Recently, the premiere of the play Vojcek was staged in Gjakova, directed by Zana Hoxha.
In this dramatic interpretation of human fate, the main character, Vojcek, emerges as a powerful reflection on human existence and the oppression imposed by circumstances, raising the fundamental question: Is a person free, or enslaved by fate and their past?
In Vojcek, the protagonist’s childhood is not explored directly, but the presence of a young boy on stage as the personification of his memory emphasizes the weight of the past in shaping his tragedy.
This scenic element creates a powerful link between memory and fate, deepening the understanding of the roots of Vojcek’s suffering.
Oppressed in his childhood, Vojcek reminds us of Friedrich Nietzsche’s saying, “He who fights with monsters should be careful lest he himself become a monster.”
His tragedy is not a random event, but an inevitable continuity, where he, driven by violence and injustice, destroys everything around him.
Vojcek is portrayed as a broken individual, oppressed by poverty and social injustice. He is unable to rise above his circumstances, suggesting that his life has been doomed from the start. From a psychological and philosophical perspective, his childhood can be seen as a period where he is taught submission and the lack of power to change his fate. The absence of a strong emotional foundation makes him vulnerable to exploitation, driving him towards destruction.
Thus, Vojcek’s childhood is not just a dark past but an inevitable beginning to the tragedy he lives. Through his eyes, we see an individual torn between instinct and morality, between reason and madness. His drama embodies existentialist ideas, where the person confronts the absurdity of life and the external limitations that shape their fate. He is not just a victim of misfortune, but a symbol of the inevitability of suffering that defines human existence.
The adaptation by Jack Thorne and the fantastic direction by Zana Hoxha bring this dilemma into a modern context, demonstrating that Vojcek’s challenges are not limited to a distant era but are universal.
In a society where the individual often feels insignificant against the larger social forces, Vojcek becomes a mirror of our reality, prompting us to reflect on the limits of our freedom and the weight of existence.
This performance is not just a tragic tale, but an invitation to reflect on humanity – on what destroys it and on the silent hope for a different reality.
At its core, Vojcek’s tragedy is the story of a man exploited in every way – economically, psychologically, morally, and emotionally. He is the victim of a society that uses him and discards him when he is no longer needed.
The greatest irony lies in the fact that after being destroyed by all these forms of oppression, society judges him as a monster. He is not seen as a man who has suffered, but as a criminal who must face the consequences. The victim becomes the culprit – a phenomenon that is not only found in Vojcek but also in our reality.
In a broader philosophical sense, Vojcek is not just an individual, but a symbol of all those oppressed by an unjust system. He is proof of how society can exploit a person to the point where they have nothing left to lose – and then judge them for their despair.
Is Vojcek a victim, or a reflection of the society that created him? This dilemma remains open, challenging us to reflect on collective responsibility toward oppressed individuals and on how society shapes their fate.
The life of Vojcek is an endless humiliation. He is mocked, despised, and degraded by everyone. On the stage of the “Hadi Shehu” theater in Gjakova, Vojcek by Georg Büchner, directed by Zana Hoxha, is presented as a more modern version of the work, with a text adapted by English playwright Jack Thorne. There, madness, the effect of inhumane labor, alcoholism, and more coexist. The ending is tragic, and in reality, it is an alarm.
Performances of such scale aim for an effect that lasts with the audience. It attempts to achieve what theater has aimed for from its very beginning – catharsis. This is the role of Vojcek, one of the works of one of the greatest German playwrights, Georg Büchner. Under the direction of Zana Hoxha, this narrative, inspired by real events, has been staged in Gjakova, and according to the director, it resonates quite well with this city. The drama is a powerful and deeply emotional portrait of suffering and the destructive effect of injustices in society.
At the “Hadi Shehu” theater in Gjakova, Vojcek is presented as a more modern version of the play, with a text adapted by English playwright Jack Thorne. There, madness, the effect of inhumane labor, alcoholism, and more coexist.
A work that stands out as a cornerstone for German theater, the play centers on Franz Vojcek, a soldier who supplements his insufficient income by performing some of the most bizarre jobs. He even “poisons” himself by participating in human experiments.
As the curtains rise, the music starts playing with rock rhythms, performed by Kreshnik Koshi. The opening love scene reveals that one of the central themes is the main character’s love for his wife, Marian, played by actress Vlora Dervishi.
Vojcek, a role played by actor Bujar Ahmeti, quickly returns to his duties as a soldier and reveals his character as a loyal and unassuming man while talking to his closest and only friend. It is Andrew, played by actor Edi Kastrati, who is a completely opposite character to the protagonist. But his financial situation is also revealed. The struggles of the working class can be summarized as the theme of the entire drama. The story takes place in Germany.
