DEATH TO FASCISM! ON HEROES AND FREEDOM

The Spotlight Theatre, Serbia

Concept, dramaturgy and directed by Milena Bogavac

Co-authors and Performers: Đorđe Živadinović Grgur, Nina Nešković, Strahinja Blažić, Sunčica Milanović, Nikola Živanović

Producers: Vlatko Sekulović, Branimir Brkljač

Executive Producer: Anekta Goranović

Original Music: Dragoljub Đuričić

Stage Movement and Choreography: Andreja Kulešević

Costumes: Ivana Nestorović

Video: Ivan Stojiljković

Visual Identity and Design: Slavimir Stojanović

Associate: Srđan Milošević

Expert Consultants: Olga Manojlović, Milovan Pisari, Maja Maksimović, Aleksandar Sekulović, Mila Turajlić, Miloš Baković Jadžić, Matija Jovanović, Jelena Veljić, Jana Šarić, Ivan Mandić, Muharem Bazdulj, Branislav Grubački, Vojislav Arsić, Vladan Čelebonović, Dunja Badnjević

Lights Design: Arijan Igić

Sound Design: Jovan Bulat

Director’s Assistants: Ivan Božić, Đorđe Živadinović Grgur

Organisers: Dunja Đokić, Marina Umihanić

Running time: 60’

The Spotlight Theatre is an independent youth theatre production, developed from the theatre programme of the organisation “Centre E8”. It has been operating under this name since January 2017, while it has been present on the theatrical scene of Serbia and the region since 2012 with its productions aimed at mainstreaming an engaged, new and different theatrical expression of the young. This expression, born from equating the artistic and the activist, the personal and the political, the aesthetic and the educational, is based on workshop methods and techniques of the Process Drama, with an underlying idea that the process is equally important as the product. The theatre focuses its work on the young, with whom they re-examine socially relevant topics. Their productions include: “Macho Men”; “Red: A Suicide of the Nation”; “Crave”; “A Suspicious Person”; and “Fancy Getting Together Again?”.

“DEATH TO FASCISM! On Heroes and Freedom” is a documentary theatre play, but not a biographical drama. Researching the story of Ivo Lola Ribar, his family, his fiancée Sloboda (Serbian: freedom) Trajković, as well as the entire generation of young people who gave their lives in the struggle against fascism, the authors of the play attempt to speak, first and foremost, about their own generation; themselves; today’s heroes and the ideals they believe in. About how they understand the struggle against fascism today and what the story of the Ribar family means to them personally, in the contemporary political moment marked by historical revisionism and strengthening of nationalism, both in the region and throughout Europe. Envisaged as engaged and educative, the play was created in a six-month research process, which involved a series of lectures, workshops, visits to the places of deaths and antifascist struggle in Belgrade, collective readings of relevant literature, analyses of relevant films and books. The play relies heavily on the materials gathered during the process of learning about Lola Ribar, his brother Jurica, their father, their friends and comrades. The idea was for the co-authors and performers to undergo a process of learning, so that they could share their knowledge through the play.

Spring is beautiful in Belgrade, when there is sun and no war. Heroes are needed even when we are not armed or under a direct threat. Let us be heroes and heroines for ourselves this spring, let us know which line we will not cross. Come on!

Aneta Gornović

Because the struggle against fascism is never over. Because community needs heroes. Because young people need to believe in a better tomorrow. Because they need inspiration and hope. Because the young today are not “the worst generation ever.” Because the one who can understand the past, understands the present as well. Because we believe in the young and their faith in ideals. Because fascisms in the world are poking their heads again. Because we must raise ours. Because we raise our heads when we raise our voice. Because – the young! Because – no fascism!

Milena Bogavac

I am 27 years old and before this play I knew very little, almost nothing about Ivo Lola Ribar, his family, fiancé Sloboda, student struggle. The play “Death to Fascism! On Heroes and Freedom” made an impression on me with historical facts, slapped me in the face with the personal examples of the actors, my peers. I feel anger, sorrow, pride, hopelessness, love.

Nikola Bešlić, I want to go to the theatre