Bitef

103

Andrés Urban enrolled direction at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, Prof. Vlatko Gilic's class. He studied film and theatre direction and directed for the National Theatre in Subotica, In mid-1990s he quit the studies, stopped working in the theatre and withdrew from public life for years. He only thought about theatre. Five years later Urban resumed his studies with Prof Boro Draskovic and graduated in 2000. He began directing for Kosztolânyi Dezso Theatre in Subotica and with the support of Szeged's MASZK and his own company began to create "independent" theatre productions. He has also worked in Novi Sad and Belgrade, led artistic workshops in Rumania and been on a study tour in Japan, in 2005 he became the director of Kosztolânyi Dezso Theatre. He directed works by Buchner (Woyzeck, 1992); Shakespeare (Hamlet, 1992; The Taming of the Shrew, 2006), Dejan Dukovski (Mamu mu j... ko je prvi poceo, 2000), Fernando Arrabal (Picnic on the Battlefield, 2001), J. Pilinszky (Children and Soldiers, 2004; Urbi et Orbi, 2007) Otto Toinai (The Death Curve, 2003), Jordan Radickov (January, 2003), Geza Csat (0,1 mg, 2004), Slobodan Tisma (Kralj sume, 2004), Beckett (Waiting for Godot, 2005), Sylvia Plath (The Girl Who Barked at the Moon, 2005), Bram Stoker (Dracula, 2006), Brecht (Brecht -The Hardcore Machine, 2007). His latest production is Turbo Paradiso (2008). He authored short films Neko I neko (1991), Staklo (1992), Kao da nas i nema (1993) and a book of stories Partizan izzore (2003). Awards: The First Prize at the Festival of Small and Experimental Stages, Pancevo (Rosa, 1989); Special award, BITEF jury for the productions of Woyzeck and Hamlet (1992); the award for the best direction at the 9th Review of Alternative Theatres, Szeged (Children, The Death Curve, 2003); the award for innovation atthe 10th Review of Alternative Theatres, Szeged (2004); Sterija Award of the Round Table, 53rd Sterijino Pozorje for the best production (Urbi et Orbi). WHILE WORKING ON BRECHT-THE HARDCORE MACHINE How many times I go from Senta to Subotica. I like the place I leave as much as the one I'll arrive in. Although, even those are just lies. I am listening to Einstiuzende Neubaten CD: tabula rasa. I decide that our new production which we are to perform in Bèrlin shortly will be called Brecht the hardcore machine. It will probably be said that the production is a Brechtian hardcore machine or that Brecht himself is a hardcore machine. As we worked on the production, we went over there twice, mostly getting acquainted with Brecht's legacy, that at times funny cult of a very paradoxical man. It is frustrating at times, but theatre is not a writer, and we didn't even like the productions of Brecht's plays in Germany. During the conversation I realise that what is expected is not the examination paper of a Brecht's student and I begin to consider myself a pupil. I pause at a place where Brecht parked his sports car: before reaching the Berliner Ensemble he would take over the wheel in order to im-

We realise that the circumstances are immaterial to us, that only we and the event exist, and we can even to like what goes around us. Of course, we win, the experience of the performance is stronger, a theatre event Is a more forceful reality and that Is how we relate to It. The poetry of what goes on. Truly Andrâs Urban

Andras Urban took part in 26 Bitef 92 as a director of two performances: W. Shakespeare Hamlet and G. Bühner Woyzeck. Woyzeck got Special Award. It was performed in Student Cultural Centre, while Hamlet was performed in the open space of Kalemegdan Donji grad.

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