Vojcek’s life is an endless humiliation. He is mocked, despised, and degraded by everyone, especially by his captain, played by Arbies Komoni. Parallels between the rich and the poor arise, especially when the captain’s wife, Megi, played by Aurita Agushi, visits Marian, who is tasked with distributing two thousand envelopes around the city. Above the house where they live, there is a slaughterhouse that emits a strong, unpleasant odor.
When Vojcek encounters a way to earn money, his severe financial situation is reflected in the fact that he doesn’t care at all about how it’s done or what the effects and consequences are. It is a medication test to see how the body reacts to them.
“A boy who lives under difficult conditions and loves his wife very much. He wants to change his life a little by undergoing a medical test that leads him to a different mental state,” said actor Bujar Ahmeti, who plays the role that gives the drama its title.
The events also come as a result of the traumas the protagonist has gone through (Photo: Rilind Beqa)
It has been said that in the performance, Vojcek’s kindness is exploited, and his naivety is taken advantage of.
“This is a dramatization, an adaptation of Büchner’s text where the author has made a change that highlights the character of an ordinary boy, who doesn’t have a good financial situation, who undergoes the test. The people around him completely manipulate his life, misuse his kindness, his naivety, and he gradually starts to fall into the positions written in the text, which we have executed with performance,” said actor Bujar Ahmeti.
The strict diet of the doctor, played by Altina Kusari, gradually drives him towards madness. He begins to have hallucinations. He sees himself as a child running away from his mother. The young Vojcek is played by Eden Kastrati.
Actress Aurita Agushi considers the theme of this performance to be extremely emotional.
“I have been very well received by my colleagues, they made me feel at home. The process has gone smoothly. This is certainly when you work hard. The theme is very difficult, very heavy, very emotional. There are many dramatic situations, even leading to tragedy. We say that before the premiere, we were like a time bomb, but in the end, the result you saw is the result of extraordinary work, primarily by Zana, then the actors, but also the entire team that is not seen on stage,” she expressed.
As the curtains rise, the music starts playing with rock rhythms, performed by Kreshnik Koshi (Photo: Rilind Beqa)
Due to his severe psychological condition, Vojçek is suddenly struck by a fear of death. He turns into a monster in relation to his wife. His temperament begins to show. He faces his past, which doesn’t seem so great. He was raised without parents. Meeting his childhood self only worsens his condition.
Actor Ahmeti stated that it was necessary to thoroughly research the material to understand the character’s state.
“It’s a bit challenging because we need to research, we need to know what kind of nervous crises, problems, and concerns he has. In collaboration with Zana, the whole team, with many suggestions and proposals, we have come to this result. I hope we did good work. I believe the audience in Gjakova will receive this show well, and I hope it will have a long life,” he said.
The protagonist receives his final blow from his closest friend, Andrew.
Actor Edi Kastrati, who plays this role, said that this character reflects the behavior of the people around us and how they influence our lives.
“Andrew is one of the characters, a close friend and the only one of Vojçek, with whom we clearly saw what happened to him, how he ruined him and how he made his life miserable. A very good character who shows us very clearly that we must be very careful with the people around us, especially in these circumstances we are living in. The circle is the only concern of people. The circle pushes us to do things, conspires against us, and arranges bad situations for us. I think we’ve managed to realize what the author wanted to say with Andrew,” he said.
The play “Vojçek” lasts two hours, and it’s not easy to keep the rhythm and avoid monotony. Kastrati considered the work process both exhausting and satisfying.
“Now we are completely relieved from an emotion, as we had many emotions, to be honest. It was an exhausting show for us, but very satisfying, especially when we see that it has been successful with the audience. We are very pleased with the result,” he said after the show.
Actor Bujar Ahmeti considers it a great job by the entire team of the play.
“We are very pleased. It was an intensive job, for me it’s a great pleasure to work in the Gjakova Theater, it’s my city, and for the second time, I’m working with Zana. I’m very happy, I believe we have brought a very good show to life,” he said.
In the play, the love between the characters is fake. Betrayal is shown both openly and subtly. A strange and intriguing element is the black plastic material that extends across part of the stage. Its role is only revealed at the end when Maria wraps herself in it as a sign of protection from Vojçek, but suffocates from it. He also kills himself with the same material.
The director of the play, Zana Hoxha, said that all these events are also a result of the traumas the protagonist has gone through.
“The play is about an unfortunate person, Vojçek, who went through traumas during his childhood, which are highlighted and magnified even more when he becomes part of a medical experiment, due to the difficult conditions that push him toward this experiment. He loses the most precious thing in his life – his wife – who ends up being killed by him, and he kills himself. A tragic end, but I think there can’t be a happy ending after this,” she said.
