Ksenija Mitrović: Exploration and curiosity are part of children’s nature

On Wednesday, September 24 (day 4 of the 32nd International Festival of Children’s Theatres – Subotica), the competition program featured performances Caught Between the Puppets (by Demediado Teatro from Mexico) and Little Red Riding Hood (by the Youth Theatre from Novi Sad).

In Caught Between the Puppets - a play written and directed by Lorena Kasper Torres, performed at the National Theatre’s Jadran stage - the protagonists surrender themselves to an atmosphere of fun and celebration while inviting the audience to “get tangled among the puppets”.

"It's a musical play in which two characters dig a hole to escape from prison. Inside the hole, they find belongings of previous in-mates. The objects are then turned into puppets that take on the personalities of these characters," Lorena Kasper Torres said.

The Youth Theatre of Novi Sad's production of Little Red Riding Hood was staged at the Children's Theatre in Subotica and was intended primarily for children from the youngest to the age of 5.

"Our Little Red Riding Hood has been updated for modern times. Her mother works a lot, so the girl gets bored and wants to go visit her grandmother. However, it's still the same story and lesson. I found the character of Little Red Riding Hood very interesting to play, as she is a typical child who likes to play and wants to explore. Through her journey, she learns that she can't do everything she wishes - but that it's still in the nature of children to explore and be curious," said Ksenija Mitrović, the play’s lead actress.

At the National Theatre’s Jadran stage, an out-of-competition performance titled A Trip Round the World with a Suitcase Full of Music - a production by the students of the local elementary school Matko Vuković - was performed.

Patria Hotel hosted a discussion session with Boris P. Goldovski – the winner of the Oton Tomanić Award – who presented his encyclopedic tome, The History of Puppet Theatre from 15 th to 21 st Century to the public.

As part of the festival's film programme, Subotica’s Eurocinema theatre held a screening of the animated feature Super Elfkins.

On Thursday, September 25, the audience will have the opportunity to watch the following plays in the competition programme: Blup and the Faces of Water by Kuskus Institute from Slovenia (Jadran Stage at 10 a.m.), I Can Fly, Too by the Eskisehir Metropolitan Municipality City Theatres from Turkey (Subotica Children’s Theatre at 12) and The Cosmos by the Odivo Theatre from Slovakia (Jadran stage at 5 p.m.).

At 4 p.m. Patria Hotel will host a presentation event for the new issues (#20-21) of the magazine Niti i Zbornik and the anthology volume Theatre for Children: an Artistic Phenomenon (a collection of essays presented at last year's 15th Research Forum for Children and Youth Theatre Art).

As part of the festival's film programme, a screening of the animated feature The Inventor is scheduled at the Subotica’s Eurocinema theatre, at 11 a.m.

Traditionally, the International Festival of Children's Theatres - Subotica is supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, the Provincial Secretariat for Culture, Public Information and Relations with Religious Communities and the Municipality of Subotica, whereas The Vojvodina Theatre Museum is acting as a partner in the festival's production. The executive producer of the festival is the Open University Subotica.