| 20:00-22:00 | 21  |
1984Location: National Theatre of Kosovo
Location: National Theatre of Kosovo
Address: Teatri Kombëtar | Event Map | Venue Accessibility Language: Albanian with English subtitles In this new dramatisation of 1984, Igor Mendjisky steps into a world where the boundaries of reality blur and the quest for self unfolds amidst a tapestry of love, politics and the haunting spectre of solitude. Giving a precise answer to what 1984 is as a novel, the dramaturg and director says 'I don’t know, and giving a precise and detailed answer would reduce the depth of this ‘monument’.' The show speaks of power, identity, solitude and the quest for oneself through the quest for others. It explores love, politics, childhood and its troubles. It has a satirical take, which over the years has transformed into a novel of anticipation, a metaphysical fresco, vibrant, frightening and moving. It may simply be the story of the ‘last man’, as George Orwell liked to call it. Like every great novel, this story carries within itself all the major themes of the human condition with perhaps a desire to prevent the worst. Duration: 2 hours Genre: Theatre Credits: Written by: George Orwell Get in touchProduction contact: kushtrim.sheremeti@rks-gov.net Status: Ready for touring |
| 17:30-17:50 | 21 |
Donika Rudi — Lament of the EarthLocation: Prishtina City Park
Location: Prishtina City Park
Address: Street Rrustem Statovci, Prishtina City Park | Event Map | Venue Accessibility Language: Albanian (written translation in English provided) Lament of the Earth is a cycle of audio-visual works by composer Donika Rudi, dedicated to the effects of climate change on Earth. The core focus of this cycle is to address the topic of climate change and sound experiences for the deaf community. The work is built based on the graphics of warming stripes, which visually portray long-term temperature change on the surface of the Earth. The beginning of the work focuses on organic and human sounds - based on calmness and harmony from the text of Doruntina Basha - while the culmination is achieved with transformed, distorted sounds and the weep of the Earth. The call for action is performed by Kaltrina Miftari, soprano. Sign language and dance are an integral part of this cycle. Through movement, dance and ‘visual vernacular’, the emotion of sounds will be experienced. The work addresses what we all feel, but do not speak; look, but do not see - something that affects as we remain indifferent. Every living being is an integral part of the Earth - as such, we rise and return to it. This work is the medium between the listener and their long-lost genome, as it tries to explore the existence of each of us with a call - a call to listen and act before it is too late. She spoke, but did we listen? She asked, but did we respond? She gasped, but did we stutter? We are, until she is! Duration: 20 min Genre: In situ audiovisual performance Credits: Composer: Donika Rudi Get in touchProduction contact: donikarudi@gmail.com |
| 20:00-21:30 | 21 |
Negotiating PeaceLocation: Teatri ODA (ODA Theatre)
Location: Teatri ODA (ODA Theatre)
Address: Pallati i Rinisë dhe Sporteve, 10030 Prishtinë | Event Map | Venue Accessibility Language: English Negotiating Peace is a complex and diplomatic challenge after military conflicts. In some cases, peace agreements are made; in others, complete peace is never reached or simply remains an arrangement on paper. Multiple wars and conflicts raise multi-layered questions and leave behind ambiguities, which makes peace difficult. Looking at peace negotiations including the Dayton peace agreement, those in Northern Ireland and the Middle East, the still-unresolved talks between Kosovo and Serbia - and anticipating the conclusion of the war between Russia and Ukraine - Kosovo’s Qendra Multimedia have brought together a pan European ensemble to create Negotiating Peace. This new production has been created with artists and theatre groups from Ukraine, Kosovo, Serbia, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Italy, Czechia, Albania, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland and Estonia. Inspired by Richard Holbrooke’s To End a War and Kadare’s The General of the Dead Army, Negotiating Peace tries to confront the audience with the backgrounds, challenges, fears and hope that accompany the reaching of a peace agreement and discusses important issues: who has the power and legitimacy to negotiate peace? Do people truly reconcile after signing a peace accord? And finally: can collective forgiveness ever occur, or is forgiveness an individual act? Negotiating Peace will be directed by Qendra’s Blerta Neziraj in her vibrant and striking style which tackles political and social issues head-on. Speaking about the production, Blerta said: ‘The main thing we are looking at in this theatre production is: if war has its demons leading people towards destruction and misery, what does peace have? Who is the antipode of the war demons? Are they the peace emissaries? The political leaders who have the courage to sign peace agreements? Or the ordinary people, the survivors, who have paid the highest price of the war.’ Duration: 1h30m Genre: Theatre Credits: Written by: Jeton Neziraj Produced by Qendra Multimedia In association with Teatro della Pergola (Italy), euro-scene Leipzig (Germany); Prague City Theaters (Czech Republic); R.A.A.A.M (Estonia); Mittelfest (Italy); Kontakt (Bosnia and Herzegovina); Black Box Teater (Norway) and My Balkans (USA/Serbia) Get in touchProduction contact: info@qendra.org Status: Ready for touring |
| 11:00-12:30 | 21 |
Hana is FlyingLocation: Adriana City Theatre of Ferizaj
Location: Adriana City Theatre of Ferizaj
Address: Teatri Adriana, Dëshmorët e Kombit, Ferizaj | Event Map | Venue Accessibility Language: Albanian with English subtitles Anita and Belina's lives are happy until a hospital starts being constructed near their home. Their husbands have agreed to everything. The house will collapse along with the wall in front of it. However, Anita and Belina cannot leave the wall and their memories behind. They send a letter to the mayor asking him to stop the demolitions. After many attempts to halt the demolition, Anita and Belina climb over the wall and decide to protest. With the demolition of the wall, their lives crumble along with a long-buried secret. Duration: 1h30m Genre: Theatre Credits: Written by: Arta Arifi Get in touchProduction contact: ugzmajlibesim@gmail.com Status: Ready for touring |
| 15:30-17:00 | 21 |
The Shadow GardenLocation: City Theater of Gjilan
Location: City Theater of Gjilan
Address: Teatri i Gjilanit, Gjilan | Event Map | Venue Accessibility Language: Albanian with English subtitles ‘We firmly believe that the most powerful response to evil and injustice is to share our story. Through it, we aim to preserve our history, educate, inspire, empower, and contribute to our pursuit of justice. This theatrical rendition is especially meaningful, shedding light on our lives before and after the tragic massacre, not just the event itself.’ – Fatos Bogujevci. The play tells the story of the Bogujevci family: the first children to give evidence in a war crimes tribunal. This tribunal gives shape to the shifting narrative, slipping between time, place, reality and imagination. The shadow garden exists on stage as a parallel world of memory and alternate futures. With one foot in Manchester and one in Kosovo, the family occupies a very private space in a very public arena. Through the children who survived, we learn about their loss and the resilience it takes to seek justice against the odds. Accounts of war are largely dominated by male military voices; this play celebrates the kind of power that doesn’t just sit in the weight of a gun. Duration: 1h30m Genre: Theatre Credits: Written by: Sarah Hehir The Shadow Garden is a collaborative, multi-media show developed with an international team and produced by Gjilan Theatre. Get in touchProduction contact: erson.zymberi@gmail.com |
| 20:00-21:15 | 21 |
Gadjo (The Young Europeans)Location: Teatri ODA (ODA Theatre)
Location: Teatri ODA (ODA Theatre)
Address: Pallati i Rinisë dhe Sporteve, 10030 Prishtinë | Event Map | Venue Accessibility Language: Albanian with English subtitles In Kosovo in 2019, a series of physical assaults on a Roma woman were reported. She was a refugee, who a few weeks previously had been forcibly removed from Belgium to Kosovo and was now trying to adapt to a new society and environment. A few days after her return, when she decided to leave the refugee centre in Podujeva, a local media outlet released a false news item about ‘a man who looks like a woman who is stealing children in Kosovo’. The unverified report quickly spread to other media outlets in Kosovo and Albania. As a result, the Roma woman was attacked and brutally assaulted by a group of young people from various towns. ‘Gadjo’ (a term used by the Roma to describe the non-Roma) aims to encourage a debate about racism and violent extremism amongst young people. It also aims to research and analyse this century of ignorance and intolerance that is encouraged and promoted by an irresponsible media, in a chaotic and out-of-control media landscape, where the need for ‘clicks’ has transformed into an overarching purpose. ‘Gadjo' challenges and confronts our societies about the Roma, the myths about them and their position in our societies - where racism and contempt are deeply embedded in our consciousness. Gadjo is a play for all those young people, who with 'courage' and 'determination' are embracing this century of violence and impatience to which we - and most of all our media and our schools - have all contributed to. Duration: 1h15m Genre: Theatre Credits: Written by: Jeton Neziraj In association with Qendra Multimedia (Prishtina) Get in touchProduction contact: info@qendra.org Status: Ready for touring |
