Eugène Ionesco

The Lesson

Photo: Urška Boljkovac

Ljubljana Puppet Theatre / Lutkovno gledališče Ljubljana

Première 07. 03. 2013, Small Stage, Ljubljana Puppet Theatre

Running time 1 hour and 20 minutes without an interval.

Translator Aleš Berger
Director and Dramaturg Matjaž Zupančič
Stage Designer Alen Ožbolt
Costume Designer Bjanka Adžić Ursulov
Music Selection and Sound Designer Vanja Novak
Language Consultant Tatjana Stanič
Lighting Designer Srečo Brezovar
Assistant Director Kaja Tokuhisa

Cast
Professor Boris Ostan as guest
Student Asja Kahrimanović
Servant Nina Skrbinšek

What does The Lesson have to say to the contemporary individual at the present time and in today's society? In a paradoxical way: everything. If the essence of absurdity is human disharmony with nature, then the ever repeating ritual which inevitably leads to the murder of the Student happens both on a historical and an unconscious level. The modern (hyper)information society leaves dark traces. The multitude of information, frantic in its lack of selection and aggressive with its accessibility, leads towards a deadly fear of "not-knowing”, "being-uninformed”. At the same time, "knowing” and "learning” become a phallic weapon in the hands of the Professor, a substitute for his impotence. As the young Student enters that world with her nature, Eros, sensuality and ignorance, the looming end is inevitable … The Lesson is still a play on violence, remaining a grotesque, horrendous lesson, a tragic Perpetuum mobile of civilisation and barbarism.