My second visit to a theatre festival in this part of the world. Half of the eighties I was in Belgrade for a Bitef-festival and now twenty years later I visit the Infant Festival in Novi Sad. A lot has changed, politically, economically, but what remains here is the search for new developments in theatre. That's what I like so much in being here. You really feel a very warm attitude towards innovative trends, independent theatre groups. In many other festivals in other cities you sometimes feel a kind of boredom: 'we have seen this before', 'this is not new', or even 'we are fed up with avant-garde theatre'. That's not at all the case with Infant. And another reason why I like to come here is that you get a very interesting mix of East and West. Somehow it is still very difficult living in the West to get an idea of independent theatre from Bulgaria, Serbia, etc. This is a great opportunity to cross these barriers.

     And I think that precisely there is a great opportunity for theatre to develop. In crossing borders. In researching the gaps between cultures. In combining different media. In mixing high and low art, in crossing borders between live art and technology. Already in music we see many different new forms being developed in this field of 'fusion'. I think the future of theatre (one of the many futures because theatre is always transforming, always becoming) lies in this research of fusion. Already the first piece that I saw, The House of Bernarda Alba by Den Gri Company shows an interesting kind of fusion: between Bulgarian culture and the idea of Spanish passion. By combining some flamenco elements with a kind of use of voice and music which reminds be much about Bulgarian culture. The effect is a piece which is full of rhythm.

     It is interesting to see when theatre artist want to speak about strong emotions which really come from deep inside, from the bottom of human existence that they use a chorus to give expression to this feeling. That was for example the case in Peter Steins famous Oresteia where he used incantation and choreography to deal with the passions of the play. Here also we see these ritual elements of theatre coming back. It is theatre with a strong musical key. And it appeals directly to the body. We feel it. We experience it. And that is what theatre is about.

     Our time performing at the INFANT festival in Novi Sad was an absolute pleasure. We found the city to be invigorating and vital and the festival to be thoughtful, well organized, intelligent and full of heart. It was a joy to take part and we look forward to any future opportunities to return to Serbia and in particular to the festival in Novi Sad.

     For a festival to be successful, more important than have big financial support, is the determination and dedication from organizers and associates.

     In INFANT we have found that since the first contact by e-mail. We believe that these actions are the fundamental bases for a great accomplishment. Thanks to all for these happy work moments in Novi Sad.

     I want you to know how much we are happy to have the opportunity to participate to INFANT Festival. The Mediterranean atmosphere of Novi Sad with the terraces, cafes and bars, people walking and talking on the streets day night everywhere made a deep impression on me and the artists as well.

     he festival was very well organised; the conception, the whole program, the marketing material more than professional, and the organiser's open-minded cooperation and flexibility extraordinary.

     I would like to thank you for your hard work in organising every financial, technical and personal condition to make possible to do the performance "CSAJOK" in Novi Sad.

     It was an exceptional cooperation and I am happy to have met you.

     Organization on the INFANT festival was very good. People here welcomed us with warm and kindness, so we felt here as home.

     The thing that I really liked was Round table discussion, which is on very high level, so is the understanding of our performance and discussion about it. It happend for the first time to us that someone fully understood performance which is mostly based on the jewish ancient texts. It is very important experience for us.

     That idea about daily Round table dicussion after the performances is very interested, it gives a chance to an actor and director to talk about their work and play not only on stage but also behind it. It is very interesting to see this idea of the director that started the performance in the first place, atfter the performance.

     The performance "Phantomysteria" of the russian troup Teatr Novoga Fronta made a special impression on me.

     Here are some thoughts about our participation in your festival.

     We are back in Italy after a very rich and beautiful tour, thanks also to your festival: it was curious to come to Novi Sad after two gigs in Germany, then go back to Germany and to finish in Poland; it was like a permanent confrontation between East and West. I must say that is has something special to perform in Eastern countries. Maybe because the audience is less used to street theatre, more open and ready to show its enthusiasm, maybe because you take a special care of good organisation and put a real value on artistic arguments. It is good to perform in festivals where different theatre forms are mixed and where the theatrical meaning of the performance gets important even if you do street theatre.