She revealed that rehearsals started on January 15 and that there were a total of 24 rehearsal days for the two-hour show.
“There was maximum engagement from the whole team, and I’m very happy with the result because this theater is the only one of its kind in Kosovo with these infrastructural dimensions. I know that the audience tonight was moved, I was moved as well, and we’ve managed to bring out the best we could. My concept has been realized, and what I wanted with this play has been achieved. I believe tonight the spirit of this play has also reached the audience,” said director Hoxha.
The play also includes humorous scenes between the actors, but with the same effect, they do not translate well to the audience. Hoxha said that these scenes were intentionally not exaggerated.
“At the same time, very painful things are happening in parallel, and those moments of humor are cynical, sarcastic, and we didn’t want to amplify them more because then the character might end up being even more tragic than he is. I think we’ve made a play that can freely represent Gjakova on many levels,” said the director.
Bujar Ahmeti in the role of Vojçek and Edi Kastrati as Andrew in the play “Vojçek” (Photo: Rilind Beqa).
The music for the play was composed by Tomor Kuçi, while the stage movements were designed by Nicoletta Bonanni from England. The set design and costumes were created by the Englishwoman Grace Rumsey.
“The collaboration has gone very well from the beginning. We designed it together as part of a conceptual project, and then Zana told me that we would indeed go ahead with this set design. It’s an honor to work in such a wonderful theater, especially since this is my first professional design,” said Grace Rumsey.
Büchner’s Vojcek is considered one of the most performed and influential dramas in German literature. According to the play’s details, the author was inspired by the true story of Johann Christian Woyzeck, a barber and soldier from Leipzig, who, in 1821, out of jealousy, murdered his partner Christiane Woost with whom he cohabited.
Büchner wrote the text for the play in 1836, but it remained unfinished due to his death from typhus in February 1837. However, he clarified his intentions for the work through a letter he left behind.
“I do not despise anyone, especially because of intellect or education, for it is not anyone’s power to prevent us from becoming either a leader or a criminal – because under the same conditions, we would all become the same, or because outward circumstances deceive us all,” the author Büchner wrote.
Such a message resonates in Vojček in Gjakova as well.çeku” i Gjakovës.
The dead are no longer affected, for fear, agony, and suffering weigh heavily on those who have survived. In a marked departure from Euripides’ original work, where the curtains fall on wail and tragedy, this performance brings hope through the interspersing of moments of humor.
Today, writing anti-war appeals may seem like the easiest thing to do. Unfortunately, there are times when it’s damn hard to draw the line between single-minded anger and bloodshed for moral capital, pretense for moral righteousness, or selfish self-affirmation. However, when calls against war are raised on the foundations of human suffering amidst the wreckage, screams, and sorrowful wails, great art permeates the human conscience deeply. Against the backdrop of relentless wars that plagued 5th-century Greece, Euripides gave voice to the shattered inner worlds of the unfortunate women and the all-encompassing nightmare of war.
Created in the distant year of 415 BCE, the play Trojan Women does not bring forth the heroic battlegrounds of Troy, the bold assaults on its walls and ramparts, the intrigues of the Gods, or the schemes of warring factions. Instead, Hecuba, Cassandra, Andromache, Helen, and the chorus of grief-stricken women emerge as the tragic heroines in the aftermath of a devastating war. Winners and losers alike stand before the heap of the dead, among whom are their dearest ones, and all that extinguished world that seems as though it never existed. Through his drama, Euripides breathed new life into the Homeric past, even its darkest side, to allude to the grim and terrifying present, where the Greek city-states, mired in wars with one another, were carving themselves an epitaph of shame.
Where Euripides only reluctantly showed any resistance to the Gods for their disregard, this performance from Prishtina, full of courage and without a trace of fear, boldly declares that religion itself is a factory of violence. The ruined world of Troy has victims on both sides, but the dead are no longer touched, for fear, agony, and suffering weigh most heavily on those who have survived.
Ancient Troy, Modern Troy
Euripides’ anti-war work carries timeless and universal resonances, but its reinvention with new language, fresh voices, and contemporary touches is a powerful invitation to sit, much like the ancient Athenian theatergoers during the Dionysian festival, and experience Euripides’ latest production. Such sensations are also embodied in the theatrical performance “Women of Troy”, co-directed by Zana Hoxha and Maja Mitić, which for the second consecutive year was presented at the Dodona Theatre in Prishtina. Originating from a collaborative creative process between Prishtina and Belgrade, the two-night performance, held on November 5th and 6th, highlighted an intricate performance by the artists of the Artpolis ensemble and their colleagues from Serbia.
