Theatre of Pascal Rambert premiered at Rijeka Summer Nights, Bogdan is back in Zajac

The Croatian National Theatre in Rijeka, known as HNK Ivan pl. Zajca, will present its premiere production Kazalište by French director Pascal Rambert during the Rijeka Summer Nights festival on July 21. The play is part of an original project created specifically for the ensemble of Hrvatske drame, produced in co-production with the Split-based HNK and within the framework of the K-HNK network. This marks a significant collaboration between two key institutions in Croatia's theatrical landscape. The play centers around actors who remain in the theater after rehearsing Ivo Andrić’s Na Drini ćuprija, celebrating the birthdays of two colleagues. What appears to be a simple gathering gradually transforms into an emotionally charged confrontation with the past, old conflicts, departures, love stories, and shared lives within the theater community. A pivotal moment occurs when a prominent actress, after 46 years of national theater career, decides to leave. Her decision triggers a cascade of emotions among the ensemble members and becomes the catalyst for a narrative exploring everything that audiences do not see, relationships, sacrifices, uncertainties, and bonds formed within the theatrical collective. Pascal Rambert, one of the most significant names in contemporary European theater, is renowned for his unique approach to creating plays. He does not arrive with a prewritten script but instead begins by engaging with the actors, discussing their bodies, voices, and life experiences before crafting a drama tailored to them. “I never come to actors with a preconceived story because the process always starts with my associations with their bodies, voices, and energy,” Rambert explained. “I always write for actors, for their bodies, their voices, and their life context.” In Kazalište, all characters bear the names of the actors performing them, though Rambert emphasized that the play is not a personal biography of these individuals. “They are them and they are not them. There are occasional points of contact, but these are not their life stories,” he clarified. The entire ensemble of Hrvatske drame will perform, including Anastazija Balaž, Olivera Baljak, Petar Baljak, Ana Marija Brđanović, Edi Ćelić, Nika Grbelja, Mario Jovev, Jelena Lopatić, Jasmin Mekić, Dražen Mikulić, Damir Orlić, Sabina Salamon, Deni Sanković, Aleksandra Stojaković Olenjuk, Romina Tonković, and Ana Vilenica, alongside guest performer Goran Bogdan. The play will alternate with performances by Leon Lučev. Rambert highlighted that his dramas often focus on moments of intense emotion and conflict. “In Kazalište, the play revolves around the departure of a famous actress, so the piece is rooted in situations of leaving the theater. All her partners, the actors of the ensemble, experience this situation,” he said. Dubravka Vrgoč, the artistic director of the Rijeka-based HNK Ivan pl. Zajca, noted that the project holds particular importance as it was written specifically for the Rijeka ensemble. “Now he has written a text for our entire ensemble and opened a story about theater within theater, making the whole project even more exciting,” she stated. However, the play extends beyond the confines of the stage. Kazalište explores themes such as love for art, the daily life of actors, friendships, doubts, hopes, and relationships formed behind the scenes. It is a story of a community sharing their lives between the stage and reality. Pascal Rambert is responsible for the text, direction, set design, costume design, and lighting design. Assistant director and assistant costume designer is Ivan Botički, assistant set designer Alan Vukelić, and the text was translated from French by Ivica Buljan. Goran Bogdan, one of the most distinguished and versatile Croatian actors, returns to the stage after seven years away through his performance in Kazalište at the Rijeka-based HNK Ivan pl. Zajca.