“GRIEVING FAMILY” by Branislav Nušić, adapted and directed by Nikola Pejaković, premiered at the National Theater of Republika Srpska on December 24, 2013. JUBILEE – TEN YEARS IN THE REPERTORY, we are celebrating with a performance on December 27.
Building the play, guided by the thought that “there is no place for the harmless and trivial Nušić”, Nikola Pejaković summed it up in his director’s speech: “We are looking for that Nušić who speaks truthfully about himself and his people, about our people and the curse of mentality.” Laughter, if it appears anywhere, is icy and astringent. Our characters are real and recognizable, you can meet them on the street. The source of the comic is in the mentality, but there, precisely in the mentality, is also the source of blackness, the source of unhappiness. This is what we are dealing with and what we are trying to feel in our ‘Grieving Family’ and in this sad time of ours”.
Along with Nikola Pejaković, who signed the adaptation of the text, the direction and the music and sound in the play, Dragana Purković Macan (scenography) and Jelena Vidović (costume design) put the author’s stamp on the play.
The current cast is different from the premiere. The role of Simka is alternately played by Nikolina Friganović and Ljiljana Čekić. Danica, who was interpreted by Marina Pijetlović (then a fourth-year Acting student at the Banja Luka Academy of Arts, in Elena Kostić’s class), is now brought to the stage by Dragana Marić.
The ensemble cast includes: ŽELJKO STJEPANOVIĆ (Agaton), NIKOLINA FRIGANOVIĆ / LJILJANA ČEKIĆ (Simka), ALEKSANDAR STOJKOVIĆ (Tasso), SLAĐANA ZRNIĆ (Gina), LJUBIŠA SAVANOVIĆ (Mićo), VEDRANA MAČKOVIĆ (Lawyer) and DRAGANA MARIĆ (Danica). .
The play was shown on guest appearances and played in the official selection of several festivals. She has been awarded multiple times.
Over the course of ten years in the repertoire of NPRS, “Grieving Family” was shown 78 times, in front of a total of 18,004 viewers. The anniversary celebration on December 27 will be its 79th performance.
Source: NPRS
