Art laboratory “Sensory labyrinth theatre of the young for the young”
Workshops dates 30.8-4.9.2022. from 8-16 hours in Cultural centre of Novi Sad.
The main activities of the artistic laboratory of the Sensory Labyrinth Theatre (SLT) are aimed at creating a sensory performance dealing with the topic of youth violence. Through a series of workshops, young people will learn about the emerging forms of violence, and through the opportunities provided by the sensory theatre, they will introduce them to their peers and their parents.
Rather than taking place on a single stage, the SLT play resembles, in its form, a journey that each viewer goes through individually as the main character of the story. At one point, the viewer is blindfolded and thereby the traditional theatrical storytelling includes the remaining four senses, which can lead to strong emotional breakthroughs.
The Sensory Labyrinth Theatre is a unique form of performing art that was created specifically for an interactive involvement of all participants in the process of creating a play. (The audience is included in the final part of the process).
The workshops are very active and interesting, they take place in courtyards, halls, on stairs, in corridors, on the stage, and they push the participants out of their comfort zone! During the workshops, we will do exercises used in immersive, interactive and experimental theatre as well as for therapeutic purposes, so that all participants will have the opportunity to gain experience in creating a new form of theatre, as well as to make a journey into their own emotional depths and realisations, which will help them in their personal development and provide them with an essential context.
The facilitators, inspired by the work of theatre luminaries Eugenio Barba, Enrique Vargas and Augusto, will create a space where young people can explore and discover their emotional, creative and spiritual potential.
It is intended for young people aged 15 to 25 who, if they join, must participate in all the activities.
The workshops will be held from 30 August – 4 September 2022 every day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the premises of the Cultural Centre of Novi Sad.
Premiere is planned on 4 September 2022 from 3 to 7 pm.
Facilitator and director: Sebastian Dobrescu
Facilitator assistants: Severina Prostran Miletić and Miloš Macura
Parasomnia
4. september, from 15h to 19h, Cultural Centre of Novi Sad
The play Parasomnia comes as a result of the Sensory Labyrinth Theatre experimental workshop. Rather than taking place on a single stage, the form of the play makes it resemble a journey that each viewer goes through individually as the main character of the story. The fourth wall is removed and the viewer becomes the actor. At one point, we move from the visual to the sensory world: the viewer is blindfolded and thereby the traditional theatrical storytelling becomes sensory, including the remaining four senses, which can lead to strong emotional breakthroughs.
In Parasomnia, we will attempt to lead each viewer/actor to explore their own inner worlds, discovering gradually to what extent they are aware/unaware of the origins of their motives, actions and value systems. The causes and consequences of various forms of violence among the young will be our starting point. We will investigate how much we have unconsciously integrated the imposed values of contemporary society and whether we are capable of awakening the beautiful sides of human nature – compassion, care and love. What are the triggers? Awakening from the unconscious will be our task with this performance. The audience of Parasomnia must be prepared for a journey and an adventure that will take them to an uncertain destination…
Directed by Sebastian Dobrescu / Romania
Assistants: Severina Prostran Miletić and Miloš Macura / Serbia
Produced by Novi Sad Children’s Cultural Centre, 2022
The project was supported by the Sports and Youth Administration of Novi Sad – Office for Youth, and the Cultural Centre of Novi Sad.
A public reading of Dejan Dukovski’s play
Turlitava dramaturgy
The Last Balkan Vampire is an old text of mine that I have now rewritten.
It is a text inspired by myths, legends, superstitions about vampires and other unusual inhabitants of the Balkans, a rich treasury of stories and characters… The text is a phantasmagorical farce in a fairy-tale setting of ghosts and demons.
In a way, it is a comical ritual procession of vampire exorcism. But that’s probably just a wrong definition. My intention was simple: to write a comical and entertaining text in this Balkan milieu.
Kurta and Murta are successful vampire exterminators who come to exterminate a notorious and powerful vampire terrorising the area, but that’s where the hunters turn into victims, as they are the ones who are being exterminated in these vampire lands. A haunted region. It’s a basic narrative of a bizarre plot, but for me, the focus was on the play of words and rituals as well as the play of surreal characters and the context… In the manner of the non-existent and absurd dramaturgy of Turlitava – with singing and pagan rhythms.
I do not know what is the mirror of fears in which we fail to see our own vampirism today. The text gives no diagnosis of this present-day vampirism, nor does it look for some parallel metaphors with today’s vampires, demons and the evil time we live in, but I hope it touches the nerve of our subconscious pagan fears and basic instincts…
Dejan Dukovski