As early as 1965, Sartre made an adaptation of this ever-relevant drama, which served as a powerful protest against the war in Algeria. Recently, writer and actor Shpëtim Selmani took on this challenging endeavor, infusing it with a local flavor while maintaining a universal resonance. His text preserves the original framework with gods and mortals, yet its dramatic update reverberates widely in the realities of our time.
Through the voices of female characters trapped in their own misery – like the sorrowful Hecuba, the unfortunate Andromache, the doomed Cassandra, and the defiant Helen – he unravels the unceasing pain of Kosovo, with the screams, tears, and suffering of the 20,000 women who were victims of sexual violence during the war.
“All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way,” said Tolstoy, with which he opens his novel on the psychological unraveling of his modern heroine, Anna Karenina. These words could somewhat be adapted here to say that every human pain has a unique mark, one that requires effort to grasp the inner world of disintegration and psychological ruin, which often goes unnoticed.
While the στιχομυθία (stichomythia) of the Euripidean original speaks in modern language, it simultaneously gains strength against war and its atrocities. This is most clearly expressed through Selmani’s monologues (who is also part of the cast). The intertwining of two different eras is masterfully balanced through the breaking of the “fourth wall” and occasional modern references: “The whole world is our ancient Troy and your modern Troy. Thousands of horses, not made of wood, but of steel… flying. Iron Pegasi dropping bombs here and there.”
The living suffer
Beyond its technical aspects, the performance as an undertaking is far more demanding than one might expect. In addition to the challenges of a still difficult neighborhood filled with grudges, prejudices, and hostilities, “The Women of Troy” also faced an additional issue. Would the two languages of the performance, Albanian and Serbian, complement each other? As a bilingual production, the work of directors Zana Hoxha and Maja Mitić deserves nothing but praise. The bilingualism is so seamlessly integrated through the interaction of a carefully chosen cast, including Maja Mitić, Shpëtim Selmani, Semira Latifi, Branka Stojković, Qëndresa Kajtazi, Labinot Raci, and Aleksandar Stoimenovski. Therefore, it can be freely said that neither the local audience nor the foreign one could notice any inconsistency.
There are two scenographic details that truly deserve recognition: in the opening scene, sea waves are improvised, from which Poseidon emerges, mourning the fall of Troy. Combined with the sound effects of the roaring sea waves, this creates a profound sense of utter hopelessness in the face of a merciless and mute providence that has abandoned the mortals. Throughout the performance, periodically, pendants appear suspended in the air, an element that aligns with the bitter and anguished faces of the unfortunate women, emphasizing the fragility of their lives. In truth, these are marvelous directorial strategies that use such elements to highlight the heroic efforts of the women against the all-powerful forces.
In the original Greek, almost every declamation of the female characters contains bursts of pain and sorrow (in the original, there are countless instances of wailing sounds such as aiaí aiaí, ottototototoí, ió ió, aiaí, and é é, which, in Euripides’ time, were realistic evocations from daily life). While the agony of these tragic women lingers in the air, the performance as a whole is a beautiful interplay between striking dialogues, a simple yet captivating set, and music that captures the contrasting and ever-changing states of the characters.
It is a blend of Euripidean verses with entirely modern evocations, highlighting the tragic fate of the 20,000 women who were victims of sexual violence during the war in Kosovo. This mental and physical juxtaposition is best expressed by Andromache: “They forced me to live.”
It often happens, especially in moments of agony that deep existential bursts emerge: “Only the dead do not feel pain.” Where Euripides hesitantly expressed any opposition to the gods for their disregard, this performance from Prishtina, full of courage and without a trace of fear, boldly declares that religion itself is a factory of violence. The shattered world of Troy has victims on both sides, but the dead are no longer affected, as fear, agony, and suffering weigh most heavily on those who have survived.
With a notable departure from Euripides’ original work, where the curtains fall with wails and tragedy, this performance brings hope through the insertion of moments of humor. This is another example of breaking the “fourth wall,” where the author and actor, Shpëtim Selmani, revives a scene reminiscent of Woody Allen’s “Deconstructing Harry”: out of nowhere, he comes face to face with his real-life characters, full of quirks, who complain about the fates he has assigned to them. Therefore, where there is hope, there is life!
The most tragic story of the conquest and destruction of ancient Troy is reflected in the captivity of the Trojan women by the Greeks; Queen Hecuba, Cassandra, Polyxena and Andromache. Immortalized with the tragedy “The Women of Troy”, written by Euripides, after the end of Troy they are separated from the kings of the Greek princes as spoils of war-captives. This painful story has served the Center for Arts and Communities, “Artpolis” and a group of artists from Belgrade (Serbia) to create theater performance “Women of Troy”, showing that pain and the Trojan reality continues to live even in our time.
