Coordinator:
Mini teater, Križevniška 1, SI-1000 Ljubljana
Co-organisers of the project:
UO Novo Kazalište, Zagreb, Croatia
Figurentheater Vlinders & C°, Belgium
Teatro Neline, Budmerice, Slovakia
Estonian State Puppet Theatre/ Foundation NUKU, Tallinn, Estonia
Maladype Szinhaz, Budapest, Hungary
Pozorište lutaka, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Otvoreni univerzitet, Serbia
The main goal of the project is the cooperation of best masters of puppetry from Estonia, Croatia, Belgium, Slovakia and Slovenia with young artists from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Hungary. We strive for young artists from partner countries to contribute new experiences to the field of Puppetry and therefore to create with them new performances with new technologies such as virtual puppetry, 3D technique … We want this project to include the best artists from all 8 of the cooperative countries for achieving great results and implement new technologies in the field of puppetry by the exchange of international experiences.
We will also implement a few activities in the project with which we will in 2012 point out the European year of active aging and intergenerational solidarity.
The results of the project will bring greater mobility of artists and their results of work such as workshops, classes, exhibitions …
Project will be carried out from 1st May 2012 till 30th April 2014.
In March 2012 we have had a premiere night of a new performance for adults, students and pupils Tristan and Isolde. The performance that was created in terms of the PNA 2 project will in fall 2012 in terms of PNA 3 guest appear in Maladype teater in Hungary. We also consider it a great privilege and honor for the performance (as a coproduction of Mini teater and Maladype teater from Budapest) to be chosen amongst 12 performances of this year’s competitive program of the 47th Festival Borštnik’s meeting in Maribor. The performance will be staged on 20th October 2012.
Several times awarded performance Snow white by Grimm brothers that was created in terms of the PNA 1 project has in May 2012 in terms of the PNA 3 project convinced the professional jury of one of the most renowned festival in Europe and in the world and the leading international festival of children’s theaters in Balkan region. At the 19th International festival of Children’s theaters in Serbia the performance received the Grand Prix of the festival for best staging in whole and for the first time in the 19 year old history of this festival this award was given to a Slovenian performance. The director of the performance Marek Bečka also received the award for best directing at this festival for original and humorous adaptation of Mini teater’s Snow white.
Mini teater has also, on one of the most renowned festivals in Europe and in the world, which received for its enormous contribution to children’s theater and culture the Vuk award in 2005, in overbooked auditorium out of competition presented itself with the guest puppeteer master with the first virtual Puppet Show in the world – Thumbelina. The actor and director of the performance and the CEO of Mini teater Robert Waltl also carried out in terms of »Puppet Nomad Academy 3« project under the management of Mini teater a creative and interesting lecture on the subject Virtual Puppetry - future or fancy workshop. Several years of experience in the field of interaction between computer animation in many times awarded puppet or theatrical performance Thumbelina Waltl compared to his rich, several decades long experience in classic puppetry. The happening in the virtual computer environment, when fairytale characters on screen come alive with the help of an animator represents an important creative environment that thrills youngest viewers for the performance can be actively created by themselves. The communication between the screen and the youngest excites the parents as well as the profession.
Soon after the premiere night of Tristan and Isolde we have begun with the preparations to the last premiere of the season, the co-production of Mini teater, City Theater Ptuj, Novo kazalište Zagreb and Maribor 2012 – European Capitol of Culture. The performance In the solitude of the cotton fields directed by Ivica Buljan and starring Robert Waltl and Marko Mandić, that was developed in terms of two international projects (Puppet Nomad Academy III and Nomads of Beauty) premiered 21st June 2012 in a huge abandoned hall of aluminum factory Talum Kidričevo. The masterpiece of the 80’s, stylishly complete work of art from the end of the last millennium, the dialogue between the Dealer and Buyer in an extremely precise yet sophisticated way writes the history of our time. The history built upon trade, libidinal economy. When we do not know what the cause for the deal is, what is being traded with, we are not deprived of beauty, passion, sorrow and happiness at retrieval of the wanted thing or person. One of the peeks of cult dramatic Bernard-Marie Koltès who has fundamentally marked French and World’s theater of the last decades of the 20th century was later on in Kidričevo staged 4 more times (22nd, 23rd, 29th and 30th June) will be staged on 5th and 6th August at the International festival of modern theater “Zadar snova” in Croatia. In October 2012 premiere night follows in Mini teater in Ljubljana.
