand in hand throughout this story are also all the season's main motifs – love, personal freedom and (ir) responsibility …
The programme of our Small Scene is arranged in two cycles. We named the first one Nostalgia as it is starting with last year's adaptation of the film Dancing in the Rain. We will continue with the December staging of KILL ME SOFTLY, yet another theatrical tribute to the cinematic giant Boštjan Hladnik. The adaptation was written by Simona Semenič, and to appear first time in front of the audiences professionally - helped by her team of extremely young collaborators - is the director Zala Sajko.
The second cycle of premiers on the MGL Small Scene was named Big Games – From Close-Up. It will open its season with nobody else but William Shakespeare and Anja Suša, who will be directing in Ljubljana for the first time. We sincerely look forward to her arrival and fresh, ambiguous and exciting interpretation of the comedy THE TAMING OF THE SHREW.
It is for this and for many more reasons that we would like to cordially invite you to our theatre and also send you kind greetings on behalf of the entire ensemble of the Ljubljana City Theatre. See you in the autumn! We look forward to meeting you!
Barbara Hieng Samobor, Director and Artistic Director