Theatre Play “Princess Ksenija from Montenegro”

The Pricess Ksenija of Montenegro

Adapted and directed by Radmila Vojvodic

Montenegrin national theatre, Podgorica, Montenegro

The plays are founded on the nonexistence of traces, the depleting of the material heritage, and for us that work in theatre it is understandable that we appreciate and love the ephemerality and unrepeatable character of theatre.  I constantly go back to that subject, trying to find an answer to the question why I wrote an epilogue or a prologue if you will, was it necessary to draw attention back to the smearing and the non-artistic remembrance of the previous performances of Princess Ksenija of Montenegro- set in a different social context, returning to It from today’s perspective staging the same work. As a matter of fact, I know the answer to a certain extent -but I also realize that forgetfulness and memory tend to change and twist the facts, not just because of the historiographic breadth, but also as a result of the knowledge we have acquired as recently as yesterday. Hence the need to “fact check” that particular knowledge, to reinforce it and to share it.

The voices of migrants have been numerous from the beginning of the world and time… people who are in a constant search for a better life, a better world. They whisper day and night, telling the most intimate history. Here and now, in this play they are above all others, there is the voice of the confident powerful women, but also the voice of a woman at a loss. She is the voice of a silent small nation and a small culture anchoring life. She speaks with the burdened voice of inner exile and pours out pain over the edges of the historical facts, starting from her own era and all the way to ours.

It is a monologue from the distance and a dialogue of our captivity.

Radmila Vojvodic

Theatre director, playwright and university professor Radmila Vojvodic was born in Bar in 1961a and graduated theatre directing in 1985.  She is the author of numerous plays and has directed both classical and contemporary texts at “Atelje 212” in Belgrade, the Drama theatre and the Student cultural centre in Belgrade, the Croatian National theatre “Ivan Zajc”, the Serbian National theatre in Novi Sad, Montenegrin National theatre in Podgorica, the Royal theatre in Cetinje etc. Her plays are awarded at numerous festivals and well received by audiences and critics alike. Vojvodic is the founder of the magazine for theatre and culture “Gest” and is a winner of numerous theatre prizes and accolad

Roles:

Princess Ksenija at 80 years old- Varja Djukic

Princess Ksenia between 36 and 40 years-Ana Vuchkovic

Vukmanovic-Dejan Ivanic

King Nikola-Izudin Bajrovic

Queen Milena-Gordana Dragashevic

Danilo, heir to the throne-Aleksandar Radulovic

Princess Vera-Jelena Laban

Ilija Bjelosh-Slobodan Marushevic

Minister Soc-Dushan Kovacevic

Major Kloz-Lazar Djurdjevic

Ljubica Rosi-Nada Vukcevic

Dramatourg: Bozho Koprivica

Set design: Marija Kalabic

Costume design: Boris Chakshiran