Bitef

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The Showcase program presents the highlights of current Serbian theatre production pursuing contemporary flows in performing arts. Showcase promotes contemporary Serbian performing arts scene within the European and wider international context, creating simultaneously conditions for Serbian theatre artist and companies to develop joint projects with the Festival's foreign partners. The program addresses festival directors, producers, theatre journalists, critics and other festival guests. Showcase is held as a regular Bitef program since 2005. Selector of 42 Bitef's Showcase is a theatre expert, Ana Tasic, theatre critic of the oldest daily newspa per "Pol itika".

SHOWCASE No.4

BEYOND DRAMA When deciding on the concept and the slogan for this year's showcase, my inspiration was one of Lehmann's definitions of postdramatic theatre, which describes it as theatre beyond drama. Bearing in mind that there were a number of artistically significant productions, within the framework of theatre production in Serbia, which could be considered as postdramatic, I wanted them to be the focal point of this year's showcase. Talking about postdramatic theatre, i.e. theatre beyond drama, I am referring to contemporary theatre which tries to keep pace with the times, using relevant methods to hold a mirror up to the lives we live, global changes provoked by omnipresent media esthetics, consumerism, globalization and alterglobalization. We are talking about a theatre which does not suffer structural changes in order to be able to respond to the numerous challenges of the times we live in. Two productions included in this year's Showcase can be considered strictly postdramatic theatre productions ( Woman-bomb, Urbi et orbi). Two more contain elements of postdramatic expression, in a sense that they explore the essence of drama and the dramatic, going against the traditional conventions in drama ( The Travelling Troupe Sopalovic, Rules For Good Manners In the Modern World). One production, Gathering Place, belongs to the realm of more traditional drama theatre, but not to the conventional, foreseeable, realistic one. This is a case of authentic, different, minimalist production of a Serbian classic. Productions which will be performed as a part of this year's Showcase are neither an overview of Serbian theatre production nor are they representative samples, but exceptions, margin samples. They are closer to Bitef's sensibility which means they are provocative in their form and/or content, i.e. they belong to the sphere of artistic production. The influence of Bitef on the theatrical expression in Serbian theatre is often discussed but the general opinion is that Bitef has had very little influence on Serbian theatre, which is, mostly, conservative and based on retro psychological realism. These productions belong to a small group which show evidence that Bitef's influence is nevertheless present. Ivana Sajko Woman-bomb, directed by Bojan Oordev, Belgrade drama theatre In the production of Woman-bomb, the globally important problem of terrorism is tackled in challenging, postdramatic form. Through a combination of spirited, immediate performances and video transmissions of the play, the stage language is excitingly dissected, the idea of presence, time and space. The possibility of having a passive audience has been reduced to the minimum. The spectators are exposed to a myriad of irritations, blinding strobe, noise, irritating repetition of sounds and a few performers are in the actual audience space thus disturbing the otherwise comfortable, passive position of the audience. All this leads to a more active analysis of form as well as the production content.

SHOWCASE