Bitef

THE MASTER OF DOUBLE GAMES

The life of the Italien dramatist Carlo Goldoni almost exactly spanned the eighteenth Century, a time when the traditional Commedia dell'Arte style was in decline and 'written' drama as we know it was beginning. Goldoni skillfully adapted thè Commedia dell'Arte pattem to his own very funny and intriguing plots, and thè mostfamous of thè resulting plays is The Servarti ofTwo Masters. Goldoni has not only been the master of fun, but also the master of the double games, which is, taking his famous play and looking at it from a Contemporary perspective of today's politicai Situation and the Situation of everyday-iife not very funny anymore but scarily truthful: double games are played everywhere, not only in the big picture of global politics but also in the way people lose their sense of love and lust negotiating even love to no other avail than individual survival, at least so it seems ... The famous old Goldoni play serves this adaptation just right to draw an artistically elaborated and intelligently devised picture of modern society taking thè ever so wise old foli to repaint a new picture which is just another striking conseguente of something we all of course know about, but don't dare to look at most of the time.

Susanne Winnaker

II DOUBLE GAMES/MASTER OF TWO SERVANTS

Up until today Goldoni is the indisputable master of investigative comedies, of intrigues and absurd "happy endings". In Italy the unexcelled high in scenica! realization of his litera ry remains for the theatre is beyond doubt still Giorgio Strehler and the hazard, to outgo his example artistically in some way equaisa stränge kind of'coup defoudre'.Theyoung Italian director Andrea Paciotto,together with a group ofSerbian actors,a German dramaturge and sound designer, a Dutch light designer and a Serbian translator is now undergoing thè adventure to create a Contemporary viewon the text of The Servant ofTwo Masters for the theatre and one seif evident tool for him in this process is thè integration of various electronic media into the theatrical work. Also sounds of all different kinds add to thè encounter of a diversity of theatrical logics. The beauty of a certain economy of acting meets the economy of soundscapes, iightscapes and a language in words that isforeign to everyone in the light of at least four different nationalities i.e. national identities colliding. The outcome of this gathering is a captuhng, tantallzing theatrical event, a thrilling Cooperation between art institutions across borders and a manifesto of mutual misunderstandings and also deep relatedness of a new kind.

MY ENCOUNTERS WITH GOLDONI

When, in 1950,1 carne to Beigrade to studìes, you were iucky tofind a ticket for the newYugoslav Drama Theatre. At that time, one ofthe mostfavourite play was thè Fishermen's Quarrels by Goldoni in Dalmatian dialect, but with the ñames of characters in Italian language. The play was directed by one ofthe most slgnificantYugoslav directors, Bojan Stupica, who started to work even before the Second World War, in the theatres at the whole territory offormer Kingdom of Yugoslavia, The staging was realized with his typical colouring and enthusiastic style with a lot of gags and precise feeling for Goldonian style. After about 20 seasons of playing, Bojan Stupica directed another Goldoni's text the Tavern Girl, with the title of Mirandolina. His wife Mira Stupica, the best Serbian actress ofthe second half ofthe Century, interpreted the main role. Mira still lives in Beigrade and it was only recentiy when she stopped appearing at thè stage. Another relevant encounter with Goldoni, Twenty years ago 1 found out that the first foreign play translated into Serbian language was exactly one of thè iess known Goldoni' s text The Merchants. The text was translated by young Serb Emanuilo Jankovic, who studied medicine in German town of Halle, maybe by advice of great educator Dositej Obradovic. The translation was printed in Leipzig 1787, two years before the French Revolution, when Goldoni was 80. Although Serbain language has undergone relevant changes in the last two centuries, the language which Jankovic used was still fuily understandable by Serbian Contemporary audience. I was already for ten years in the Management ofYugoslav Drama Theatre, when in 1994,1 suggested director and theatrical author Vida Ognjenovic to accept the challenge of staging that text, the subject of which became quite actual in the period oftransition towards economic liberalismi. So, on May the 17th, 1994, we had an absolute premiere in two centuries, ofthe first foreign text translated into Serbian language in the sameYugoslav Drama Theatre, which presently bears the nameof Bojan Stupica, the best Goldonian director from our country. Thanks to the Suggestion of Andrea Paciotto, I am encountering Goldoni again.This time with The Servant ofTwo Masters. I am one of rare lucky ones who saw three out of 17 different versions of this text, realized by Strehler, 1 saw the first one, performed by Piccolo Teatro in Beigrade 1955, at thè stage ofYugoslav Drama Theatre again, with legendary Moretti in the role of Harlequin.The last versión, which still exists in its luxury I saw after Strehler's death. We dared to adapt the text to the circumstances of the actual Serbia, using the language spoken today, After Strehler we bave a kind of sweet stimulating fear, which comes from thè feeling of responsibility towards Strehler, towards the Biennial, towards thè audience in Venice and towards our audience.

Jovan Cirilov

Co-production: National Theatre Uzice, Bitef Theatre, La Bienalle di Venezia, Offucina Eclectic Arts and Grand Theatre Supproted by: The Ministry of Culture of Republic of Serbia, The Munidpality of Uzice, City of Belgrado - Secretariat of Culture, JAT Airways, The Embassy of Republic of Serbia in Italy, Italien Institute for Culture in Belgrade, Si&Si Group, Delta Generali Insurance, "Konak" Restaurant and Belgrade Drama Theatre