With dramaturgy and direction by Zana Hoxha and Maja Mitić, and with a contemporary text by Shpëtim Selmani, “Women of Troy” was shown on Tuesday 05.11.2024, at the “Dodona” Theater in Prishtina. Staged by Albanian and Serbian actors, “Women of Troy” revealed the suffering of women after the war, highlighting the violence and brutality towards them. The special feature of the show is that the Albanian actors speak Albanian, while the Serbian ones speak Serbian, throughout the show, subtitled in English. The show brings, through a feminist approach, the sensitivity and resistance of women in the face of the terror of war, from ancient Greece to the present day, where wars are the havoc The Trojan women travel back in time, re-enacting the tragedy of women who experienced the last war in Kosovo, the war in Gaza, Ukraine, and more.
The play calls for peace and an end to conflicts in the world, a call that received applause from the audience.
“Troy, a metaphor for today’s crimes”
The Serbian actress, Maja Mitiq, told KALLXO.com that “Women of Troy” talks about the war, which is currently happening in Gaza or Somalia, or the war during the 90s in the Balkans, in the former Yugoslavia. She says that art must win in the face of war. “I feel that art must always win, not war and not murder, rape, who knows how many artists these days from Gaza or Ukraine who are immigrants. We think about these people, they are from the war, they are immigrants, and that’s why I ask the screenwriter, why didn’t you include some gods from Greek mythology that could protect them a little bit, maybe we could stop these wars that are happening” – says Mitiq, who is also the co-director of the show, “Women of Troy”.
Mitiq says that “Women of Troy” will be presented on November 22 and 23 (2024) at the Center for Cultural Decontamination in Belgrade. According to her, it is difficult to bring war narratives through art. But, as he says, they are important topics for changing society. “I usually choose topics that are important for changing society, because I believe that I can make a difference,” Mitiq said.
Actor Shpëtim Selmani, who has dramatized the modern text of the play, told KALLXO.com that the purpose of the play is to show that Troy still exists today. “The idea of the play is to show that the suffering of women still exists, that today Troy still exists, in the various places where there are wars, stories that are similar to ancient Greek tragedies, we rely on the work of Euripides, ‘Women of Troy’, we have an interweaving with current conflicts and we connected the situations” – he said.
The challenge of bilingualism
Director Zana Hoxha told KALLXO.com that the show “Women of Troy” is the result of a long process of work. “It has not been easy, almost a year and a half, it is one of the most difficult processes I have done in my life,” she said. Hoxha added that even though the show is based on one of the Greek tragedies, it speaks about today’s reality.
“I didn’t want to run away from what’s happening, I couldn’t make ‘Women of Troy’ without updating it, without giving a part of Kosovo, Gaza, and what’s happening in the world today” – said Hoxha.
But, a challenge for her, it was the realism of a play where the Albanian actors speak Albanian, while the Serbian actors speak Serbian, throughout the play. But, thanks to her, this is a historic step. “Obviously, it has been challenging to work in two languages because none of the actors know the Serbian language, nor the Serbian actors the Albanian language. Only I know both languages and sometimes I gave the indications in all three languages, Albanian, English, Serbian” – she said.
The show “Women of Troy”, according to director Hoxha, will be shown in Belgrade, Serbia, on November 22 and 23 (2024). Meanwhile, director Hoxha has already received an invitation to participate in Italy for the next year (2025).
Day 4, FemArt 12 Festival September 28, 2024 | 21:00-22:10 | Oda Theater, Prishtina
Written by: Alice Birch | Directed by: Zana Hoxha | Cast: Olive McHugh, Tanaka Mpofu, Xixi Xiao, Natalia May Produced by: London Academy of Music & Dramatic Arts (LAMDA)
On September 28th, 2024, Zana Hoxha brought Alice Birch’s “Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again” to Kosovo’s Oda Theater during the FemArt 12 Festival. The play, recently premiered at London’s Orange Tree Theater, was produced by LAMDA and captivated the Prishtina audience, with some attendees sitting on the floor due to the overflow. Among the crowd was the British Ambassador, who personally congratulated the director and cast.
“Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again” challenges traditional ideas of how women should behave, using a series of short, provocative scenes to question language, relationships, work, and everyday norms. Alice Birch’s writing deconstructs these societal expectations, reimagining them in bold ways. Hoxha’s direction takes this further by turning familiar actions and words on their heads, from the symbolism of marriage proposals to rethinking motherhood, aging, and love.
