In Bale at the 4th Bembo Fest, standing ovations from the audience for the performances of 'BEAUTY AND THE BEAST' and 'HOW TO SURVIVE YOUR MOTHER-IN-LAW' by the Pula-based independent theater
Teatar Naranča and the audience love each other – publicly.
An exceptionally large audience, a great theatrical atmosphere, and good entertainment at Tomaso Bembo Square in Bale, thanks to the ensemble of the Pula-based Teatar Naranča, marked this week's program of the 4th Bembo Fest – the Festival of Small Forms of Independent Theatres. The theater festival, held in Bale throughout the summer season, confirmed its premise this year: performances by independent theaters at the 4th Bembo Fest explore “how joy, seriousness, and laughter intertwine and enrich our perception of the world.” These words by Robert Raponja, the artistic director of Bembo Fest and founder of Teatar Fort Forno from Bale, were confirmed on the magical main square stage by two performances from Teatar Naranča. While on Wednesday, July 24th, the youngest audience enjoyed the children's play “Beauty and the Beast” by Igor Bojović, directed by Bora Stjepanović, last night, Thursday, July 25th, locals, their guests, and viewers from all over Istria enjoyed Teatar Naranča's latest hit comedy “How to Survive Your Mother-in-Law” by Goran Mihovilović, directed by Majkl Mikolić.
In the play “Beauty and the Beast,” the excellent actors Monika Berberović, Luka Juričić, and Majkl Mikolić brought to life the well-known fairy tale whose main characters are a Prince and the most beautiful girl, whose fate is entangled by a wicked witch. The central question of this theatrical story was: “Can love change us so much?” The question is also posed in the title of the new comedy by Teatar Naranča from the 15+ Scene program, the play “How to Survive Your Mother-in-Law?” featuring excellent performances by Majkl Mikolić, Mathilde Vukosavljević, Vlatka Rubil, and Matilda Nikić. Each actor brings to life at least six authentic, vivid characters of mothers-in-law, sons-in-law, daughters, and grandchildren on stage. It is no wonder that many viewers personally congratulated them on their performances after the show. The play, which Teatar Naranča announces as an “educational horror comedy,” is characterized by excellent, lifelike, and humorous dialogues by the author Goran Mihovilović. The whole story revolves around identifying different types of mothers-in-law – from the “funny mother-in-law” to the “nosy mother-in-law,” who is essentially the “Istrianicus Naturalis,” and is enhanced by Majkl Mikolić's distinctive directorial style, who is also an endlessly charming and excellent actor on stage. From the beginning to the end of the performance, filled with witty remarks and local expressions, smiles never left the audience’s faces, and scene after scene was met with bursts of laughter and applause... In short: Teatar Naranča and the audience love each other – publicly.
The next performance of the 4th Bembo Fest program is scheduled for August 7th at 9 PM, featuring the children's play “The Sad Duckling” by the Novi Svijet theater from Sisak, followed by the play “Koštanin Tvist” by the Belgrade-based Teatar Slavija on August 8th at 9 PM.
For the fourth consecutive year, Bembo Fest is organized by Teatar Fort Forno, the Municipality of Bale-Valle, and the Tourist Board of the Municipality of Bale-Valle, under the patronage of Mon Perin d.d., with support from the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia, Istrian County, and the Italian Cultural Institute. This festival contributes to the cultural life of Bale and this year’s program, running until September 5th with free entrance, features 17 performances by independent theaters from Croatia, Italy, and Serbia.
