Svetlana Makarovič

Dead Man Comes for His Mistress

Photo: Mare Mutić

Prešeren Theatre Kranj and Ptuj City Theatre

Première: 21 March 2014, Prešeren Theatre Kranj
Running time 1 hour and 50 minutes. One interval.

Original title Mrtvec pride po ljubico

Director Jernej Lorenci
Composer Branko Rožman
Assistant to director and choreographer Gregor Luštek
Dramaturg Marinka Poštrak
Stage designer Branko Hojnik
Costume designer Belinda Radulović
Language consultant Maja Cerar
Accordion teacher, accompanist and music consultant Branko Rožman
Lighting designer Drago Cerkovnik
Make-up designer Matej Pajntar

Cast
First Micika Ana Urbanc as guest
Second Micika Vesna Pernarčič
Anzel Miha Rodman
Mlinarjev Aljoša Ternovšek
Mother Darja Reichman
Sveti Tadej Borut Veselko
Mrtva Mlinarica Vesna Jevnikar
Judita Judita Polak
Ciril Ciril Roblek

The production reveals ultimate passions and longings in a magical rhythm of folk tradition that shakes the sediments of our archetypal unconscious. It evokes not only the issue of romantic sublime love but also of the dark abyss of evil in family and society. It takes us to a forgotten world of folk tales, ballads and folk heritage. To a world of extreme states and fatal love that finds its fulfilment in self-transcendence. It is a world in which the living are intertwined with the dead, a world in which "the living are not truly alive” and "the dead are not truly dead”.
In order to depict extreme passions, longings and anxiety, Svetlana Makarovič adopts the magical rhythm of folk tradition. The play Dead Man Comes for His Mistress has its roots in the folk song of the same title as well as in France Prešeren’s adaptation of Burger’s Lenore. Makarovič delivered her own version in a different and poignant manner, while the director has lit it from different viewpoints. Hence he introduces through schizophrenia two protagonists, two Mickas, who fight for dominance and survival.