Ghosts

Original title Gengangere
Opening night October 10^th 2020, PTK 
Running time 1 hour 50 minutes. No intermission. 

Director Igor Vuk Torbica
Translator Janko Moder
Translation editor Tatjana Stanič
Text adaptation Igor Vuk Torbica, Katarina Pejović
Dramaturg Katarina Pejović
Set designer Branko Hojnik
Costume designer Sara Smrajc Žnidarčič
Composer Vladimir Pejković
Language consultant Maja Cerar
Lighting designer Igor Berginc
Make-up artist Matej Pajntar
Technical manager Igor Berginc
Stage manager and props Jošt Cvikl
Prompter Judita Polak

Cast
Helene Alving, a widow Vesna Jevnikar
Osvald Alving, her son, a painter Blaž Setnikar
Pastor Manders Borut Veselko
Engstrand, a carpenter Peter Musevski (original cast) Matjaž Tribušon a. g. 
Regine Engstrand, Mrs Alving’s maid Vesna Pernarčič

With the rise of the new conservativism and re-opening the question of women's emancipation, as remarked by Marinka Poštrak, Ibsen's Ghosts seem very much the ghosts and fears of our time, as they come from the past to frighten us with the resurgence of questioning the role of women in the world and family, and in society in general. Moreover, in Ibsen’s Ghosts, a layer after layer of those fears re-open that frighten us with an in-depth in the perplexing pits of human relationships on the horizon of the prevail of hypocrisy, moral perversion and the restrained and ossified social beliefs ruled by capital – just like in 1881 when the work was created. Because in the world we’re living, there is nothing different than in Ibsen’s time, despite the occurrence of two world wars and a sexual revolution. We’re still witnessing the rule of hypocrisy that instigates the socially acceptable norms, covering truths, hammering guilt, a triumph of fake morals over ethics, the rule of the so-called reason, or – more precisely – social norms over genuine feelings, the logic of completely perverted capitalist pragmatism … and finally, we are witnessing the act of sweeping under the carpet of everything that could endanger and undermine the social order on the foundations set by the Church and the State. 

Ibsen’s drama does not leave the viewer unaffected. It awakens an insight into Ibsen’s ethics that neither legal law nor compassion can succeed if they are not building on truth.

Edvard Kovač, magazine Družina 

Director

Igor Vuk Torbica (1987 – 2020) graduated in theatre directing at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade in 2013 and received the faculty award Hugo Klein for the best student of theatre directing. He attracted a lot of attention from critics and audience when as a third-year student he directed Nušić’s The Deceased which won the Grand Prix at the Studio Fest Festival when and was declared the best production of the Nušić Days in Smederevo. After the widely acclaimed direction of Kleist’s The Broken Jag at the Yugoslav Drama Theatre in Belgrade (the production participated at a record number of festivals) the doors opened for him to direct a series of outstanding and much awarded productions, among them Toller’s Hinkemann and Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus at the Zagreb Youth Theatre, Moliere’s The Misanthrope at the HNK Rijeka, Horvath’s Tales from the Vienna Woods in the Gavella Theatre in Zagreb, Moliere’s Tartuffe in co-production of the National Theatre in Sombor and Serbian National Theatre Novi Sad, Tolstoy’s The Power of Darkness at the National Theatre in Belgrade, Lorca’s Blood Wedding, co-produced by the Serbian National Theatre Novi Sad and festival Theatre City Budva, and in the last season, Lessing’s Emilia Galotti at the SNT Drama Ljubljana.The production The Power of Darkness won the Jernej Šugman Audience Award for the best production at the 6th Drama Festival in Ljubljana this year. Nušić’s Bereaved Family, a comedy co-produced by Prešeren Theatre Kranj and Celje City Theatre was his first direction in Slovenia and he won the Noble Director Award at the Days of Comedy in Celje in 2017, while the production enjoyed an enviable run and participated at a number of international festivals (Sterijevo pozorje Festival, 40th Fadil Hadžić Days of Satire, Festival City Theatre Budva and Sombor Theatre Marathon). 

Producer

In the Slovenian theatre space, they are recognisable for thematically provocative, aesthetically refined and socially engaged performances. Their repertoire is focused on socially and politically engaged works of current contemporary playwrights (Slovenian and international), fresh interpretations of classic works, staging of innovative dramatic forms and themes, poetic theatrical language and a selection of the most prominent directorial and acting names. They are also the organizers of the Slovenian Drama Week, a festival where the best performances created in Slovenia and abroad, on the basis of Slovenian dramatic texts, are presented every year. They also pay special attention to quality performances for children and youth.