Marko KOVAČEVIĆ

Two young men, a group of occasional collaborators and quite a lot of effort – that is the “Maska i Pokret” Theatre. The rest is a story about how to clear up certain misunderstandings

Sarajevo Theatre “Maska i Pokret” has been working for a long time as a unique group of young artists consisting of only two members. They are occasionally assisted by several theatre representatives attached to this type of stage research. This statement is accepted as the most accurate when talking about the Theatre, and it is usually added that they are a kind of “home-made theatre”. Many actually think that it is a private theatre, which inevitably associates it with “home-made”.
But, while home-made work has a certain place in society and earns a considerable income, Theatre “Maska i Pokret” is left to itself, so its members manage as they know and can. And this despite the fact that so far they have participated at the most famous festivals in our country (MESS, Split Summer Festival, Dubrovnik Summer Festival, Monodrama and Pantomime Festival in Zemun, Children’s Festival in Šibenik, Young Open Theater in Skopje, etc.).

IN SPAIN

In recent times they are more present abroad, especially in the Netherlands where they have stayed longer. The last guest appearance was in Spain, at the 15th International Theatre Festival in Sitges (Barcelona). From that festival, they brought the award for the aesthetic value of the play “Mme Leopoldine’s Memoires”. That was exactly one of the reasons to visit the “Maska i Pokret” theatre and to hear a word from its members – Iva Kostović-Mandić and Petar Mandić.

• Here is rather unknown Sitges Festival, so it would be useful to say something more about this event?
— This year, which is the standard practice, more than 60 ensembles from various countries participated in the Festival. They were joined by theatres from the host country. However, we were the first theatre from Yugoslavia to be on the program of the Festival.
In addition to the fact that many theatres participate in the Festival, accompanying programs are also organized. About fifty groups from many countries of the world take part in them, and the tendency is – street theatre.

CHALLENGE OF LIFE

• How much did you benefit from this visit to Spain?
— We realised that in many European countries there are organisations that organise tours and exchange visits of professional free groups. We spoke with representatives from Denmark, Switzerland, Italy and France about our possible guest appearances in those countries. But, as promotional material (posters, programs, photographs) is necessary, our tours abroad will be difficult to achieve – if we continue to be without society’s assistance.
We certainly do not want to diminish the support we find among colleagues, friends and theatre lovers. If this support had been accompanied by at least a minimal grant from the competent society bodies, which we addressed on several occasions, we would now be in a far more favourable position.

• It seems that you are, in a way designated only for those recognitions that are not of material nature?
— Apparently, it is so. However, the award from Festival in Sitges corresponds exactly to the play “Mme Leopoldine’s Memoires”, because it confirms our efforts that with the mask on stage we are revealing her “inner” life and so forming a complete dramatic character with all changes of moods and actions.
We are going to prepare one project that will be significantly different from the previous ones. First of all, we think that the choice of stage elements will not be reduced only to a mask and movement, subordinate to the mask. We will try to find new relations in the dramaturgical sense.

Marko KOVAČEVIĆ

Photo: Above all, good will: Detail from the play “Mme Leopoldine’s Memoires”