Mini Teater, Ljubljana, premiere 27th September 2024
“But a mermaid has no tears, and therefore she suffers so much more.” – Hans Christian Andersen
The Little Mermaid is a universal stories that, over the years, has taken on new forms and interpretations. But what changes, and what stays the same? Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid ends with her throwing herself into the sea and dissolving into foam, while Disney’s version has a (supposedly) happy ending in which Ariel marries Prince Eric. Yet both share the same core theme: a woman sacrificing her body and her voice for a man. Would any prince be willing to make such a sacrifice? His job? His life? His friends? His career? And ultimately, his voice – for a woman?
Playwright and dramaturg Nina Kuclar Stiković has written the most recent reinterpretation of the fairy tale. In 2023, her contemporary adaptation of Andersen’s The Little Match Girl was performed at Glej Theatre. This time, together with director Jure Srdinšek, she brought The Mermaid – who is no longer little – to the stage of Mini Teater.
The performance is built on realistic foundations, immersing us deep beneath the ocean’s surface into a story about young women in her twenties. At times, it feels like we have drifted into a novel or TV series written by Sally Rooney. The characters are far from perfect, but this imperfection that makes them even more human. We witness their complexity, vulnerability, and entrapment in a capitalist world. The four friends, played by Gaja Filač, Julija Klavžar, Julita Kropec, and Mina Švajger, convey deep pain and a rich spectrum of four distinct women, each navigating different aspects of life – career, studies, love, and a sense of being lost. Through a collective performance, they establish strong mutual relationships that drive the play forward.
On stage, they are joined by actor Svit Stefanija, who plays all four male roles (read: all the romantic illusions). He is particularly compelling in the role of Peter. The scenes between Švajger and Stefanija as the engaged couple, Megi and Peter, are especially powerful. They bring raw emotion and a striking realism to the stage. A standout moment is the scene where they move restlessly across the bed, using minimal dialogue to create an astonishing interplay of emotions and unspoken tension.
Both the acting style and language capture the spirit of our time – the essence of 21st century – where anglicisms, pop culture references, multiculturalism and multimedia are woven into everyday life. Meanwhile, the stage is divided into multiple spaces. The set design by Lucija Zucchiati consists of a few tables, chairs, and a bed, which, despite its minimalism, creates a strong sense of realism. After all, our generation doesn’t have the budget for excessive decor or interior design in our apartments, so lighting, designed by Domen Lušin, plays a crucial role. We all know the rule – you never turn on the main light, only smaller ones to create the right atmosphere. The mood of the performance is built through small details, culminating in the party scene, where the loud music drowns out your thoughts, and the darkness helps you not to see them either.
The Mermaid. Photos: Claudi Sovre (Arhiv Mini teatra Ljubljana)
Director Jure Srdinšek explores another layer of the story’s complexity by incorporating different theatrical media. At times, he brings relationships into direct proximity; at others, he approaches them from a distance – perhaps the most accurate depiction of our time. For the first time in history, we are more technologically connected than ever, yet simultaneously more distant and isolated. This contrast is very powerfully illustrated in the opening scene, where actress Gaja Filač (Lia) stands alone on stage, continuously answering phone calls. The primary dialogues dissolve into one long, lonely monologue. A similar effect is achieved in a scene where the group of friends gathers – each standing on the other side of a stage, speaking their lines into a microphone. The distance is even more striking when they all sit at the same table but still communicate through microphones, evoking the podcast culture that has recently flourished – offering listeners only the illusion of closeness.
The interludes serve as a kind of oceanic monologue. We hear the sound of waves, the lighting transforms the stage into the surface of the sea, and the world outside seems to pause. In these moments, the mermaid finally finds her voice – confessing her deepest fears and revealing what truly weighs on her heart. These scenes, which disrupt and break away from the (dramatic) structural system, hold immense potential and could have been explored even further. Similarly, there is a powerful metatheatrical moment when actress Julita Kropec steps onto the stage – not as her character, but simply as an actress – to read a stage direction describing what her character is doing at that moment. She speaks about dependency on others (parents, friends, partners) and the longing for something real. Such a theatrical break could be further explored, because it already supports the structure and opens up new performative possibilities.
The performance also brings protests at the Faculty of Social Sciences (University of Ljubljana) into focus, using the mermaid’s still-unbroken voice as a message directed at society itself. Meanwhile, during the exercise scene (bootcamp), an important question emerges: is investing in oneself ultimately just a disguised investment in society? Or for society?
The purpose of the performance is not to provide an objective critique of social maladies, patriarchy or capitalism, but rather to establish a perspective through which young women experience and navigate such a world. There is a distinct pleasure in witnessing a new generation stepping onto the Slovenian theater scene – bringing fresh voices eager to speak openly about new problems, ideas, and stories. If the Millennial generation in Slovenia has found its voice in playwright Katarina Morano and her realistic dramas about life in the 21st century, then Gen Z has now also gained an author who speaks for them/us.
The Mermaid thus remains a story of (unrequited) love, of what we are willing to do in order to adapt to love and be loved, of yearning, and of a better world that doesn’t let you down. However, unlike before, it now explores the position of the female voice and body today, in the age of neoliberalism, where freedom guides us. That is why the mermaids, now grown up, like female seahorses, swim away from the males and dance alone in the sea.
Credits:
Director: Jure Srdinšek// Author/Dramaturg: Nina Kuclar Stiković //Stage designer:Lucija Zucchiati//Costume designer: Claudi Sovrè//Music: Martin Vogrin //Stage movement: Veronika Valdes//Language consultant: Nina Žavbi//Light design: Domen Lušin
For more information, visit: Mini-teater.si
Nika Šoštarič is a master's student of dramaturgy and performing art. She is also a writer, playwright and a world traveler.