On Wednesday 27th June 2012 at 6pm in National museum of Slovenia we have officially opened the 14th MINI SUMMER festival and the exhibition of Polish puppetry with the performance of an amazing puppet show by great Czech director Marek Bečka – The wishing table starring Aljaž Jovanović and Jose. The evening was pleasant and joyful. International Mini summer festival by Mini teater will once again take care of unforgettable summer months’ puppet performances, many guest appearances and free creative workshops for children all to the 2nd September 2012. The MINI SUMMER Festival organized by MINI TEATER, is an international summer festival of puppets and theatre. It has been taking place in Ljubljana Castle or in other locations in Ljubljana every summer Sunday since 1999. Its aim is to animate the streets, squares, atriums and the castle with high-quality puppet performances and workshops for children. Due to great response, it has gradually turned into one of the greatest festivals for children in Slovenia. Different performances for children from different international theatres or groups are presented each year. Occasionally, some exceptional puppet performances for adults are presented (like The Vampire – performed by Stuffed Puppet Theatre from The Netherlands in 2007). Beside performances, the Festival includes also various creative workshops for children (visual arts, multimedia, puppetry and chivalry skills), the Pageants School for young pages and dames, and an exhibition of puppets.
The festival has gained a great international reputation, good critics of the professional public, and an extraordinary high number of spectators of all ages. Different languages, different puppet techniques and different approaches to puppetry art have placed the international festival Mini Summer among events contributing to a richer and more precious cultural image of Ljubljana and Slovenia.
Every Sunday at 5pm as a part of the MINI SUMMER in cooperation with Mini teater and KUD Sredina for children and their parents we are organizing free creative workshops. In Ljubljana excellent puppet performances for children are coming to guest appear. Besides Mini teater’s The wishing table, The Donkey of Nazareth, Dragon and Princess, Mishmash bakery and Snow white there will also be on display puppet performances from abroad: Little Red Riding Hood Theater of some Edi from Czech Republic, Josa and the magic fiddle from Waidspeicher theater from Germany, Dirty wing by Puppet Company David Zuazola from Chile, Hands and Gloves by Puppet and youth theater from Estonia, Gabi and the flying grandfather by Theater of Puppets Ciroka from Kečkemet in Hungary and When Šlemil went to Warsaw by LG Maribor from Slovenia.
At the same time with the grand opening of the Mini summer festival on 27th June 2012 in cooperation with the National Museum of Slovenia and the Embassy of the Republic of Poland Mini teater opened the guest appearing exhibition of Polish Puppetry of the Archeological and ethnographic museum from Lodž. The exhibition Polish Puppetry that will enable us to recognize the work of extraordinary creators that have designed the image of puppet theater in Poland in the last 50 years and enable the view into the most important artistic accomplishments of the Polish puppet theater will be on display from June 27 to July 27 2012 in the National museum of Slovenia in Ljubljana.
On Sunday, July 8th 2012 Mini teater performed the performance The Donkey of Nazareth at the renowned international puppet festival Synergura in Erfurt, Germany. Synergura, the renowned festival with a long tradition that will in 2012 took place between 4th and 8th July and hosted numerous puppet theaters from all Europe and Israel that presented their best and most original puppet performances. The performance Donkey of Nazareth that has since premiere in 1996 guest appeared in France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Denmark and Croatia has with extraordinary art creativity of Agatha Freyer based upon the fresco of Vincent of Kastav, marots (hand puppets on a stick) that originate from the madman’s mace and the primal professional puppet interpretation of the biblical motives after war (from which the European puppet tradition derives) undoubtedly reached and overcame the high set criteria of the festival.
