Bitef

The direction concept of Tomi Janežič wholly concentrates upon the actors and their ability to present the fragments of Russian provincial reality without pathetic tones and overdramatizing, without hysterical outbursts or tedious melancholy. In their minimalist confessions, the Slovenian actors portray the personal tragedies of Chekhov's ill-fated heroes, employing the ease and naturalness so regrettably alien to Croatian theatre of late. Three Sisters by the Miadinsko (...) is an example of a theatre that found its starting point in the actor's inspiration and ability to make the text understandable in every space and time. Dubravka Vrgoč, "Vjesnik", Croatia The decisive factor in this Slovenian staging is doubtlessly the direction procedure of Tomi Janežič. At the very beginning, the director ventured upon an extremely risky dialogue with Chekhov, deciding on fatal slowness as the prime characteristic of the life philosophy he approached with deepest respect. The pauses abound in context that surpasses the power of things uttered, with the audience focussed upon silence and sensing moving qualities therein. Janežic s psychological verism does not allow even a tinge of exaltation. Everything addresses us through small, barely open doors, and thus the actors mostly speak quietly, on the verge of clarity. As if everything were not taking place because of the audience, but sprang from an inner personal need. The acting is indeed a special, and an extremely successful feature of the project. Although the intonation has been brought to a common overtone, each of the present has found a small, privileged space for individual expression. And this takes place in an unusually convincing, yet entirely unimposing manner. We witness a vision of a lifeness realized which, despite glowing on the distant edge, becomes incredibly close and moving nonetheless. Anatolij Kudrjavcev, "Slobodna Dalmacija", Croatia AWARDS - Judita Award, bestowed by the jury of the Croatian daily "Slobodna Dalmacija" to the best theatre performance of the Split Summer Festival - Sever Award to Janja Majzelj for her performances in Drrream and Three Sisters - ZDUS (Slovenian Theatre Artists Association) Award to Maruša Geymayer-Oblak for her rendition of Wendy in Peter Pan and that of Natalya Ivanovna in Three Sisters - Special award of the jury of the Festival

malih scena for the ensemble acting of the cast - Mediteran Award, bestowed by the Croatian daily "Novi list", to Romana Salehar for her rendition of Masha TOMi JANEŽIČ Born 1972, Graduate in theatre and radio direction (AGRFT, Ljubljana). He is the founder of the Studio for the Research of Acting Art, in the context of which he also works as a director. Having studied Strasberg's acting method under the mentorship of Andrej and Janez Vajevec, and techniques of Jerzy Grotowsky and Thomas Richards in Pontedera (Italy), he has dedicated himself to in-depth research of theatre role and the psychological processes that arise during its study. His research in the Studio for the Research of Acting Art has resulted in a specific type of acting, or the relationship between the actor and his part. Subtle acting creations, extraordinary character renderings, and the development of the actor's abilities of interpretation to an almost perfect, effortless coexistence with his part, place him among superb interpreters of Stanislavsky's method, with his theatrical stagings never seeming like cliches seen before. MAJOR WORKS J. Genet: The Maids, AGRFT, Ljubljana, 1994, P. Shaffer: Equus, Municipal Theatre Ljubljana, 1996. Emptiness, The Old Story from my Town, Ptuj Theatre and Emptiness No. 2. Studio for the Research of Acting Art, Ptuj, 1996 Sophocles: King Oedipus, Mladinsko Theatre, Ljubljana, 1997 G. Büchner: Woyzeck, Primorsko Dramatic Theatre Nova Gorica, 1998 A. P. Chekhov: The Seagull, Mladinsko Theatre, Ljubljana, 1999 A. Tarkowsky: Stalker, Primorska Summer Festival P. Rostand: Cyrano de Bergerac. Croatian National Theatre Split, Croatia, 2000 A. P. Chekhov: Three sisters, Mladinsko Theatre, Ljubljana, 2001 ...it is as though you'd walk across a poppy field and not think to pick a flower or What Colour Is Laughter?, Studio for the Research of Acting Art in collaboration with Mladinsko Theatre, Ljubljana, 2002 F. Dostoevsky: Crime and Punishment, National Theatre Ivan Zajc, Rijeka, Croatia, 2002