Festival Diary - DAY FIVE - teentheatrefest

We can hardly believe it, but the end of our festival debut is already here. Two years of intense preparation have condensed into five festival days that flew by in the blink of an eye. It’s remarkable how time passes. But we still have one more day ahead, so let’s make it count!

The festival finale was opened by the Kiїvsʹkij nacіonalʹnij akademіčnij Molodij teatr from Ukraine. They presented the audience with an unconventional interpretation of Shakespeare’s classic romantic comedy, A Midsummer night’s dream, where reality blends with legend. The main characters were transformed from Greeks to Ukrainians. The play, which merges traditional Ukrainian rituals and customs with Shakespeare’s original work, won an award at the World Theatre Education Alliance International Festival in Beijing.

From the theater hall, we then moved to the City Sports Hall in Trnava. The performance Where the Boys Are by the German project company Yotam Peled & the Free Radicals is a testament to the far-reaching impact of art. Culture does not have to be confined to spaces traditionally designated for it; it can enrich any setting.

Where Are the Boys is an artwork designed for younger audiences. Through a playful approach, it explores the connection between dance and martial arts. Two performers transform the arena into a space of sensitive and intimate happenings, revealing different perspectives on relationships among young people.

The Slovak National Theatre also participated in the festival. They performed a classroom play titled What’s up! for students at two high schools in Trnava. The play tells the story of two young people, each struggling with personal issues that lead to the disintegration of their inner worlds and their friendship. The authors aim to show students that seeking professional help is nothing to be ashamed of.

Every aspect of the main program was closely analysed by participants of the International young critics seminar, led by Elena Knopová, a researcher from the Institute of Theatre and Film Research at the Art Research Centre of the Slovak Academy of Sciences. The seminar was designed for high school and university students specializing in theater, arts, or the humanities. Under expert guidance, the participants learned to think critically about theater dramaturgy and to articulate their thoughts and opinions as precise critiques.

At the end of the festival, the seminar participants awarded the Young Critics Award. The first-ever recipients of this award were the creators of the performance Where the Boys Are by Yotam Peled & the Free Radicals.

The closing ceremony took place at the Malý Berlín cultural centre. The festival organisers warmly thanked their colleagues, partners, sponsors, volunteers, and everyone who, in one way or another, contributed to the creation of this wonderful project.

Júlia Kozáková and her band Manuša brought life to the festival’s afterparty. Júlia is a world music and jazz singer who recently completed her music studies at SOAS University in London. Her involvement with the Roma choir Čhavorenge fostered a deep connection to Roma culture, which significantly influenced her debut album. Her album Manuša won the Radio_Head Award for the Best Slovak World Music Album of 2022.

Photo: Filip Cepka, Tomáš Bokor