The National Theatre is open to new energy while respecting and reflecting on tradition. This edition brings together contemporary authors, and in the next phase we will turn to older generations.
With these words, Dijana Grbić, Director of the National Theatre of Republika Srpska, presented the drama edition “Theatre at Home,” which consists of seven books published based on texts adapted into productions of the National Theatre of Republika Srpska. The edition is jointly published by the National Theatre of Republika Srpska and the Official Gazette of Republika Srpska.
The collection includes the following plays: “The Snorers (The Disease)” by Nikola Pejaković; “Our Days” and “The Golden Age” by Željko Stjepanović; “A Balloon Made of Stone” by Radmila Smiljanić; “Truth (Doesn’t) Hurt” by Jelena Kojović Tepić; “Guarantors” by Mario Ćulum; and “Small Wars and Zara’s Changing Rooms” by Vida Davidović.
Professor Dr. Mladen Šukalo, a member of the editorial board, emphasized that this is one of the ways dramatic tradition can be preserved from oblivion.
“Time is not kind to books, but whatever remains in print will surely find its place in a library. The edition is thoughtfully designed and, in addition to the text, includes key information about the premiere performances. This collection confirms what Borivoje Nedić once said—that every theatre should have a playwright from its own community,” Šukalo said.
Playwright Radmila Smiljanić expressed great satisfaction at being invited and included in the “Theatre at Home” edition.
“I would first like to thank Director Dijana Grbić for inviting me to be here, and of course everyone else who contributed to this edition. Theatre is fragile, yet extremely resilient, as proven by its existence from ancient Greece to the present day. No matter how circumstances change, theatre endures. I believe that even in these turbulent times it will once again demonstrate its resilience, because the most precious contact is still human to human,” Smiljanić said.
Author Vida Davidović spoke about the creation of the play “Small Wars and Zara’s Changing Rooms” and its journey from text to stage.
“The play was first published in the journal Scene of the Sterijino Theatre Festival, then it won the Sterija Award, and was later staged at the National Theatre of Republika Srpska. Unfortunately, drama as an independent literary form is no longer as present as it was 50 or 60 years ago; today it is largely confined to theatre. The reasons are numerous and global. In the United States, drama is viewed as applied art. That is why it is a great pleasure to be included in this edition,” Davidović noted.
Due to the successful realization of this edition of contemporary dramatic texts, congratulations to the National Theatre of Republika Srpska were also extended by Jelena Kojović Tepić.
“Unfortunately, plays are rarely published today, even though there are people who enjoy reading them, like myself. I wrote ‘Truth (Doesn’t) Hurt’ a long time ago, but when it was staged, it enjoyed a long theatrical life. I would like to remind everyone that the lead role was played by Đorđe Marković, and it felt as if the role had been written especially for him,” Kojović Tepić said.
Mario Ćulum, author of the play “Guarantors,” emphasized that this edition is important for Republika Srpska as a whole.
“The value of this edition lies in the fact that it consists of original domestic dramatic texts. This is significant because students can see the differences between the original text and the final stage version—the one we see performed,” Ćulum said.
Finally, it should be noted that the books are designed with a unified graphic concept and are conceived as a permanent record of the theatre’s repertoire, as well as an incentive for new readings and stage interpretations.
Publisher
Miloš Lukić, Director of the Official Gazette of Republika Srpska and one of the publishers of the “Theatre at Home” edition, expressed great satisfaction with the project realized in cooperation with the national theatre.
“It is important to extend the life of a dramatic text through print. We have achieved that by launching this edition, which will have a continuation. I am also proud that this year the Official Gazette published 20,000 individual printed copies, 70 percent of which were distributed to institutions, organizations, and students across Republika Srpska. That is our commitment for the coming year—to be even more successful,” Lukić said.
Source: Glas Srpske
