Project Description: The play “Poor Mileva from Bosnia in Our Civilization in the Year 1878” represents the first collaboration in decades between the Hungarian and Serbian ensembles of the National Theatre Subotica. It is also the first production in which languages of different ethnic communities living in the city were simultaneously used on stage.
The performance involved 40 participants speaking Serbian, Hungarian, Romani, Slovak, Bunjevac, German, and Polish. In addition to the National Theatre, co-producers included the Rural Cultural Center Markovac, the Children’s Theatre, and the Roma Educational Center. For the Roma community, this project provided an important opportunity for active participation in the cultural life of the city.
A key feature of the project is that it is the premiere staging of the oldest printed drama in the Serbian language written by a woman, Albina Podgradska. Although written more than a century and a half ago, the text remains relevant today, as it addresses the challenges of refugee integration from war-affected regions, particularly from the perspectives of children and women.
The play was directed by Anđelka Nikolić. Following its premiere, it was performed at the Sombor National Theatre and in Novi Sad as part of the competitive selection of the Sterijino Pozorje festival, receiving positive reviews from leading Serbian theatre critics.
Grant amount: 1,600,000.00 RSD
