Written by Kveder 125 years ago and first published in the Trieste-based magazine Slovenka, the play has never been staged or publicly read until now. Tuesday evening thus marked its premiere, as noted in the preview. The drama advocates for a woman's right to choose her life partner and touches upon themes typical of the author: motherhood, corporality, and the social hardships of women. The sheer relevance of these issues is striking, all the more so because of how convincingly the production brought them closer to a contemporary audience.
The staging was co-produced by KD Integrali in collaboration with the Slovenian Youth Theatre, Beletrina, the City of Women, and Radio Slovenia’s Third Programme – ARS Programme. It was directed by Simona Semenič, who transformed the seemingly simple format of a staged reading into a vibrant and intense experience.
Igralski ansambel (Lina Akif, Ivan Godnič, Klemen Kovačič, Janja Majzelj, Timotej Novaković, Ivan Peternelj in Matija Vastl) je besedilo interpretiral z izjemno izrazno natančnostjo in občutkom za njegovo notranjo dinamiko. Z usklajeno uporabo mimike, glasovne modulacije in ritma so ustvarili tako prepričljive dramske situacije, da sem večkrat pozabila, da spremljam bralno uprizoritev. K neposrednosti in živosti predstave je prispevalo tudi to, da so posamezni igralci svoje vloge napovedovali sami, s čimer so jasno potegnili ločnico med branjem in igranjem. Posebej izrazit vtis je naredila Janja Majzelj v vlogi matere v svojem zadnjem monologu. V trenutku je lahko prešla iz ene skrajnosti v drugo, ne da bi pri tem izgubila notranjo konsistentnost lika. Intenzivnost njenega nastopa je bila tolikšna, da smo jo nekaj minut pred koncem predstave nagradili z bučnim aplavzom. Ansambel je deloval izjemno uigrano, posamezne interpretacije pa niso zapirale prostora gledalčevi lastni izkušnji. V besedilu se namreč lahko prepozna vsak, ki pozna težo pričakovanj lastnih staršev in okolja ali občutek, da mora živeti v skladu z vlogo, ki mu jo določajo drugi. Čeprav je drama nastala pred več kot stoletjem, njena vprašanja zato niso ostala ujeta v preteklosti. Prav nasprotno: zdela so se boleče blizu. To so s svojimi vzdihi in vzkliki večkrat izrazili tudi gledalci, ki so s spontanimi odzivi spremljali dogajanje na odru in vendar s tem (presenetljivo) niso niti za trenutek zmotili njegovega toka.
The power of the performance was also evident at the end, as the applause simply refused to die down, and not a single person in the hall was in a secret, apologetically awkward rush to head home. This restrained yet persistent enthusiasm felt far more eloquent than a standing ovation. My hands hurt for two days afterwards.
The Right to Life is proof that a staged reading is much more than just reading a text. It is a space where a text can come alive again, touch the viewer, and prompt reflection. My advice is simple: do not miss it if we are ever blessed with a rerun.