From 27th until 30th of November2012 Mini teater organised the acclaimed puppeteer Neville Tranter’s Workshops for professional puppeteers and actors concluding with the Neville tranter’s Stuffed Puppet Theatre puppet show Punch and Judy in Afganistan.
The theme of the workshops was to help explore and teach participants the possibilities of the puppet as a strong theatrical medium. Furthermore there was a strong emphasis on the role of the puppeteer as a performing actor himself. The puppeteer does not disappear behind the puppets. His presence on stage is an integral part in the performance.
The participants worked with a puppet and briought it to “life”, scenes wiere then developed with the puppet to create short dramatical studies and situations. The participants did not only interact with the puppet but also with the other participants in creating the scenes. The input of the participants plays a big role.
As a part of the PNA 3 project we have been in Mini teater for several months intensively preparing to the premiere of one of the most known Slovenian fairytales, Little Sleepy Star directed by Robert Waltl, in December 2012. In this multimedia performance a special role is played by the sound that is played live by Miha Ciglar. In the performance itself there are several renowned Slovenian actors involved - Tadej Pišek, Igor Štamulak and Maruša Majer/Nina Ivanišin.
Cult and unforgettable fairytale by Frane Milčinski - Ježek for children of all ages. One of the most popular Slovenian fairytales with a universal message that we can with kindness and good, pure thought and love overcome evil. She is a star in the sky that puts children to sleep, leads sailors over the seas and helps the poet find the right rhymes. She has gold long hair and is called Sleepy Star. But because she is often late for work she causes confusion on Earth. The children are crying, the sailors can’t find their ways, the poet does not find the rhyme to the word pot.
Therefore the Moon punishes her by sending her to the Earth with the ability to come back when and if she will prove to be smart enough.
A premiere of the performance Morrison and four seasons directed by young estonian director Mirko Rajas with slovene actors Maruša Majer and Jose on 26th of February 2013 about a small boy that gets lost in the woods and is encountered by all the fascinating and also negative sides of summer, spring, fall and winter … We witnessed different stories, actions, fight, game, love, hatred, happiness and sorrow throughout all the four seasons. Puppet adventure full of fantastical discoveries and entertainment was prepared and carried out as a coproduction of Mini teater Ljubljana and Foundation NUKU Tallinn.
Mini teater's openning of the great exhibition of Serbian puppetry and theatrical creation for children Worlds and Heroes in the National museum of Slovenia on 24th of April 2013. The exhibition was pepared in colaboration of Mini teater Ljubljana, Open University Subitica and with an enormous help of Theatre Museum Vojvodina and the author of the exhibition Ljiljana Dinić. Aside from the intention to present respective theatres and their repertoires, to encompass the most prominent and most represented creators in the field, as well as the most successful creations, the aim of the exhibition is to provide insight into aesthetic and content framework shaped in those theatres. Therefore, in addition to exhibits which relate to certain performances, various adaptations of the same textual template, as well as motifs which are thematically and conceptually close, namely different scenic materializations of inner landscapes and intimate inclinations, worlds and heroes have also been grouped into units.
The setting itself did not follow the chronological sequence of individual theatres or authors, whereas the basic criterion for selection of materials was personal courage of creators in interpreting and expanding the boundaries.
The honorable sponsor of the Exhibition was the Mayor of Slovene Capital Ljubljana, Mr. Zoran Janković.
On the 17th of May 2013 the cult Snow White directed by the renowned Czech director Marek Bečka who has already directed Mini teater's Puss in Boots and The wishing table was performed in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Puppet theatre Mostar.
On 7th of June 2013 a coproduction of Mini teater Ljubljana and Foundation NUKU Tallinn, Morrison and the four seasons, will be performed at the at the Interdisciplinary festival TREFF in Tallinn (Estonia), which promotes all the artistic forms of stage art including drama and puppet performances as well as dance recitals, musical concerts, which draws a lot of attention from the public and incredibly interesting performers. A tale of a young boy that gets lost in the woods and is encountered by all the magical and also negative sides of the four seasons was premiered in Mini teater on 26th of February 2013.
