| Sunday, 3rd July 2011 | 18.00 / The Novi Sad Theatre, Grand Stage |

Red
The novel My Name is Red, a Turkish reply to postmodernism by Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk, is considered the pinnacle of the writer’s oeuvre. Further to its masterful prose and distinguished by the various perspectives of its narrative line, the story is set in 16th century Istanbul where, notwithstanding the strict traditions of the time, the Sultan commissions a group of his best miniaturists to produce a book. This action instigates an ideological dispute between the old and the new, between Ottoman and western perspectives of fine art. This conflict between tradition and contemporaneity is also re-addressed by the performance Red, based on motifs of Pamuk’s novel.
Following the original thematic threads, the international group under the direction of Martin Kočovski investigates the convergence of two paths confronting young people today: the first is distinctively religious, whilst the second argues for unrestricted freedom of life and conscience. Both have their share of delusions and virtues; indeed, the fundamentally religious path as well as a way of life predicated on free will both present the danger that the individual shall lose their sense of moderation and basic humanity. Religion forever remains a challenge, and Red confronts us with a question how to deal with it in a particular era.
Rather than being obsessed with a religious way of life, the younger generation addresses the issue of human liberation, which serves as a basis to integrate the story of life between the East and the West. If Orhan Pamuk uses the colour red as an inspiration for passion, art, creativity as well as to overcome the differences, the young artists perceive it through his motifs mainly as intoxication from the wine of love – something which has long been present in the philosophy of life and love of great oriental poets.
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Martin Kočovski, Director
Born in 1977 in Bitola, Macedonia, Martin Kočovski graduated stage direction from the New Bulgarian University in Sofia, since which time he has directed mainly in Macedonian and Bulgarian theatres. He is also the author of international interdisciplinary projects, such as Casablanca and Everything About My Mother, which explore the relationship between theatre and film. Kočovski is most attracted to the contemporary Macedonian playwrights and the works of Brecht; indeed, he received Best Young Director Award for Brecht’s Drums in the Night at the 2008 MESS Festival. Kočovski, who is considered one of best young directors, has toured with his productions at festivals in Macedonia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Croatia.
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NETA – New European Theatre Action
Today comprising some thirty festivals and theatres from thirteen mostly Eastern European countries, NETA has supported the idea of this production, and indeed has taken it over. The participant co-producers are mainly other co-founders of the NETA, i.e. the festivals and theatres which have been active within the network for years.
This first NETA production is also distinguished by a predominantly young, audacious and ambitious group of artists who, by way of this work, inaugurate and anticipate further productions in the context of the formation of the NETA International Theatre Ensemble.
NETA was founded upon the initiative of its president, Macedonia’s former Minister of Culture, Blagoja Stefanovski, in 2005 in the Macedonian town of Bitola, which also became the venue of the network’s first production.