Theaterstück

Wooden theatre stands for plaything and international stage at the same time. In dramatic form, a parable is developed about state power and morality, which links the temporal levels between Roman antiquity, Yugoslavian partisanity and current political thriller.

The starting point for the individualist piece is the person of the long-time state president of Yugoslavia and dictator, Josip Broz Tito (1892-1980), who initiated the so-called »third way« between communism and capitalism, between East and West. Branko Brezovec, one of Croatia’s leading directors compiled two extremely different texts for this: »Gloria«, a play by Italian author Gabriele D’Annunzio (1863-1938), and the novel »Crna Orhideja« (»Black Orchid«), a history of partisanity by Slovenian author Edvard Kocbek (1904-81).

Branko Brezovec, who was born in Zagreb in 1955, studied philosophy, comparative literary studies and directing. Since the mid 80s, he has directed over 60 productions all over Europe and had a decisive effect on theatre both in the former Yugoslavia and now in Croatia. Unusual directing concepts and extremely sultry actors are characteristic of Brezovec’s work. One of his latest projects was the Shakespeare piece »Timon of Athens« (2005). »Svadbe i suđenja« (»Weddings and trials«) is the first guest performance from Croatia at the euro-scene Leipzig.

»The exuberant abundance of bombastic images remains in the memory, the piece also being reminiscent both of painted apocalypses in the style of Breughel and of the theatre of Bertolt Brecht« (Dagmar Fischer, Hamburger Morgenpost, 01.06.2007).