An original project by Patrik Lazić and Dunja Matić based on the initial idea by Aleksej Bjelogrlić
Starring: Aleksej Bjelogrlić, Anja Ćurčić, Pavle Mensur, Andrej Nježić
Costume: Yllka Brada
Music: Tadi, Bijat
Stage speech: Biljana Todorović
Light design: Elektrobuba
Photo and video production: Vladimir Miladinović -Piki
Poster design: Marko-Vuleta Đukanov / @floating_bstrd
Technical Associates: Nemanja Calić, Bojan Durutović
Executive production: Selena Pleskonjić
Premiere: 14th December 2023, Heartefact House, Bulevar Despota Stefana 7
“For me, Climax is a story about the thin line in all of us between man and animal (beast), between reason and instinct, and how this line very flexibly shifts under certain circumstances. Also, I am working on this story because I wonder what it is in human nature that starts to destroy things just when all these things are right, when everything is good. We have gathered a great young acting team and I look forward to exploring this topic with them, as they make the proposed characters their own and authentic every day.”, stated director Patrik Lazić, for whom this is the second performance produced by Heartefact and which will be performed on the Heartefact House theatre stage just like the play “Our Son”.
Playwright Dunja Matić has been involved in the development of the idea for the play “Climax” together with Aleksej Bjelogrlić and Patrik Lazić from the beginning, and she emphasizes: “Gaspar Noe is known for his unique visual aesthetics, and the film ‘Climax’ is an example of how the director’s specific expression, recognized for long, fluid scenes and intense camera play, skillfully hypnotizes the audience. Our intention was to transfer this visual explosion to the stage and provide the audience with a new live experience. Our goal is for this play to contain both emotional depth and sensory dynamics on stage. Personally, I am further motivated to think outside the usual frameworks in order to complement, adapt, and convincingly set such a story.”
Critics
“In the shortest terms – it hits the solar plexus: through its engagement, strong theatrical expression, and outstanding acting performances… The characters of ‘Climax’, although it’s never explicitly stated (and there’s no need for it), are clearly our children. The children of our time and land. The children of the world we have created and left for them, in which the female position, place, and role in the play are convincingly embodied by Anja Ćurčić, especially when she delivers the final line stating that nothing makes sense.” – Tanja Nježić, Blic
“Their latest production, based on the film ‘Climax,’ adapted by Patrik Lazić and Dunja Matić, and directed by Patrik Lazić, is a true directorial and acting gem. It aesthetically and relevantly deconstructs the motives of aggressive behavior in an intimate space. The bold directorial approach is superbly supported by Aleksej Bjelogrlić, Pavle Mensur, Andrej Nježić, who deserves special attention, and Anja Ćurčić.” – Aleksandra Glovacki, Nova.rs
“Director Patrik Lazić resolves the narrative in a multimedia format, through a Castorfian fusion of live performance and direct video transmission of events in adjacent rooms. The video recordings serve as a unique extension of our vision, enhancing the intensity of the experience, especially in scenes where the video allows for the observation of parallel scenes—those we witness live and those unfolding beyond our immediate sight—emphasizing the significance of voyeurism.” – Ana Tasić, Politika
“The director thoughtfully and convincingly animates the spaces of the apartment in which Heartefact House is located (bathroom, hallway, terrace…), transforming them, as in hyperrealism, into an apartment where the characters were rehearsing the play and are now ‘having fun,’ or rather, experiencing agony. Without departing from realistic boundaries, he skillfully uses the fact that young people, especially when intoxicated, like to film themselves, and projects scenes that occur outside our field of vision onto a screen for us. Also in line with realism, he does not break the ‘fourth wall,’ avoiding physical interaction between actors and audience, while the acting itself is very intense. This aligns with the chosen style, but it is hard to resist the impression that the theme of losing control due to hallucinogenic drugs and Noe’s adequately trippy cinematic language somehow call for an immersive experience, that bitef-like exchange between actors and audience… (…) The biggest surprise of the performance is Andrej Nježić, who is still a student, because with full stage presence, immersed in the action, without external embellishments, he brought to life a character who is dramatically layered and nuanced—a vulnerable and love-hungry young man, but also manipulative and determined. In the scenes of intoxication, he also displays a very fine, surprising irony towards himself, others, and the world. Besides its exceptional artistic value, this excellent role also holds significant social importance, as it is rare to see a gay male character, particularly one who is fragile and submissive, portrayed without distance, clichés, or caricature, with full emotional depth and artistic truth.” – Ivan Medenica, Radar.rs
The performance was realized within the framework of the Reconnection 2.0 program, which was created in collaboration between the Hartefakt Foundation and Qendra Multimedia, and supported by the European Union Office in Kosovo. The program represents an artistic exchange between Belgrade and Pristina with a focus on developing a culture of dialogue and improving communication between the two societies.
Festivals/Guest performances
Heartefact’s queer caravan – Lazarevac, May 2024
