An unusual theater project in three parts "More than a game", based on the popular series of Television Belgrade from the 70s, which follows the local towns of Gradina and the rivalry between the football clubs "Građanski" and "Radnički" on the eve of the Second World War, premiered at the Belgrade Drama Theater on May 9. The other two pieces are in the repertoire on May 16 and 23. All three "episodes" will be performed together on May 31.
The text by Slobodan Stojanović (1937-2000), originally directed by Zdravko Šotra, was adapted for the stage by Đorđe Kosić (29), in cooperation with the director of the theater version, Ivan Vuković.
The acting ensemble of the play has as many as 23 members.
"The 'More than a Game' series is wonderful. We work on it with great love, respecting the original material. But this is something that is different in form," said Vuković at the press conference.
According to him, although Gradina is a fictional place, "it seems more real than what is happening around us".
"For us, Gradina is the main character, and each of the actors and I, with our share, make a common picture," added the director.
The news is that two of Stojanović's episodes that he wrote in the 90s, but were not filmed, will also be on stage. They deal with the year 1956, that is, what happened to Gradina and its inhabitants after the war and the arrival of the new regime.
"Stojanović wrote in that sequel: Excess of the past, excess of the future, lack of the present. It seems to me that he described our eternal 'moment' with that. This is a big and important story. We need three performances to capture at least a part of what Gradina has been as a social phenomenon for more than half a century," said Vuković, adding that there might be a fourth performance.
Source: SEEcult
