Bitef

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

HENRY VI

NATIONAL THEATRE BELGRADE, SERBIA, FOND "LAZA KOSTIČ", BELGRADE, SERBIA AND GLOBE THEATRE, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM

NIKITA MILIVOJEVIĆ 130'

King Henry V has died. For decades, England has been waging unsuccessful war with France. As infighting blights the English troops, their armies bit by bit lose the cities and territories he won. Henry V's young son is crowned King but, in spite of his best efforts, his youth and inexperience proves no match for his enemies, both abroad and on his own soil.

First of all, Henry VI is a story about struggle for power, in which, due to petty interests, intrigues and hatred, something much bigger and more important gets lost. When we say "struggle for power, intrigues, disorder"... I get a feeling like I am talking about our reality. It seems like reality in Serbia. Everyone has their truth; no one trusts anyone and no one is safe; same conflicts seem to be passed on to new generations. History seems to be repeating over and over again. Actually, it goes in circles. In circles, around a round table. At round tables, new wars are being initiated, new alliances are being made, the old ones are being forgotten. Henry VI resembles an open wound in which one can clearly see the fracture, but common sense cannot prevail in overall madness. Nikita Milivojević

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