The Serbian National Theater in Novi Sad in co-production with the Youth Capital of Europe (OPENS) from this city enriched the drama program of the Ohrid Summer Festival with the theatrical play “Who Killed Janis Joplin?” Directed by Sonja Petrovic.
Through a convincing and energetic performance on the stage in the Cultural Center “Grigor Prlichev”, the young actors brought a drama very successfully intertwined with music from the time of Janis Joplin.
The consequences of ending the life of this 27-year-old rock and roll star from the 60s of the last century in a hotel room are known, but by unrolling the story backwards, from the beginning of her life, from her birth to her death, through a theatrical play were captured. the reasons why Joplin became addicted to heroin, lonely and encountered resistance on the way to achieving her personal freedom.
According to the director of the play, Sonja Petrovi., The story of Janis Joplin opens the eyes of people, through her life path and example to see the struggle for themselves which is not easy and often leads to creating a wall between the individual and society. The famous rock and roll star ends his life with an unfulfilled desire to break down that wall.
The actors from the stage told the audience to get rid of all the given forms, formalities and shackles, to get rid of any social context that is imposed on all of us, which even after 50 years since the death of Janis Joplin is equally strong It is especially felt in women who refuse to be in the forms of the given gender roles at a certain period of their lives, but the play is not intended only for women, but for all people, because we all sometimes feel tense in terms of the achievements of what society expects of us. The message is that we should be what we want to be, says Petrovic.
“Who Killed Janis Joplin?” Is not a psychological drama or musical, though full of music, but a social drama based on a true-to-life story that criticizes conservative society.
