Vera Rozanova: Performing in Subotica evokes special emotions

On Thursday, September 26 - the fifth day of the 31st International Festival of Children's Theatres Subotica - two theatrical plays were performed as part of the competition program: Little Red Riding Hood from Republika Srpska (at Subotica National Theatre’s Jadran stage) and Don’t Wait for Me from France (at Subotica Children’s Theatre).

Children’s Theatre of Republika Srpska performed Little Red Riding Hood based on the fairy-tale by brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault. This popular fairy tale has delighted generations of children and in this re-telling of the story, everything is the same and yet everything is different, the synopsis reads. Duško Mazalica, actor and art director of Banja Luka theatre that produced the show, said: "This version of Little Red Riding Hood was directed by Ljudmila Fedorova from Saint Petersburg who also adapted the story for stage. The play underwent certain changes, but they contribute to its overall quality. The play is absolutely suitable for children and is very well received by the audience. No matter how many times we visit Subotica for this festival, the children here always react well to our shows, so naturally we expect it to do well also".

French theatre Compagnie La neigesur les cils performed Don’t Wait for Me… (written and directed by Vera Rozanova). The play takes its young audience on a journey into a dreamlike world where houses have legs, wings or sails to hoist on trips every night. But one day, a house leaves without its tenant... After the performance - which the audience rewarded with a roaring applause - the author Vera Rozanova emotionally addressed everyone in attendance: "For me, performing in Subotica evokes special emotions, because I stayed here as a student, 13 years ago. This city has changed my life". Rozanova proceeded to give credit to her collaborators on the play, with a special mention of the composer Thomas Demay: "Besides composing the score, he was also in charge of the lighting, images and sounds – all of which significantly contributed to plays appearance."

As part of the festival’s accompanying program, a promo event for the book Magic Stone and Other Fairy-Tales by Davor Dragojević, issue 18-19 of the magazine Threads and Vol.14 of The Theatre for Children - an Artistic Phenomenon anthology took place at hotel Patria.

At the Danilo Kiš Foundation, Cliodhna Noonan hosted a workshop Folklore for the earliest age, intended for professional actors of the Subotica Children's Theatre.

As part of the festival’s film program, Subotica’s Eurocinema hosted a screening of a Norwegian film Dancing Queen.