Битеф

Ivan Medenica, umetnički direktor festivala, ove godine odlučio je da koncipira Bitef na dva principa: estetskem ili formainom, koji podrazumeva predstave neuobičajeno dugog trajanja, i tematskom, koji podrazumeva predstave nastale ne na osnovu uobičajene dramske grade (dramskog teksta) več na osnovu epske grade, U sastavljanju selekcije, trudili smo se da bez pravljenja kompromisa zadovoljimo ove principe, kako bi svaka odabrana predstava ispunjavala makar jedan od ova dva kriterijuma. U torn smislu, finalna selekcija bi se, bez mnogo preuveličavanja, mogla okarakterisati kao radikalna. I zaista, gledanje veoma dugačkih predstava, nastalih na osnovu materijala iz antičke grčke mitologije, srpske srednjevekovne epike ili Biblije, prilično je zahtevno. Od gledaoca se očekuje da satima i satima skoncentrisano gleda, prepoznaje, analizira i kontekstualizuje najznačajnije narative naše civilizacije. Iz ovoga se nameče zaključak da če 51. Bitef biti namenjen obrazovanoj, intelektualnoj, pozorišno kompetentnoj puhlici. Taj zaključak je samo delimično tačan. Ono što je, u stvari, najradikalnije u vezi sa Bitefom koji nam ide u susret jeste činjenica da je on veoma komunikativan. Namenjen je gorepomenutoj publici, ali i onoj koju obično ne biste mogli da vidite na festivalskim predstavama. Upravo dve najduže predstave Bitefa, Quizoola! britanske trupe Forsd Enterteinment i Olimp Jana Fabra, mogu da budu zanimljive i gledaocima koji, u teoriji, ne moraju uopšte ni preterano voleti pozorište. Priroda ovih predstava zaista nudi iskustvo koje nije svojstveno uobičajenom pozorišnom iskustvu. U slučaju predstave Quizoola!, efekat komunikativnosti proizlazi iz neposrednosti zasnovane na motivima iz popularne kulture, dok Olimp cesto više podseča na rejv žurku nego na pozorišnu predstavu. Ako ovome dodamo i predstave Ersana Mondtaga, čija poetika sadrži i elemente svojstvene treš estetici, sigurni smo da gledaoci različitih senzibiliteta mogu pronaći'nešto za svoj ukus. Da biste gledali ovogodišnji Bitef, predznanje je poželjno, ali ne i neophodno. Možete biti veoma obrazovani i obavešteni, ali i ne morate. Mogli ste pogledati sve predstave Bitefa u prethodnih nekoliko godina, ali niste morali da pogledate nijednu. Možete biti svesni

Ivan Medenica, the artistic director of the festival has decided to focus this year’s Bitef on two principles: the aesthetic or formal one, meaning productions of unusually long duration, and the thematic one, meaning productions based not on the usual dramatic basis (text) but on the epic material. In our selection we sought to satisfy these principles without resorting to compromises and to have every selected production meet at least one of these two criteria, in this sense, the final selection can be classified, without much exaggeration, as radical. And indeed, watching very long performances based on material from the ancient Greek mythology, Serbian medieval epics or the Bible is rather demanding. The spectators are expected to spend hours watching, recognizing, analysing, and contextualising the major narratives of our civilisation. The inevitable conclusion is that the 51 st Bitef is intended for a learned, intellectual audience which knows theatre. This conclusion is however, only partially true. What is most radical about the forthcoming Bitef is, actually, the fact that it is very communicative. It is intended for the above mentioned audience but also for the audience one does not usually see at festival performances. It is precisely the two longest productions, Quizoola! by the British Forced Entertainment Company and Mount Olympus by Jan Fabre that can be of interest to spectators who, in theory, need not be the greatest theatre fans. The character of these performances offers experience not typical of the usual theatre experience. In the case of Quizoola! its ability to communicate emerges from candour based on popular culture motifs whereas Mount Olympus often brings to mind a rave party rather than a theatre performance. Add to this Ersan Mondtag's productions, the poetry of which includes elements normally found in trash aesthetics, and we are confident that spectators of different sensitivities can find something to suit their taste. It is desirable but not indispensable to have some advance knowledge to watch Bitef this year. You may be very learned and informed but you do not have to be. Over the past few years you could have seen all Bitef performances or none of them. You may be aware of all possible "new theatre tendencies", but you do not

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