The main objective of the festival is to introduce the magnificent world of performing arts in its full diversity. Tallinn TREFF Festival is all about breaking borders between different art forms and between East and West. The festival offers a wide variety of performances, including dance, drama, puppet theatre, performance art, visual theatre, music, art. The festival takes place on the streets and in the venues of Tallinn Old Town. Tallinn TREFF Festival is a meeting point not only for professional artists, but for students of performing arts as well. In this way, the international students of dance, drama, puppetry, scenography and music will meet each other, get to see high-level professional performances and hear fascinating lectures by world-famous theoreticians. The festival aims to create a link between the present and future artists of performing arts.
A new direction by Robert Waltl in Mostar - a new puppet performance, The Ugly Duckling, coproduction of Mini teater Ljubljana and Pozorište lutaka Mostar was premiered on July 11th 2013 in Mostar. Robert Waltl is one the most awarded director of theatre pieces for a young audience, which he creates in Croatia, BiH, Belarus, Belgium, Montenegro and Slovenia. He is a particularly devoted interpreter of stories by Ivana Brlić Mažuranić, Svetlana Makarovič and Hans Christian Andersen. In the Mostar Puppet Theatre he has so far directed The Puss in Jeans, by Enes Kišević and The Hedgehog's House, by Brnako Čopić. His pieces are distinguishable by music and dance dramaturgy, a dynamic rhythm and visual exuberance.
The young and successful Croatian playwright Ivor Matinić wrote a brand new text based on the Anderson story, staying true to the original, while bringing it closer to the contemporary viewer. The wonderful songs for the performance are by Olja Savičević Ivančević, arranged by Nikša Mandalinić and Aleksandar Antić of the Split-based band TBF. The author of all the puppets and the stage set design is Robert Smolik from Prague. Starring in the role of the Ugly Duckling is the young Igor Vidačković, and alongside him an excellent team of actors and animators - Nedžad Maksumić, Diana Ondelj Maksumić, Sergio Radoš and Nermina Denjo.
Mini Summer Festival, Mini teater's 15th International Festival, for children in which wonderful summer months of puppet performances and creative afternoons await us was opened on June 29th 2013 in Mini teater and on Križevniška Street in Ljubljana. Already for the first day we prepared the 100th Gala Replay of the internationally several times awarded Snow White, the 250th Gala Replay of the Puss in Boots and a great hungarian performance The Seven Headed Fairy.
Mini Summer Festival, lasting from 29th of June and up until 1st of September 2013, will be diverse also in continuation! In addition to performances of Mini teater we will have a chance to see great visiting performances form Czech Republik, Slovakia, Hungary, Belgium and Bosnia and Herzegovina, while at Republic of Croatia's joining the European Union we are dedicating this years' festival also to a special presentation of the Croatian theatre and puppet art for children through their actors, performances, authors and other theatre creators. The last of the performances of the Mini Summer Festival performed in Mini teater and slovene national theatre Drama.
As a part of the intergenerational solidarity and integration one of the performances of the Mini Summer Festival, About the meadow, butterfly and flower fairy by Petronela Dušová from Teátro Neline (Slovaika) will on August 18th 2013 be performed in Home for elderly Tabor in Ljubljana. Mini Summer is a summer of a new unforgettable festival journey for children and all that cherish arts for children. The summer of magic that only puppets and theatre can create!
One of the most popular Slovene fairlytales, Sapramouse by Svetlana Makarovič under the direction of Robert Waltl and with actors Milly Jennes and Ronny Aelbrecht this time come to life in the Flemish language! A coproduction of Mini teater and Figurentheater Vlinders & C°with the premiere on July 14th 2013 as a part of the Mini Summer Festival, 15th Mini teater's International Festival for children.
In the Sapramouse tale different personal dharacteristics are interwined – from naivety and giving up to greed, slyness, gluttony and also fear. But we must overcome our own fears and troubles ourselves – this cannot be done by anyone else but us. And when we defeat them, we realise that they are muc smaller than we have imagined.
Financially supported by the European Comission, programme Culture (2007-2013). This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
Mini teater is engaged in several European projects, financially supported by the European Comission, programme Culture (2007-2013)