The play reflects the notion that “well-behaved women seldom make history” and highlights the restrictive language that has controlled women for centuries. Zana Hoxha emphasizes this, allowing her actresses to explore words and actions in ways that disrupt conventional theater. The women, played by McHugh, Mpofu, Xiao, and May, present a range of emotions, often raw and uncomfortable, leading the audience to reflect on deeply embedded societal limitations. One striking scene involving a woman and a broken watermelon pushes boundaries of intimacy and self-exploration, provoking the audience to confront their own reservations about freedom.
The play is structured in three parts, each experimenting with different storytelling techniques. In one particularly memorable scene, four women from different generations silently face the audience, representing the struggles women endure across time. This moment, like much of the play, blurs the line between performer and character, making the audience feel engaged in the unfolding experience.
Zana Hoxha’s innovative direction encouraged the actresses to break traditional theater norms, making a strong statement that patriarchy is not an unchangeable structure but a societal construct that can be dismantled. Beyond gender, the play explores deeper themes of choice, freedom, power, and control.
The performance concluded with a standing ovation, as the actors raised banners above their heads, inviting the audience to join in shouting “WE HAVE A CHOICE.” Through Zana Hoxha’s bold approach, the audience witnessed the power of women pushing boundaries, urging everyone to reflect and take part in challenging societal norms. The performance leaves lingering questions for those accustomed to traditional theater: Have we ever allowed ourselves such complete freedom, to cast off societal constraints?
In rebellion, mere thought isn’t enough—at least not for the women of the 21st century. That’s why the show titled “Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again.” gives voice to this need. With a script by Alice Birch and directed by Zana Hoxha, the production from England featured a cast of actresses who showcased the uniqueness of their performances. It captivated and engaged the audience right in the heart of Pristina, at the “ODA” theater, as part of the 12th edition of FemArt. The director incorporated a crown for those entering to see the show, reflecting the spirit of the place from which it originated. Zana Hoxha returned to Kosovo with a production unlike anything she had created in her long career as an activist and director. She taught us to rebel and to engage with our rebellion in a modern way.
Actress Tanaka Mpofu began by addressing one of the girls in the audience with a compliment about her earrings and asking where she found them, establishing an immediate intimacy on stage. This created interaction with many in the audience, and she playfully asked, “Will you vote for me?” She received a few “yeses.” As an actress, her performance garnered many more “yeses” for the energy she brought to the stage and her disregard for the situations around her. She skillfully played with these dynamics, placing other characters into the mix and guiding them through dilemmas to spark debate. A scene exploring love and sexuality between two characters followed, illustrating various ways to express and desire one another. Tanaka Mpofu mentioned that all her power in the performance was inspired by the director’s passion. “I like works that have a purpose behind them. I am encouraged by Zana’s passion for feminism and for fighting for women’s empowerment. Her invitation to us in Kosovo was very emotional. The people here are very open and welcoming, and everything felt easy,” she said immediately after the show.
The actresses delivered their messages with a calm tone. The smell of watermelon scattered across the floor will always be linked to this performance. It served as a method of protest—pieces of watermelon that were shared and then savored. The actresses, while changing roles, embodied sensuality and expressed the need for better economic lives and freedom at work, for inclusion and power in politics, and for acceptance while being assured they are made for something greater. Through dialogues about love, they showed there are many ways to appreciate and tell someone you love them. Marriage was discussed in various contexts—as a means of acceptance and often rejection. The show conveyed concerns of the past century while speaking about women of this century, who find themselves navigating home life, public life, family, and romantic relationships, all seeking a little more time for themselves.
Olive McHugh, Tanaka Mpofu, Xixi Xiao, and Natalia May each brought unique qualities that complemented each other, drawing out the best in one another. The production is a collaboration between LAMDA and Orange Tree Theatre, created by the director during her master’s studies in England and previously presented at the GreenHouse festival. As an innovative and intensely engaging performance, it also made its way to FemArt. Comedic situations were abundant, teaching us that rebellion can occur without raising one’s voice, but by constantly discussing what belongs to us. It opens up space for new feminist debates. It transforms themes and prompts questions in an environment where women speak for themselves. Alice Birch’s language was placed by director Zana Hoxha in a context that speaks to everyone, particularly relevant to the present time—with courage. When she first held the text in her hands, director Hoxha expressed her shock.
