Bridges and Gods

Fun, crazy and a little bit twisted epopee from Maribor

A renowned writer and playwright and this year’s Grum laureate, Nejc Gazvoda, has created a new drama titled as Bridges and Gods that features reworked motifs from Tone Partljič’s works, such as People of Maribor (Ljudje iz Maribora, 2017), as well as, novels Sebastian and the Bridge (Sebastjan in most, 2014) and The Dog Street (Pasja ulica, 2013). In turn, this premiere staging is – in its own right – an homage to the city of Maribor, its history, people and literary legend and Prešeren laureate, Tone Partljič, who has been an active city chronicler for decades and will be celebrating his eightieth anniversary in 2020. Parljič’s refined literary style with genuine wit and apt sense for accurate illustrating of crucial moments is taking a new and closer look at individuals from the abundant Maribor history, depicting them through sensitive and engaged literary voice that reflects the peoples’ anguish as well as the features of respective ages. In order to recreate the appropriate ambience of the show, Nejc Gazvoda found a congenial structure in two respective Fellini films, Amarcord and Roma, thus reworking the story outline as a counterpoint between the people and all Maribor bridges – road junctures and connecting agents between both banks across the river Drava –, where people made love, sometimes even jumped off of them, building, cursing and admiring them, and travelling hither and yon, across the border and then back home again. As Nejc Gazvoda noted in his interview: "In truth, I have not really discarded or withdrew from Partljič’s narrative – although the text itself is intense and quite rash, featuring comedy and surrealism, down to small, intimate moments. And yet the adaptation never really diverges from story-telling, and that especially goes for characters that are typical and inherent to Partljič’s style. Moreover, I was happy to follow these characters wherever they may lead me, as I found in their stories a similar care for thy fellowman as in my friendship with Aleksandar Popovski. I think Partljič has a genuine sense to tackle the recent history as well as the past; his writing does not seem pre-calculated, nor his characters, as even the most buffoonish ones are compelling and authentic personalities. I find it funny in a way that the ex-politician would write in such an unideological manner, and yet I am grateful for that, since the political slogans – whether on stage, in a movie, or in art in general – bother me to death.” The new staging Bridges and Gods, directed by Maribor Drama artistic director Aleksandar Popovski, is interwoven with parade of flamboyant characters, their funny, tragic, intense but simply fabulous stories. Specifically, the narrative that features certain surreal moments brings together various episodes from Partljič’s works, binding them in a new stage entity that has emerged from the crossroads of Maribor and its bridges, while we, the "gods” and masters of our own destinies, are writing our respective tales of the city. Bridges and Gods speak through past events as well as of that, which is yet to become. "We all have wandered off,” says Princess Obolenska in the book People of Maribor. But never mind that – we will find each other again somewhere in between bridges and gods.

Photo gallery

Photo: Damjan Švarc

Photo: Damjan Švarc

Photo: Damjan Švarc

Photo: Damjan Švarc

Photo: Damjan Švarc

Photo: Damjan Švarc

Photo: Damjan Švarc

Photo: Damjan Švarc

Photo: Damjan Švarc

Photo: Damjan Švarc

Photo: Damjan Švarc

Photo: Damjan Švarc

Photo: Damjan Švarc

Photo: Damjan Švarc

Photo: Damjan Švarc

Photo: Damjan Švarc

Photo: Damjan Švarc

Photo: Damjan Švarc

Photo: Damjan Švarc

Photo: Damjan Švarc

Photo: Damjan Švarc

Photo: Damjan Švarc

Photo: Damjan Švarc

Photo: Damjan Švarc

Photo: Damjan Švarc

Photo: Damjan Švarc

Photo: Damjan Švarc