rowan, strudel, dance and more

Première 8. april 2021, Veliki oder SNG Nova Gorica
Running time 2 hours. No intermission.

Director Jure Novak
Dramaturg Marko Bratuš
Assistant dramaturg Alja Lobnik
Author of language adaptation Srečko Fišer
Language consultants Srečko Fišer, Anja Pišot, Mateja Dermelj
Set designer Urša Vidic
Costume designer Dajana Ljubičić
Composer Uroš Buh
Lighting designer Andrej Hajdinjak
Make-up and hair-style designer Muhair
Assistant set designer Mojca Madon
Assistant costume designer Monika Colja

Cast
bogdana, a parish house housekeeper, 42 Marjuta Slamič
višnja, a teacher, 33 Arna Hadžialjević 
estera, a principal, the county secretary of the communist party, 50 Helena Peršuh
genovefa, a publican, 66 Damjana Černe
angela, genovefa’s daughter, 46 Ana Facchini
slavka, a retired principal, 60 Draga Potočnjak
helena, a nun on a bike, 26 Nataša Keser as guest
karlo, estera’s husband, the president of the local community and the president of the workers’ council in the creamery, 52 Iztok Mlakar
rajko, slavka’s son, 33 Andrej Zalesjak
jože, a parish priest, 35 Blaž Šef
viljem, a sexton, 42 Matej Recer
ciril, a postman, 45 Primož Bezjak
herman, a teacher, 54 Željko Hrs
tone, a village carouser, 57 Blaž Valič

It is 15 August 1963, and the villagers in the Vipava Valley are getting ready for two events scheduled at the very same time: a religious service honouring the Feast of the Assumption with the Most Reverend Bishop and the celebration of the border guards of the Yugoslav People’s Army with the comrade Secretary of the Central Committee. They have some tough decisions to make: will they succumb and close the ranks as loyal sheep or obedient comrades? At first glance, rowan, strudel, dance and more is a play about a historical period and the fundamental ideological schism between Slovenians. But as the story unfolds, the clearer the portrait of contemporary Slovenian society becomes, in which ideological belief is easily replaced by pragmatic benefit. The text constantly shifts between times and scenes; the political dilemma is spiced with explicit scenes in which everyone selflessly licks, masturbates, inserts, caresses, kneads and rides anyone as much and whenever possible. The play is a textual bravado that plays, on the one hand, with the comedy genre by questioning the limits of the comic and, on the other, with the bourgeois preconception of theatre that is willing to accept provocation but only to a certain extent. Jure Novak, who is always keen on various compelling social topics with interest, even if it entails sexuality onstage and an engaged interpretation of the text by Simona Semenič, directed the production. The performance thus reflects a close intertwining of sensitive topics and positions of both the author and director alike, resulting in a juicy staged whole, which provides an acute analysis of society that brims with vitality.