Theatre of Resistance
An international scientific symposium organised by the Research Programme and the Centre for Theatre and Film Studies of the Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television of the University of Ljubljana (AGRFT UL) in collaboration with the Maribor Theatre Festival
23th and 24th of October, 2014
National Liberation Museum Maribor, Heroja Tomšiča Street 5, Maribor
Turbulent times often give rise to mass resistance movements, such as the anti-Fascist and anti-colonialist movements in the past century and, more recently, the movements for preserving human rights and minority rights and the protests against corrupt political elites, the dictatorship of capital and autocrats of various political colours and ideological persuasions, etc. Such times are also fruitful soil for the emergence of cultural and artistic practices that are engaged in the fight for social change in one way or another. In those resistance movements against military, physical, verbal, structural and other forms of violence, the erstwhile separate spheres of art and politics usually organically coalesce and thus we can no longer apply the old notions, burdened by sediments of tradition and ideology. It is then that we need to open the space for a theoretical deliberation on something that is happening here and now, before our eyes; something that involves us in one way or another; something that demands instant reflection, although new and more appropriate theoretical tools for practising that reflection have yet to be invented and constructed.
In such artistic practices, the tool of artistic expression inevitably transforms into a weapon of resistance, in accordance with Brecht’s motto: "Reach for the book: it is a weapon.” An art that perceives itself as a "weapon” may only be one that has renounced its former bourgeois autonomy and that does not claim – not in opposition but in harmony with that position – to compensate for armed struggle in times of war or for political struggle in times of peace. We may find attempts at conceptualising radical performative-political practices in almost all the emancipation movements of the past century: from the Proletkult of the Soviet Revolution and the "Urgent Theatre” (teatro de urgencia) of the Spanish Civil War, to the "Frontline Theatre” (frontno gledališče) of the Slovene Partisans during WWII. In the historical perspective, the founding of the Slovene National Theatre on the liberated territory exactly 70 years ago was an important act of resistance of free-minded Slovene theatre professionals against the occupation forces. The resilience of the theatre of resistance is also manifest in present day, as seen in the "Theatre of the Oppressed”, the theatre production in the besieged Sarajevo, and a theatre group of refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina in Slovenia, as well as a number of contemporary practices that connect theatre and other performative forms with political activism. A part of the recent "people’s uprisings” that began right here in Maribor in early winter 2012 and subsequently spread across Slovenia were also various cultural events and performances such as "Protestival”, "the Zombie Uprising”, and prior to that, the protest reading of Ivan Cankar’s The Bondsmen in front of the Slovenian Parliament, etc.
Theatre of resistance will be discussed by researchers, students, activists and artists from Slovenia and abroad on 23th and 24th of October 2014 in Maribor. Written papers will be later on published in a special issue of the journal Dialogi.
Author of the concept and organizer: Aldo Milohnić
Programme Committee: Blaž Lukan (AGRFT UL), Aldo Milohnić (AGRFT UL), Barbara Orel (AGRFT UL), Goran Sergej Pristaš (Academi of Dramatic Art of the University of Zagreb), Miško Šuvaković (Faculty of Music of the University of Arts, Belgrade)
PROGRAMME
THURSDAY, 23.10.
14.00–14.15 Opening speeches
Miran Zupanič, Dean of the Academy for Theatre, Radio, Film and Television UL
Alja Predan, Artistic Director of the Maribor Theatre Festival
Aleksandra Berberih Slana, Director of the National Liberation Museum Maribor
14.15–15.15 Reminiscences of Slovene Partisan theatre
Zora Konjajev
Ivanka Mežan
Aleksander Valič
Aldo Milohnić (moderator)
15.15–15.30 Presentation of the e-exhibition Partisan Theatre
Simona Ješelnik
15.30–15.45 Coffee break
15.45–17.45 Partisan resistance in theatre, film and photography
Miklavž Komelj: Where are the boundaries, compartments for Partisan theatre?
Gašper Troha: Theatre of resistance or theatre of rebels?
Aleš Gabrič: Resistance and reluctance of Slovene theatre during WWII
Gal Kirn: Return to Partisan film
Nadja Zgonik: From meeting to action: agitation and mobilisation function of the photography in activities of the Cultural Group of the 14th Division
FRIDAY, 24. 10.
9.30–11.00 Dissolution of SFR Yugoslavia and theatre of resistance
Draga Potočnjak: Theatre of Exiles 1992–1996
Zala Dobovšek: Theatre "for the price of life” in besieged Sarajevo
Miško Šuvaković: Complicity and complexity: theatre of resistance / resistance against theatre
Ana Stojanoska: Is there a theatre of resistance in Macedonia? Examples and explanations
11.00–11.15 Coffee break
11.15–12.45 From workers’ theatres to choreographies of resistance
Nikolai Jeffs: Possibilities of anarchistic theatres: Emma Goldman on the drama of her time
Rok Vevar: Workers’ theatres and contemporary dance: a reform of Modernism
Aldo Milohnić: Choreographies of resistance
Goran Sergej Pristaš: Theatre of operations
12.45–15.00 Lunch break
15.00–16.30 Theatre, resistance and ("soft”) terrorism
Milija Gluhović: Young Bosnia and WWI: fanaticism, revolt and the spiritualisation of politics
Blaž Lukan: Marko Brecelj’s "soft terrorism”
Tea Tupajić: By way of deception thou shalt wage war
Barbara Orel: On power(lessness) of the gesture of resistance
16.30–16.45 Coffee break
16.45–17.45 Students’ section (AGRFT UL, Dramaturgy and performing arts)
Tamara Babić, Jerneja Balog, Eva Jagodic, Irina Lešnik, Žan Žveplan: Theatre of resistance past and present
Sandi Jesenik, Katarina Košir, Tjaša Mislej, Ana Obreza, Anja Rošker: Theatre of resistance and minorities
17.45 Final remarks and the end of the symposium