Bitef

menom kontekstu. Pubiika će imati priliku da vidi predstave poput onih Olivera Frljića, Dragana Živadinova, Žorisa Lakosta, Marine Davidove i Maje Pelević. Sa druge strane. u fokusu je i motiv smrti, večita tema umetničkog interesovanja, oličena u ostvarenjima Alena Platela i Štefana Kegija. Na formalnom planu, fokus se stavlja na pozorišne instalacije, kreirane bez prisustva glumaca na sceni ( Večna Rusija, Zaostavšina, komadi bez ljudi i PA’AM). lako na prvi pogled deluje pomalo komplikovano, ova tri elementa spajaju se u logičnu osovinu festivala: skretanjem pažnje na desni populizam i totalitarne režime, prisutne u zemljama s tradidjom ovakvih oblika vladanja, ali sve vise i u zemljama takozvanog „slobodnog sveta", povezivanjem ove teme sa motivom smrti i fizičkog odsustva (sa sveta, pa i sa pozorišne scene), selekcija 52. Bitefa upozorava na opasnost sveopšte kataklizme koja je moguća ukoliko svet u kome živimo ne počne da se menja. Taj svet bi, ukoliko se nešto ne promeni, zaista mogao da postane svet bez ljudi.

U programu 52. Bitefa nalaze se predstave koje bi mogle da naiđu na raznolike reakcije. Na formalnom planu, instalacije bez glumaca na sceni, u našoj sredini mogu predstavljati osnovu za debatu. Večna Rusija Marine Davidove provocira gledaoce sa obe strane političkog spektra. Predstave iz Hrvatske i Srbije, Šest lica traži pisca, kao i Bolivud Maje Pelević, otvaraju polje za raspravu o tome šta je, uopšte, političko pozorište. Za razliku od nečega što se obično smatra angažovanim pozorištem kod nas, ove dve predstave namenjene su najširoj publici. Frljićeva predstava nastaje u pozorištu prepoznatljivom po „zabavnim sadržajima", dok je predstava Maje Pelević treš mjuzikl u kome se društvena kritika krije ispod lakih nota.

Bitef je oduvek važio za instituciju koja je u obavezi da provocira, buni, uznemirava, postavlja pitanja i pokreće društveni dijalog, ako je moguće, u celom društvu i van okvira pozorišne i intelektualne zajednice. Zvuči lepo, ali - da li je to uvek zaista bilo tako? Bitef je. za početak, državna institucija, finansirana od državnog novca, pa je provokacija i pobuna često morala biti subverzivna i ne sasvim direktna. Takode, govoriti o tome da je ono što se dogada na festivalu uvek bilo predmet zanimanja sire društvene zajednice, u najmanju ruku je ambiciozno.

Ipak, prošle godine, Bitef je uspeo da isprovocira reakcije mnogo snažnije od onih uobičajenih. Raziog za to

ulism either in its historical or its present-day context. The audience will have the opportunity to see productions like those by Oliver Frljić, Dragan Živadinov, Joris Lacoste, Marina Davydova and Maja Pelević; on the other hand, the focus is also on death, the everlasting object of artistic interest, as in the works by Alain Platel and Stefan Kaegi. Formally speaking, the focus is on theatre installations created without the presence of actors on the stage ( Eternal Russia, Nachlass, Pieces sans Personnes and PAAMj. Even if it looks slightly complicated at first glance, these three elements come together to form the logical axis of the festival as they draw attention to rightist populism and totalitarian regimes found in countries which have a tradition of such forms of government but increasingly so also in countries of the so-called free world. Linking this subject with the motif of death and physical absence (from this world, even the theatre stage) the 52 nd Bitef selection warns against the danger of universal cataclysm that is quite possible unless the world we live does not begin to change. Unless something changes, this world could indeed become a world free of humans.

The programme of the 52 nd Bitef includes productions which might meet different reactions. In terms of form, installations without actors onstage, can be a basis for a debate in our midst. Marina Davydova’s Eternal Russia provokes spectators on both sides of the political spectrum. Productions from Croatia and Serbia, Six Characters in Search of an Author and Maja Pelević’s Bollywood are open for a debate about what is, generally speaking, political theatre. Unlike something that is here usually considered engaged theatre, these two productions are intended for the largest possible audience. Frljić’s production comes from a theatre recognisable for its “entertaining contents” and Maja Peievic's play is a trash musical in which social criticism hides under light notes.

Bitef has always been thought as an institution obligated to provoke, upset, produce waves, raise questions and initiate a social dialogue - if possible in the society at large and outside the theatre and intellectual community. Sounds nice - but has it always been like that? To begin with, Bitef is a state institution, financed from the state budget, so that provocation and rebellion often needed to be subversive and not

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