According to the comparative analysis, which Željko Hubač dramaturge National Theatre worked at the end of 2024 on the state of theaters compared to 2012, the number of institutional theaters remained the same, but the number of employees in them was halved, while the number of premieres dropped by more than 40 percent.
That's why, "if we mark 2025 as by far the worst year compared to the previous ones, I'm also afraid to guess what will happen with the repertoires in 2026," said Hubač for "Danas".
He says that the situation in theaters outside Belgrade is dramatic.
Ten games per month
He states that "The National Theater in Vršac has 11 working actors, in Pirot there are eight, while the Royal Theater employs only seven, one of whom is an actress who also serves as acting director. The total number of working dramaturgs, directors, set designers and costume designers in all theaters outside Belgrade and Novi Sad is eight. That is why these theaters have an average of less than ten performances per month, which calls into question the very purpose of their existence. The founders use this abundantly for constant political pressure. So black can't be black."
One of the most artistically high-quality theaters in Serbia, the National Theater in Sombor, has had huge problems with the production budget for several seasons, the number of performers is constantly decreasing, and recently they were left without prompters, says Hubač.
He further enumerates that "the Subotica theater has serious staffing problems in the technical sector, and entering a new building of 14.000 square meters will further jeopardize the maintenance of the repertoire. The Šabac theater practically died with the arrival of the new director - there have been no new premieres for a year, and all the planned directors have refused to cooperate."
Mayor of Leskovac
"In Leskovac, the mayor publicly labels the actors as idlers, while no relevant director has directed in that theater for a long time. The building of the Zaječar theater was closed to the public by the decision of the fire protection inspector."
In Užice, the theater did not have a director for months, recalls Željko Hubač, and no premiere has been held since May. Last year, the Kikind Theater had an annual production budget smaller than one director's fee in the Belgrade theater. The Kruševac Theater does not have adequate warehouse space.
"In Niš, the number of technical staff is insufficient, which is especially visible after the opening of the Small Stage, which has poor acoustics, inadequate ventilation and poor sound insulation. The Princely-Serbian Theater in Kragujevac operates in a non-standard building without a use permit," stated Željko Hubač.
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