Puppet Theatre of Niš - PUPPET EXHIBITION

Opening: 24.09.2024 at 11.30 a.m.

Subotica Children’s Theatre

The Puppet Theatre of Niš is the sole professional theatre for children and the only puppet theatre in Niš and southeast Serbia. The history of puppetry art in Niš began in 1951 with the establishment of The Marionette Theatre. After seven years of amateur work, on June 23, 1958, a professional children's theatre (with both puppetry and acting stage) was founded. In 1962, its name - Children's Theatre - was re-designated to The Puppet Theatre of Niš.

So far, this “temple of art” has had 260 titles performed, has taken part in 220 domestic and international festivals, won 225 awards and 26 special recognitions (among them, the highest recognition presented by the municipality of Niš - the 11th January Award).

The theatre’s repertoire consists of around 30 plays, each different in genre and puppetry technique. Their basic premise is fostering tradition and cultural heritage in order for children to learn their identity, but also diversity of themes and motifs that teaches them to become global citizens.

During its 66 years of operation, The Puppet Theatre of Niš has built a distinctive style and reached a high level reputation in the domestic and international puppetry scene. Along with theatres from Novi Sad, Belgrade, Subotica, Zrenjanin and Kragujevac (and numerous individuals from the world of theater, literary, fine and musical art), it expands the boundaries of knowledge on professional theater, further improving national and global puppetry art and culture.

The Exhibition

The culture and art of Niš, the theatre history of Serbia (and former Yugoslavia) are impossible to imagine without the decade-long effect and heritage of the first amateur Marionette Theatre, subsequently the professional Children's/Puppet Theatre of Niš.

Although the vault of The Puppet Theatre of Niš includes numerous photos, posters, awards, recognitions and costumes, the exhibition at 31st International Festival of Children's Theatres Subotica is dedicated to prime royalty itself - the Puppet!

From the creative workshops of (mentioned are only some among numerous names) Karel Rankel, Josif Drašković, Erih Deker, Ivan Conev, Iva Hadžijev, Stefanka Kjuvlijeva, Boris Čerškov, Miroslava Mima Janković, Mića Popović... came puppets able to perform anything a live actor can – and more. Owing to the skill of the actor-animator and their director, a puppet on stage is omnipotent. The Puppet Theatre of Niš has always had gifted, skillful and creative actors in their ranks who managed to psychologically, intellectually, imaginatively and technically identify with the object - the puppet. They are masters of such identification, and according to the world-renowned director Jovan Bata Putnik, it adds a special depth to the puppet's stage function.

Featured on display are the puppets of such exquisite artists as Milena Jeftić, Ničeva Kostić, Ivanka Getova, Ljubica Suturović, Arsen Ćosić, Stevanka Kjuvlijeva, Erika Janović, Dragana Breza, Dušan Stanković and Irina Somborac from the plays: The Puppet Bible, Velimir and Bosiljka, The Wizard of Oz, The Emperor's Prisoner, Mozart, Peppercorn, The Nightingale, Alice in Wonderland, Little Ida's Flowers and The Ice Queen which only represent a tiny fragment in the rich history of this famous house. Entire generations of children grew up with these plays and their actors and puppets. That is why the contribution of this theatre from Niš and its puppeteers who preserve and nurture love for puppets and puppetry is immeasurable. As the wondrous puppet director Srboljub Lule Stanković said a long time ago: Everything started from that!