Subotica International Festival of Children's Theatres Subotica International Festival of Children's Theatres

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20 september 2022

The second day of the 29 th Subotica International Children's Theater Festival

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The second day of the 29 th Subotica International Children's Theater Festival

Branislava Stefanović: The Stolen Prince and the Lost Princess" was a cult performance of Yugoslavian children's theater

On Monday, September 19, the second day of the Subotica International Children's Theater Festival, three plays were performed in the competition program: "Cinderella" by the Italian Zakes Theater, "The Dream of Fairy Moll" by the Harlequin Puppet Theater from Hungary, and "The Stolen Prince and the Lost Princess" by Little Theater "Duško Radović".

The play "Cinderella" was performed on the "Jadran" Stage of the National Theatre. This is the author's adaptation of the famous fairy tale in which Cinderella spends her days locked in her own world accepting every punishment that her stepmother and evil sisters come up with for her. However, a completely new being begins to grow in her soul and, step by step, she manages to find the courage to stand up to her oppressors, who in turn become more and more powerless.

Amalia Ruoko, who plays one of the main roles, expressed her impressions on the Festival: "This was our theater's third appearance at the Festival, and my first. The program is really interesting. Everyone is kind to us and we feel good here." On adaptation of the famous literary template, she said: "It's a really old fairy tale, we've found almost 3,000 versions of the story in different parts of the world. We decided to focus on Gianbattista Basile's version from the 17 th century, because the character of Cinderella is quite different compared to other versions - here she is very strong, almost violent. We loved that she found a way to deal with her situation on her own. She finds the prince, but she doesn't ask him to save her."

The play "The Dream of the Fairy Moll" was performed in the Children's Theater of Subotica, and in this performance, the main character Moll, with her messy hair and battered brown dress, looks more like a moth than a real fairy. But it's enough for her that she knows she's a fairy, she doesn't need to prove herself to anyone. However, there is one thing Moll can't deal with - her broken wings. She dreams that one day she will be able to fly, but the way to achieve this dream is very thorny.

The author and director of the play, Reka Such, said about this work: "I wanted to make a play without words, in which I talk about dreams, through which everything can become real. Children should have dreams they believe in, just like the fairy Moll in this play. Dreams don't always end the way we want, but there are nuances in life that we should pay attention to. That is the most important thing".

The play "The Stolen Prince and the Lost Princess" was in the repertoire at the National Theater on the "Jadran" Stage. This story begins with a great injustice: in ancient times there was an ancient custom according to which only a boy could inherit the imperial throne. In the Middle Flower Kingdom, imperial twins were born - brother and sister, cruelly separated at birth. However, they overcame many obstacles and a difficult fate, and found each other again. The play asks the question: who will be the new ruler: the emperor or the empress?

Branislava Stefanović, the director of the play, said about her motivation to direct this play: "This was once a cult play of the children's theater of Yugoslavia and the entire Balkan region, and I watched that play as a girl in "Boško Buha". When I was discussing with Aleksandar Nikolić, the director of the "Duško Radović" Little Theater, what I would direct, that piece came to my mind first. One of the themes that the play deals with is the issue of the freedom of the male and female child and the relationship to tradition, which can be subservient, and it can also be something that is expressed through respect for tradition as a change, when life circumstances change."

The student exhibition of the festival posters "Thinking (by) Letters" was opened at the "Danilo Kiš" Foundation for Youth Culture and Creativity. At this exhibition, the works of the 3 rd year students at the Faculty of Applied Arts in Belgrade, from the Department of Applied Graphics and the object Illustration, in the class of Professor Rastko Ćirić, were presented.

Ilija Tatić, director of the Open University Subotica, at the opening of the exhibition expressed his satisfaction and admiration for the progress of young authors: "Every year there are more and more different influences that young people get from their education and interests. They work within the limits of the classical and expected form of a poster".

Zdravko Mićanović, retired professor of the Faculty of Applied Arts, also spoke: "Students should keep in mind that the works they create for this festival are in some way working for the whole world. This is the chance for these young people to feel the pulse of the world as a whole at the very start of their professions".

Artist Mile Tasić, one of the members of the jury that selected the best works, expressed his impressions of the selection process: "We were really fascinated. Every poster can be a poster in a young man's apartment and decorate his room."

The exhibition "70 years of Duško Radović Little Theatre" was opened on the same day in the Children's Theater Subotica, and presents the history of this important theater aimed at the youngest audience. Exibition was opened by Ilija Tatić, director of the Open University Subotica, who pointed out: "Duško Radović made so many beautiful, wonderful and interesting things for children that we still enjoy his works to this day. And the Belgrade theater "Duško Radović" makes great plays for children and they are our guests this year. That theater, which bears the name of this great writer, gave us these puppets from their performances, so that everyone who comes could see what they did during their 70 years of existence".

The thirteenth edition of the Forum for Theater Art Research for Children and Youth begins at the Open University in Subotica, and this year's theme of the Forum is "Interculturality in Theater for Children and Youth and Community Development".

The traditional Afternoon with the laureates of the "Little Prince" Lifetime Achievement Award, Marijana Petrović and Viktor Šrajman, took place at Hotel Patrija.

Screening of the animated film "Dreambuilders" took place at the Eurocinema in Subotica, and at City Square a program was scheduled for 5 p.m. with the participation of dance and acting groups, street entertainers, schools and kindergartens.

On the third day of the festival, on Tuesday, September 20, on the "Jadran" Stage of the National Theater, two plays will be performed in the Competition Program: "Scoooootch!" from the French theater Les noveaux ballets du Nord pas de Calais (10 a.m.) and "Borsszem Janko" from the Puppet Theater "Bela Kover" from Hungary (5 p.m.). In the Subotica Children's Theater at 12:00 p.m., the show "New Shoes" is on the program, produced by Tian Gombau - The Drawn Man from Spain.

On Tuesday, at 4 p.m., the 15 th and 16 th issues of the magazine "Niti" for puppetry art, as well as the collection of works "Theatre for Children - an Artistic Phenomenon" (book 12) will be presented at Hotel Patria. In the organization of the Festival and the Theater Museum of Vojvodina, on September 20, a three-day puppet therapy workshop "By Puppet to Peace - Puppetry in Therapy and Assessment" will begin. The workshop is led by Ossa Viklund, a long-time practitioner and educator in the field, from Gothenburg.

As part of the film program, the Festival presents the animated film "Maya the Bee 3 - The Golden Orb" at 11 a.m. at the Eurocinema, and from 5 p.m. on City Square, a diverse program takes place, with the dance and acting groups, street entertainers, schools and kindergartens.

All programs at the International Children's Theater Festival are open to visitors and free of charge.

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Subotica International Festival of Children's Theatres