The Vital Genre on the Edge of the Media

A symposium about Slovenian radio plays organised by the Association of Theatre Critics and Researchers of Slovenia in cooperation with the Maribor Theatre Festival.

The first Slovenian radio play took place in 1928 and was merely a theatre production transferred to the radio studio. It was only in the 1930s that the radio play became an autochthonous artistic form, with the occurrence of the first original radio plays. Since then it experienced a rich history and was a significant factor in shaping the international cultural space. The plays by Slovenian authors were translated into numerous languages, the recordings of Radio Slovenia usually received the highest praises at international festivals, the works of creative teams were many times awarded with prestigious prizes at world festivals. In this relatively short period, the radio archive accumulated over four thousand radio plays of various genres.
The detection of the present moment for the Slovenian radio play, however, gives a different picture. Creatively still vigorous and internationally competitive, at home it faces media ignorance deprived of critical reflection. Although it was very active for several decades, the critical reflection definitely died away over a decade ago, while the Slovenian radio play would gladly turn towards the future with optimism. This precious artistic form hence remains on the margin of our media space.
The symposium will offer a reflection on this performing genre and disclose topical questions connected to it. The morning will feature a theoretical segment with papers on the ontology of the radio play, on sound and sonority (director Igor Likar), on acting and the actor in radio medium (actor Blaž Šef), on the future perspective (director Klemen Markovičič) and the independent production of radio plays (CONA – Brane Zorman, Irena Pivka).
The round table discussion with guests (anthropologist Vesna Vuk Godina, editor-in-chief of Radio Slovenia Drama Programme Gabrijela Gruden, writer and director Vinko Möderndorfer, director Ana Krauthaker, sound designer Darja Hlavka Godina) will be moderated by dramaturg Vilma Štritof.
The afternoon will be concluded with the project of presentation of the intersection between theatre and radio with the students of the University of Theatre, Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television. It will be conducted by Klemen Markovičič.
Meanwhile, the 1997 Maribor Radio play Elizabeth will be played. Based on the texts by Arthur Janov, Nancy Friday and Samuel Beckett, it was originally staged in Ptuj City Theatre. Authors of the text: Sebastijan Horvat, Klavdija Zupan and Nataša Matjašec. Music: Drago Ivanuša. Sound recording: Danilo Ženko and Ivo Smogavec. Actress: Nataša Matjašec.

Walk the city

Walk the city is a multimedia show/performance, it is a sound map in which a visitor enters and follows it through the city streets with the helps of a special GPS application a mobile phone. At the entry-exit point (upon giving an ID card or a deposit) the visitor will receive a mobile phone, headsets, a map and route directions. When the visitor comes to a specific place the audio/sound recording, that is put in place using the GPS, triggers and the visitor can listen to it while walking. The type of the audio/sound recordings and the manner of playing depends on the speed of walking and the chosen direction. The visitor thus passes, with the help of the audio/sound recordings strategically put into selected locations in the city centre, between fictional and real situations in by this partially co-creates the show/performance. The map Walk the city intertwines sound with space and as a whole offers it to experience, to reflect. Between the spaces that are. And the spaces that were. Might have been. Perhaps will be.

Vilma Štritof