“I was impressed by how it deconstructed language, behaviors, and other socio-cultural factors in constructing femininity,” she remarked. “The performance resonated with my artistic and activist methods. Birch challenged patriarchal oppression and posed the fundamental question: ‘What prevents us from doing something truly radical to change that?’ (Birch, 2016). This reflected my commitment to fostering critical thought and opening pathways for action through theater,” Zana Hoxha emphasized. She thoroughly explored the text and narrative, enriching them further with her extensive experience in feminist art. Even if you didn’t hear a single word from actress Olive McHugh, her eyes conveyed the anguish of longing to hear something kind from her mother. She possessed a strong maternal instinct but had an absent childhood. As she spoke with her eyes, she yearned for the moment in a typical dining scene with a vase of flowers and bread on a table. It was a deep dive into familial baggage and a tangled family drama whose consequences are inherited. McHugh shared that since reading the script, she felt a special energy in the room and felt very secure exploring the characters. “Oh, I love Zana since my first day in London. I had a wonderful connection with her, and when she told me I needed to come to Kosovo, I couldn’t believe I would be here to perform this show. The energy of FemArt is amazing; the people who come here, even those who aren’t actors, have a very special energy. I will always remember my time here,” said actress Olive McHugh. The audience’s intensive, energetic, and provocative responses shaped the flow of the performance. When actress Xixi Xiao addressed someone in the audience, asking which rights the team needed more rest and other requests related to work life, she awaited a response and eventually received one. In another instance, a delay led her to give up on getting an answer. “Very slowly, I don’t have time for this,” she stated as she returned to the performance with conviction. She conveyed a message that everyone should respect their own time, the time of the performance, and that of the audience.
“I made small revisions to the text to make it more significant for a post-apocalyptic theme and a feminist approach. I brought in my previous knowledge of feminist theory and prior work, focusing on combating cultural narratives that undermine women (Butler, 1990). The text was a living skeleton from which the actors could create complex performances and allowed for deep exploration,” Zana further highlighted. For her, the great protest was the initial idea of this performance—a protest against the systems and values that lead to the collapse of societies and ecologies. The stage was a destroyed world, remnants of patriarchal structures; it was based on eco-feminist theories linking the exploitation of nature with the oppression of women. Director and playwright Shqipe Malushi stated that this was a daring and experimental theatrical show that challenges traditional ideas about how women should behave. “Zana Hoxha embraced this sense of disruption, encouraging the actresses to break the conventional rules of theater,” she remarked after the performance. In collaboration with set and costume designer Grace Rumsey, Hoxha worked intensively, promoting a sustainable practice that shows environmental awareness in theater by using recycled costumes. Even within the context of the stage and costumes, an important aspect was touched upon. On a stage made entirely of watermelon juice, the actresses gathered and cleaned the stage during the performance—preparing for their next act. Another form of awareness in theater came as the director joined the team in resetting the stage for the next act. Zana and her team penetrated the space with a creative vision—one that elevates the call for their choices. Choices made with great courage!
From March 14–17, 2024, Zana Hoxha, the Executive Director of Artpolis, participated in the IETM Caravan Ljubljana, a significant international platform for performing arts.
During this pivotal cultural event in the Balkans, over 60 professionals and IETM members from around the globe explored Slovenia’s independent performing arts scene through panels, discussions, and artistic showcases.
This experience offered an exceptional opportunity to foster collaboration between the artistic community in Kosovo and international artists. Hoxha’s visit to Slovenia resulted in the inclusion of international artists in the 12th edition of the FemArt Festival and initiated long-term partnerships for presenting Artpolis productions abroad.
Artpolis remains committed to developing intercultural dialogue and strengthening artistic networks to achieve a lasting impact on art and society.
It has arrived as it was intended: a passionate tale of superstitions, promises and the possibility of love and passion after a broken heart. With an interactive approach with the public on the “black box” stage located in the Bosnian Cultural Center in Prizren, the well-known drama of Tennessee Williams, staged under the direction of Zana Hoxha, comes with the call to open the heart and find hope even where it is not expected.
The romantic comedy “Rose Tattoo” by the author Tennessee Williams, which remains a symbol of love, sex, emotional vulnerability and reproduction, was staged by the city theater “Bekim Fehmiu” thanks to the commitment of the director Zana Hoxha. The drama was performed on the ‘black box’ stage located in the Bosnian Cultural Center, integrating the audience into the game, who at the end of the show expressed their gratitude for the almost two-hour performance of the actors Aurita Agushi, Rifat Smani, Liridona Shehu, Alban Krasniqi, Xhevdet Doda, Beslidje Bytyqi, Valmira Hoti and Zana Duraku.
This drama is set in a small Sicilian-American community. There, Serafina delle Rose, played by the actress Aurita Agushi, is a fiery and passionate woman and mother, who, after the murder of the smuggler’s husband, shuts herself off from life and love. In the meantime, she often collides with her circle, while her daughter Rosa also faces the barrier set by her.