     I was impressed about the comments Zoran R. Popović did on our work the morning after the performance during the round table.

     Your town centre is really predisposed for street theatre, the square is wide and big and people are ready to get surprised. We hope to perform there again in the future!

     Arrived in Novi Sad by black night, to find a bustling center lined with lazy sidewalk cafes, bare shoulders to the summer sky, a drone of incessant nightlife, effortlessly nocturnal under crisp florescent lights... Our hotel sprawled, its rooms dusty and dimly lit, we slept under a slanted roof with one small skylight breathing oxygen into the stuffy air, and awoke to find that we had slept through our rendez vous with Mr. Mayor. One day to spend in an unknown city, and at the same time, we had to prepare ourselves for the performance that night. It is not enough time to do both things well. I had lunch on a quiet terrace, in tree shadow, and afterwards, gently strolled the city, my illiterate eyes watching long legged citizens navigate the afternoon streets. And so quickly it was time to enter the theatre, sealed from daylight, to concentrate, to prepare the space that would hold our work that evening. The four of us women were together, sustaining eachother, communicating. I warmed up in my red festival T-shirt and so quickly it was time to dance... Csajok is a beast of a journey, one in which I can never tell time, time suspended between flashing lights and beating lungs. Blink once and it is over... I blinked and felt received by our public that night. Whether they liked it or not, it is not my concern. But I felt that they stayed with us all the way, at least that was my impression, standing before them as they clapped... before the rush ensued to plant two feet solidly back on the ground again, to clean up and organize and verify and pack and leave the theatre, our art memory wafting in the air like a secret shadow. We rushed to join our new festival friends for a drink... again, one night is too short to complete a dialogue... but the begining was certainly there, ideas spiralling between dancers and spectators, conversation that connects the escapade to real life, that lets performance stay with us in the living flesh. Eyes that were once too deep in the unlit house for me to see from my perch upon the stage, were now close enough for me to be able to gage sincerity and play with relationship. What a gift it is to be able to put words to a performance, something that is such a special part of festivals. We were sadly obliged to leave in a hurry to get back to Budapest. My return flight was dreadfully early the next morning. We left with questions still hanging. But at least we could start to ask them...

     Looking back at the 4 days I spent in Novi Sad with Infant gives me many impressions and a very good feeling. A good feeling about the approach you have on theatre and the professional attitude. Every art form exists very well next to each other. The team did their best with every performance to make it work, the technicians and the production. Also very special was the round table discussion, in which the piece was placed in the bigger picture of theatre art. Something I tried to do within the performance as well.

     I really loved Novi Sad, I never felt safer abroad then there. We also had a lot of fun, mixed with the hard work (thank you Zoran!!) and that really gave me a good feeling to take back with me to Holland.

     You made it a very special festival for me and I thank everybody who was related in any way.
I hope to come back someday and for now.

     Greetings from Amsterdam.

     Concerning the INFANT festival, I can say only all the best! But that isn't all the best from courtesy, but sincerely. Why?

     The fact is that the INFANT festival gathers creators of the new, alternative theatre and that it's open for all innovations, true reflections, for their exchange, researches, examinations, education and literacy of the spectators as well as creators. By that, I mean that the INFANT is completely filled and realised it's laminar intent. As perennial participator of the Infant festival, I can say that I come with my troupe every year with big responsibility, sincerity, joy and curiosity and came back filled and reflected with good energy, being aware that I gave something and got something in return. That relation of mutual exchange is exactly what this festival makes so unique in compare with the others festival that also aimed to have creative exchange of ideas and informations, but not always good in making that happen.

     Coming here from similar manifestation that's represented by prestige institution and which has world reference, I can only give you the most sincere congratulations for all the effort, enthusiasm and professionalism! By its organisation and concept INFANT festival is on very high level indeed, in spite the all difficulties of material nature, and you should be proud cause of it.

     I wish you a lot of success, great shows and big budget in future and never to lost that great sincerity, sensibility and devotion.