“The play is outstanding and deeply moving” – Gorica Popović for Kurir after the premiere of the piece about her great-uncle who was executed in 1944

 Humour Headquarters

The latest work by the multi-award-winning young writer and dramatist Đorđe Kosić, based on documentary material, deals with real events and individuals in occupied Belgrade during the Second World War. The main characters of this tragicomedy are popular actors from the National Theatre of that era – Aleksandar Cvetković, Jovan Tanić, Ljubinka Bobić, Žanka Stokić, Nikola Popović and Mirko Milisavljević. Some of them also performed in the Humour Headquarters, a theatre troupe that presented vaudevilles, sketches, comic and vocal numbers for popular entertainment before and during the occupation of Belgrade in the Second World War – and for those engagements, they were put on trial in November 1944.

“The historical story about these individuals – that is, about the role of actors in times of crisis – is compelling in itself and concerns us all; it is part of our historical heritage from one of the darkest periods in this region. I did not wish to impose any explicit message. The audience is not unlearned, and they don’t come to the theatre to receive a lesson from me or anyone else. I am firmly convinced that what draws people back to theatre is primarily the need for storytelling – for human destinies and for understanding the mechanisms that drive them, whether personal, societal or historical. Critical thinking is developed by posing questions, not by imposing answers,” said Đorđe Kosić.

In the audience was actress Gorica Popović, who was the first to suggest creating this piece.

“At one point I started writing a text myself, but I never finished it. I was really pleased when I heard that the National Theatre had decided to bring this story to the stage. The play is outstanding and deeply moving. It raises the question of whether to act, how to act, and whether it is right to act in difficult times. I believe this is a question that still hasn’t been resolved. And in this play, you often find yourself on one side or the other, which is somehow logical,” Gorica told Kurir.

She is the granddaughter of Aleksandar Cvetković (he was her great-uncle – ed.), one of the figures in this play.

“I believe this play has rehabilitated both Aca and Jovan Tanić, as Žanka had already been. It’s sad that their graves are unknown,” the actress concluded.

Director Olja Đorđević, following her brilliant comedy The Hajduks at the Youth Theatre in Novi Sad, once again did not disappoint the audience.

“Even today one can debate whether it was right to perform plays during the occupation. Even today, the dogmatism from all sides and the belief in one's own righteousness blind us to such a degree that we easily turn against those who were close to us only yesterday. It is time for the rehabilitation of Cvetković and Tanić, but it is also time for a broader rehabilitation of our collective consciousness,” said the director.

The dramatist of the piece is Jefimija Sekulović, costume designer Marija Marković Milojev, set designer Ljubica Petrović / assistant set designer Jasna Saramandić, composer Irena Popović, choreographers Andreja Kulešević and Ljiljana Mrkić Popović, who also directed the stage speech. They form the artistic team behind this theatrical production, in which the roles are performed by Radovan Vujović (Aleksandar Cvetković), Miloš Đorđević (Jovan Tanić), Jovan Jovanović (Nikola Popović), Vanja Milačić (Žanka Stokić), Pavle Jerinić (Mirko Milisavljević) and Suzana Lukić (Ljubinka Bobić).

They were the first to come and see this brilliant performance

Premiere of Humour Headquarters

The premiere was attended by Vida Ognjenović, Dragan Velikić, director Milan Karadžić, as well as actresses Milena Radulović, Vaja Dujović, and their colleague Stevan Piale. New performances are scheduled for 28 March and 2 April.