SUNDAY, June 30th, 9:10 pm
“WHAT REMAINS AFTER THE FERVOR?” / SERBIA
Text Author, Director: Isidora Bjelica
Cast: Jelica Brestovac
Scenographer: Isidora Bjelica
Costume Designer: Esoteric Brand
Composer: Vila Angelina, Compilation
Project Collaborators: Sinisa Ubovic (in the role of King Milan, audio recording)
Narrator: Isidora Bjelica (audio recording)
Prosvetitelji Production
Isidora Bjelica’s new play is inspired by the life of the Queen Natalia Obrenovic, about whom she already had written in her bestselling novel that has over 50 editions. “What remains after the fervor” is not only a historical account of the best-kept secrets of our history, but also a story in which every woman who experienced either betrayal, cheating, disappointments, or fought for the custody of her children will find herself.
It is unbelievable that the favorite Serbian queen is actually a paradigm of femininity and romance as well as motherhood, strength, fight with taboos and misogyny, and atavistic prejudices of the people in her surroundings. The modern direction and dramaturgy displayed in her award-winning hit plays is something Bjelica is famous for, and here it was brilliantly executed by the outstanding Jelica Brestovac. She paints the fascinating story of Natalija as every woman’s story in a fascinating way. A play which is not only a historical truth about one woman, it is a de facto love workshop in a dramatic form, it is a lesson on how to withstand what cannot be withstood, and how to overcome our toughest moments and come out as winners. In the minute antinomy of sorrow and laughter where tears and laugher interchange the same way as they do in life, the most exciting story of European history is told.
JELICA BRESTOVAC was born on 22nd of January 1974 in Sremska Mitrovica. She graduated in Acting in Novi Sad, studying under the professor Mira Banjac. Her first job was the monodrama “Daws on a Wire” by Nedeljko Terzic, in the “Dobrica Milutinovic” Theatre in Sremska Mitrovica. Later on, she worked in Vrsac for a couple of years as well. She worked as an independent artist and traveled the world with her plays. She was employed on the TV channel Happy TV for some time as well, working as a casting manager for the Animated Program.
Awards: Best Work of Art as a Whole at the Children’s Monodrama Festival in Novi Sad, for the play “Ladybug”.
Best Acting Award at the Monodrama Festival in Titel, for the play “I am looking for a husband”.
ISIDORA BJELICA was born in Sarajevo in 1967. She received her B.A and M.A. at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade, where she also worked for some time as a Teaching Assistant at the Department of Dramaturgy. She was only 19 when she created her first play – a dramatization of Borges’ story “All or Nothing” for the Shakespeare Fest. Her play “Revilers” garnered much attention at the Belgrade Drama Theatre while she was on her third year of studies. After that, there was a string of collaborations with acclaimed directors: the play “Notorious” in the “Dusko Radovic” Theatre, followed by the camp tragicomedy “The UNPROFOR Saga” in Republika Srpska. She achieved great success with her play “Sarajevan in Belgrade” which she directed as well – over 100 performances in 11 years. Her monodrama “Skadarlijka” won the award for Best Play at the Monodrama Festival in Sarajevo. Isidora writes radio dramas as well: her piece about Isidora Sekulic titled “Isidora’s Januaries” is one of the most praised radio dramas in her opus. She directed plays based on texts by other authors as well, such as “Marhsatana” by N. Pajkic in Atelje 212. After a 6-year break (due to illness) she returns to theatres with the monodrama “What remains after the fervor?” with Jelica Brestovac in the role of queen Natalija. Isidora is also the author of 78 books that have thousands of editions and are translated into numerous languages. Two of her books belong to the genre of drama.