Standing Ovations for “God’s People”, Directed by Jug Đorđević, And a Contemporary Take on the Classic Work by Borisav Stanković

The play “God’s People”, based on motifs from the prose of Borisav Stanković, dramatized by Đorđe Kosić and directed by Jug Đorđević, premiered to great success on 14 June on the “Raša Plaović” Stage of the National Theatre in Belgrade, captivating the audience and offering a completely new, contemporary interpretation of this classic work by one of the most prominent novelists and short story writers in Serbian literature.

This distinctive theatre project, based on the short story collection of the same name published in 1902, demonstrated how classical literature can be radically deconstructed and transformed into a powerful and compelling contemporary stage work that communicates with the present day.

The process, which the acting ensemble effectively began “from scratch,” resulted in a form that director Đorđević suitably describes as a “visual poem.” Instead of a classical linear dramatic text, the audience was invited to immerse themselves in a sequence of images, scenes, and voices that do not follow the traditional logic of plot, but rather the abstract and emotional logic of memory. Đorđević, for whom this is a third extremely successful collaboration with the National Theatre (“Lullaby for Aleksija Rajčić” and “Madame Olga”), once again confirmed his magnificent talent by bringing to the stage a new, unconventional theatrical language. Seeking form in the narrative rather than the representational mode, Đorđević, together with the creative team, succeeded in transcending the framework of a local story about old Vranje and creating a production that actually became a profound, universal, and shared reflection on fate, death, and madness - a dialogue rarely engaged in, yet concerning us all.

The production brought together an outstanding cast: Vanja Ejdus, Iva Milanović, Jelena Blagojević, Aleksandar Vučković, Nedim Nezirović, and Novak Radulović, who were rewarded at the end with thunderous, minutes-long applause and a standing ovation.
The artistic team also includes Andrea Rondović (set design), Velimirka Damjanović (costume design), Nevena Glušica (music score), Milica Cerović (stage movement), and Dr Ljiljana Mrkić Popović (stage speech coaching).

The first repeat performance will be held tomorrow evening, 15 June, and the play will also be performed on 21 June, both starting at 8:30 p.m. on the “Raša Plaović” Stage.

This is the first staging of “God’s People” at the National Theatre in Belgrade.