Where, really, is our home? Is it defined by people, family, or the imposed life circumstances? Why are our dearest ones leaving? Are they moving because of the economic reasons or is this a discouraging outlook on the future of our society?

The ‘Maradok Maradni – Ostajem Ostati’ play, produced, written and choreographed by Gabriela Crnković, answers these troubling and difficult questions. It is going to be performed in the Svilara Cultural Station on 30 October at 7 p.m. The audience will have a chance to watch the play online too, via Facebook page of the Svilara Cultural Station.

Using elements of contemporary creation and engaged theatre, Emina Elor, Judit Laslo, Robert Ožvar and Bence Salai produced a performance which, besides poetry, includes documentary texts and various improvisations (stage-movement, musical, textual and speech improvisations).

‘The base of our play are usually our copyright texts which we wrote on the topics: ‘home’, ‘mother tongue’, ‘where is my future’, ‘what would I bring with myself, and what would I leave behind if I was to leave.’ There is Hungarian literature as well, documentary texts borrowed from people that we know, friends that moved. Thus, the ‘Ostajem Ostati’ became an exceptional copyright project with elements of stage movement, videos, songs,’ explains actress Emina Elor.

She adds that, together with the audience, they think about the concept of everyday life, what is happening to us and why.

‘We shed light on both nice and difficult moments of migration and leaving one’s hometown. There were big migrations, but these big migrations are happening around us. We analysed this topic from different angles, through the artistic and theatre point of view, with an aim of approaching the problem from various aspects, remembering it together, not judging it, analysing and understanding it. Or, with an aim to question whether we are in a good place? Where is our home? Inside us or around us? We would like to bake bread, where everyone would be able to take a piece and bring it home, to their hearts,’ says Emina.

As to why they are ‘troubled’ by this problem, Emina says:

‘There are five of us on the project. Some of us would never leave Vojvodina, some, on the other hand, would leave without thinking twice about it. So, everybody’s troubled by something different. Personally, I would need a serious reason, and an even more difficult crises in order to move to another country. I feel sad that the majority of my generation left during the 90s. We are of different sensibilities. Some have emotional attachments when thinking about a home while others can walk away easily. Some prefer a better financial situation, others don’t care about it when they feel nostalgic for the people that they love. My heart is my home, there are people that I love,’ concludes Emina.

The ‘Maradok Maradni – Ostajem Ostati’ project is one of the 42 projects given funds on the Public call within the ‘Artists. Now!’ project aimed at strengthening the local cultural scene, raising its capacities through a network of cultural stations, decentralisation of culture and audience development.

Organisers kindly ask all visitors to adhere to all measures in order to maintain health and enjoy cultural events. Visitors are obliged to wear face masks during all events. Maximum number of people allowed in indoor spaces is being controlled. The organiser has the right to change the way of hosting the event if the epidemiological measures change.