From the Other Side, a new festival of Balkan theatre, will launch in New York in December.
The From the Other Side festival, a new showcase of theatre from the Balkans, will open in New York in December. Presented at the renowned La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club and produced by My Balkans, From the Other Side: A New Perspective on Theatre from the Balkans is a ten-day event that will showcase contemporary theatre from the former Yugoslav region.
Scheduled from December 4 to 14 at La MaMa’s Ellen Stewart Theatre, the festival aims to foster dialogue about the Balkans and its theatre, exploring how performance influences public discourse. It investigates how art reacts to significant social and political issues. In a world marked by ongoing conflicts and divisions, From the Other Side highlights voices that are overlooked or silenced, reminding us that everyone grapples with the global challenges of peace, justice, and truth.
The program consists of two prominent performances from the region as well as a selection of contemporary play readings, a retrospective of archival recordings, and several post-show discussions and debates. The two productions are They Are All Gone, a piece about loss, memory and mourning that makes inventive use of headphones. Based on a text by Kosovar playwright Doruntina Basha, it is directed by Andrej Nosov, and stars three of the leading actors in the region – Mirjana Karanović, Svetozar Cvetković and Alban Ukaj. The second production, Things That Burn Easily, is by Croatian playwright and director Vedrana Klepica. It is a co-production between Ganz Nova Kultura Promjene (Zagreb), Pogon (Croatia), and Artemede (Portugal).
They Are All Gone. Photo: Nebojsa Babic
These two live performances will be supplemented by three rehearsed readings of contemporary Balkan plays, directed by New York–based directors. These include The Last Girls in the World by Maja Pelević, directed by Alice Reagan; Like All Adventurous Women Do by Tanja Šljivar, translated by Aida Spahić and directed by Tea Alagić; and Suddenly, a River by Dimitrije Kokanov, translated by Matt Robinson and directed by Devin Brain.
There will also be a video programme featuring key performances by some of the region’s most significant directors of the past 25 years, including work by Oliver Frljić, Sebastian Horvat, and Selma Spahić, offering a rare glimpse into the evolution of Balkan theatre. Two open discussions will explore the relationship between art and politics today, providing a space for exchange among artists, critics, and the broader audience.
The From the Other Side curatorial team includes Beka Vučo (producer and creative director), Dimitrije Kokanov (dramaturg), and Natasha Tripney (critic and editor of SEEstage).
For tickets and further information, visit: Lamama.org
Review of They Are All Gone
Divna Stojanov is a dramaturg and playwright. She writes mainly for children and young people.
