PICTURE BOOK REVIVED
The play “The Blue Flower Fairy Tale” is characterised by the insistence on the “visual” layer of the play (masks and costumes of vibrant colours, colourful curtains, magnified flowers, etc.) and the “recognisability” of the plot (which was created on the basis of famous fairy tale motifs). The visual layer in the play is indeed more pronounced than in the previous performances of the Maska i Pokret theatre: instead of developed, “psychologically” determined characters – recognisable types are present here (Magician, Snake, Sun, etc.) – characters who present themselves in episodic situations, thus creating an exotic world from children’s imagination.
The show wants to evoke the impression of a “revived picture book” with all its elements (not only the mask but also the precise movement and the scenographic elements). We wanted to make a simple, stylistic ‘clean’ play, inspired by backyard plays from childhood, fantasy and “folk” atmosphere, a show that requires the least technical conditions.
PLAYFUL CHILD LOVE
The different story segments are linked by the main characters (Boy and Girl), and motivated by the journey.
Free association and variation of Andersen’s Snow Queen: Boy and Girl play and love in the garden of blue flowers. The evil woman in search of the buried treasure destroys the flowers and sends the Girl to find the life-giving water in the land of snow. The boy sets out to find her, and after many troubles and encounters with different characters, finds her, they return to the garden, revive blue flowers and continue their playful childhood love.
In this way developed dramaturgy of the classical type is visually illustrated, appropriate for both children’s perception and children’s concentration. And the basic story told in a child’s language and comprehension naturally engages its viewer in the play process.
VISUAL LEVEL OF THE PERFORMANCE
This time around, the entire visual element of the play is well suited to children’s visual expression. It is as if, somewhat stylised, the characters from the children’s drawings come to life, in bright and vibrant colours. The masks are created and realised functionally and imaginatively, both in terms of artistic solutions and in terms of dance opportunities. Extremely precise plasticity and light, as well as meticulously crafted movement, give the masks different expressions and dynamics. The single scenographic element – the painted curtain – illustrates the journey and return of the main characters, and creates the ambience for the other characters to appear during the journey.
In this play, the music was composed and performed by Vladimir Kostović. The music was created side by side with the script and thus became an essential part of the play. The music is divided into episodes – just like the script. Each episode carries a certain emotional charge, and by using the leitmotif the play (and musically) remains a compact piece.
Teatar ”Maska i pokret”
THE BLUE FLOWER FAIRY TALE
A play for pre-school and primary school children
Screenplay, masks, choreography and performance:
IVA KOSTOVIĆ-MANDIĆ & PETAR MANDIĆ
Music composed and performed by:
VLADIMIR KOSTOVIĆ
Voice over: Snježana Nikšić
Characters:
GIRL
BOY
EVIL WOMAN
SUN
MAGICIAN MAG-MAG
GNOME
SNAKE QUEEN BO
SNOWMAN
Premiere:
THE ACADEMY OF PERFORMING ARTS SARAJEVO 18 maj 1983
Duration: 45 minutes without intermission
The play was realized through cooperation with the Union of Professional Theaters of BiH and the SlZ Culture of the City of Sarajevo
PRESS ARTICLES
“The work of the Mandićs is not only a surprise, but also an extremely interesting result. Excellent players, the best masks experts in our country, tireless seekers, the Mandićs this time made a children’s play, extremely rich and layered, yet simple and clear. A valuable contribution to our quest for merging puppetry with mask theatre.”
– YUGOSLAV PUPPET FESTIVAL
“When I congratulated the Mandićs after the performance, I told them: you have created a joy for our heart, soul and eyes …”
– NEVENKA FILIPOVIĆ, actress
“This play also fulfills its pedagogical function. The show watched by the children went from start to finish in a single round of applause.”
SLAVKO ŠANTIĆ, dramatist, theatre critic, poet
“Theatre Maska i Pokret is the poorest and yet the most successful theatre in Bosnia and Herzegovina in recent years. With all the praise for “The Blue Flower Fairy Tale” I think the Mandićs rhythmises the whole space and thus creates the conditions for animating the mask.”
– GRADIMIR GOJER, theatre director and writer
“Sa zadovoljstvom mogu da kažem da je ovaj ansambl jedinstven u Jugoslaviji. Svi njihovi projekti su vitalni. “Plavo cvijeće” je prikazano u parku u Skopju i hiljadu mališana je pažljlvo slušalo i gledalo ovu predstavu.”“I am pleased to say that this ensemble is unique in Yugoslavia. All their projects are vital. “Blue Flowers” was played at a park in Skopje and thousands of toddlers carefully listened and watched this play.”
– IVAN IVANOVSKI, theatre critic and theatre historian
THE BLUE FLOWER FAIRY TALE – PLAYLIST
The Blue Flower Fairy Tale premiered at Academy of Performing Arts in Sarajevo on 18 May 1983. Awarded jury prize at 3 Biennale of Yugoslavian Puppet Theatre at Bugojno. It has been in repertoire until the end of 1985 and during that period it has been played with great success at many theatres, International Theatre Festivals, Festivals of Children Theatre and Puppet Festivals in Yugoslavia, The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.