On the third night of the competition program of Teatar Fest, the audience was presented with the play “Wooden Birds”, performed by the ensemble of the Croatian National Theatre from Varaždin and Zagreb. The play is the authorial debut of Lidija Deduš, directed by Ivan Plazibat.
The story of “Wooden Birds” is set in a rural area during the 1980s and follows the life of a young woman, Nadica, who faces the constraints of a patriarchal society, alcoholism, and violence. The play has received awards and was included in the international selection “Circles” at the 70th Sterijino Pozorje.
“Lidija was inspired by a real case involving the murder of a young girl in her village—someone she knew. That was the inspiration and the starting point. For Lidija, it was about how one young life was cut short,” said director Ivan Plazibat.
At the heart of the story is femicide—the murder of a young girl for which no one was held accountable, leaving a lasting stain on the conscience of a community. This is an intimate, haunting drama about fear, unspoken truths, and the need for the victim’s voice to finally be heard.
“I play the role of a doctor’s wife, in a fur coat and nylons. The problem of abuse isn’t confined to Zagorje, or rural areas, or the 1980s. It’s here, all around us. Even college-educated women are silent and endure it. They experience the same violence as those in rural areas,” said actress Helena Minić.
Actress Klara Fiolić added that the issue of femicide is highly relevant.
“What Lidija wrote was inspired by an event that happened in 1986, but I believe it still feels very real and present,” she added.
Tonight, on the fourth competition evening, the Serbian National Theatre from Novi Sad will perform “Redemption”, directed by Veljko Mićunović.
Source: RTRS