| 11:00-12:30 | 21 |
Measure for MeasureLocation: City Theatre Hadi Shehu
Location: City Theatre Hadi Shehu
Address: Rrugë Anton Kukeli 2 Gjakovë | Event Map | Venue Accessibility Language: Albanian with English subtitles Vienna is swarming with brothels and loose morality - but the Duke doesn't want to use his authority to clean up the city. He leaves dressed as a friar, leaving his deputy Angelo in charge of Vienna. Angelo is at first reluctant, but he soon starts to make changes. Angelo quickly condemns Claudio to death for immoral behaviour. Angelo offers to pardon Claudio if his sister Isabella sleeps with him. Isabella agrees, but has Angelo's fiance switch places with her. The Duke returns to spare Claudio, punishes Angelo and proposes to Isabella. Duration: 1h30m Genre: Theatre Credits: Written by: William Shakespeare In association with Bekim Fehmiu City Theater of Prizren Get in touchProduction contact: albulena.bokshi@rks-gov.net Status: Ready for touring |
| 19:00-20:00 | 21 |
AntigonesLocation: Art Gallery of the City of Gjekova
Location: Art Gallery of the City of Gjekova
Address: Rrugë Anton Kukeli 2 Gjakovë | Event Map | Venue Accessibility Language: Albanian with English subtitles This adaptation of Sophocles’ Antigone for this Hadi Shehu theatre production is a unique take. Through an intentional merge of the two plays (Sophocles and Anoulih’s), new performative material has been created for this production - more intense and ‘redecorated’ with some ‘fresh pain’ - that proves once again that the fate of humans, just like human dramas and tragedies, repeat themselves. The show draws attention to the patriarchy, not only as an oppressive system of power and as an obstructor to social development and prosperity, but also as a form of oppression of one of the most sublime feelings: the human need to remember. This Antigones is a testament to the mothers - the women of Kosovo, who with determination challenge forgetfulness and social arrogance. When our memory forgets the terror and misery of pain and suffering, we find it again in the eyes of these women - the women of Kosovo, the women of Gjakova. Duration: 1h30m Genre: Theatre Credits: Written by: Sophocles & Jan Anouilh Get in touchProduction contact: albulena.bokshi@rks-gov.net Status: Ready for touring |
| 14:00-15:30 | 21 |
ArbriLocation: Teatri ODA (ODA Theatre)
Location: Teatri ODA (ODA Theatre)
Address: Pallati i Rinisë dhe Sporteve, 10030 Prishtinë | Event Map | Venue Accessibility Language: Albanian with English subtitles ‘Arbri’ is a show inspired by Florian Zeller’s film ‘The Father’, which explores the fate of an elderly man suffering from dementia and the dilemmas faced by his daughter in caring for him. ‘Arbri’ - the elderly father - symbolises the Albanian people as well as the ‘dementia’ or national amnesia that has captivated the nation in regards to its own identity and past. Duration: 1h30m Genre: Theatre Credits: Written and directed by: Lirak Çelaj Get in touchProduction contact: Florent Mehmeti Status: Ready for touring |
| 18:00-19:00 | 21 |
A Short History of Burgers and Other ThingsLocation: Dodona Puppet Theatre
Location: Dodona Puppet Theatre
Address: M57C+R59, Afrim Loxha, Prishtina | Event Map | Venue Accessibility Language: English ‘A Short History of Burgers and Other Stories’ is a monodrama performed by Dutch actor Simon Versnel, a longtime member of the Belgian dance theatre troupe ‘Peeping Tom’. This play tells several stories inspired by the memories of one boy about the traumatic events that impacted his understanding of reality. The author deals with the questions of guilt, love, sexuality and his own relationship with the world. ‘A Short History of Burgers and Other Stories’ is - amongst other things - the result of a three-year-long research project of the author which deals with the memory after death, done in cooperation with the DAS Theatre from Amsterdam. This play was supported by Serbia Creates and the city of Amsterdam. Duration: 1 hour Genre: Theatre Credits: Project by: Andrej Nosov Get in touchProduction contact: aleksandra@heartefact.org Status: Ready for touring |