But the situation changes, when by chance a truck driver arrives at Serafina’s house.
The play, according to the description given by the city theater, is a passionate tale of superstitions, promises and the possibility of love and passion after a broken heart. In doing so, it offers a witty and interactive comedy with the audience, while reminding them to open their hearts and find hope where they least expect it. It also addresses the theme of sexual repression as a strong and ongoing theme, while turning her story into one of passion, romance and hope.
For the actress Aurita Agushi, this project marked the next collaboration with the theater “Bekim Fehmiu” in Prizren. She described the process of working with the resident actors as good, while also providing details about the challenges in interpreting her role.
“It was also very easy. I know the part very well, even Tennessee Williams is one of my favorite authors. This work on the Italian accent has been a bit challenging, I want to concentrate more on that. Even if I analyze the character of Serafina a little more closely, because she is a complex, multidimensional character, who varies throughout the performance, the tragedy that happened to her, then she recovers the love, prejudices and judgments that the circle makes of her, even here it is like I stopped and made a closer analysis and I believe that together with Zana, the director, with my colleagues, especially with Rifat (Smani), my partner on stage, we worked very closely and I believe that we did a very good job good”, said Agushi.
Xhevdet Doda, who played the role of Father De Leo, assessed that the environment created with the “black box” brought him closer to the public and at the same time expressed his satisfaction with the teamwork in this project.
“Satisfied with the performance of my role. It is a role that I have tried to give some artistic ‘sweetness’, of course with the suggestions of the director. I am very satisfied with the team, I am very happy for this premiere and I hope that this show will find its way to our audience”, said Doda.
The director Zana Hoxha has assessed that it is a project worked on with mutual love, where as a result the realization has progressed easily and with good energy.
“And almost like the show that gives a certain reality a little more rosy, a little different, more optimistic, and it was a kind of disappointment I would say, because we had to work in the original building of the Prizren theater and due to the renovation we decided here. But everything is good when it ends well, like tonight’s show that started with more dramatic moments then developed, the other colors of life came to the fore, because life has ups and downs, there are challenges but there is also a lot of love if we want to see “, said Hoxha.
University professor, director and playwright Fadil Hysaj was also present in the audience, who appreciated the acting of the actors, the work of the director and the reaction of the public.
“Let’s start with the actors, really an extremely beautiful play, a brilliant director, Zana Hoxha, a reading of a dramaturgical masterpiece by Tennesee Williams that in an almost authorial sense decomposed into one dimension, that a deep drama of a woman transforms, it gives life, it turns the comedy into a kind of liberation that conveys it, which we need. It is understood that the fight against evil, against suffering begins and is won within oneself, not outside oneself. It is also a very beautiful show, built with finesse, with a brilliant acting that I think is rare as such and I wish that it will have a long life on stage and that many, many people will see it”, said Hysaj.
This performance is the third premiere after the beginning of the renovation of the theater building. The first premiere was the show “Fausti”, a co-production between the “Bekim Fehmiu” Theater, the National Theater of Kosovo and the Gjilan Theater. While the second premiere was the play for children “Aphrodite again at school”. This year, the “Bekim Fehmiu” theater has performed the first cycle of staged readings of contemporary Kosovar drama.
In a small Sicilian-American community, Serafina delle Rose is a fiery wife and mother and passionate. When her husband Rosario is killed while smuggling, Serafina closes herself off from life and love.
She ignores the town’s gossip and lives in confusion until her daughter Rosa declares herself in love. Frustrated and heartbroken, Serafina angrily lashes out at anyone who reasons with her. That is until a truck driver arrives at her door.
The play that Tennessee Williams called “his play of love for the world”, is a fairy tale passionate superstitions, promises and the possibility of love and passion after a broken heart.
“The Rose Tattoo” offers a clever and interactive comedy with the audience while reminding them to open up their hearts and find hope where they least expect it.
Directed by Zana Hoxha, this show comes as a romantic comedy that engages the resident Ensemble of the Prizren City Theater “Bekim Fehmiu” and guest actress Aurita Agushi to address the topic of sexual repression as a strong and persistent theme, but turning its history into one passion, romance and hope.
“The Rose Tattoo” remains a symbol of love, sex, emotional vulnerability and reproduction.
CAST
Author: Tennessee Williams
Directed by: Zana Hoxha
Choreographer and plastic artist: Robert Nuha
Costume designers and scenographers: Youliana Voykova
One of the first things anyone thinks about when the land of Kosovo is mentioned is the brutal war that happened in the 90s. The fear, the anger, the tears, the courage, the sorrow, the resistance, and everything that led to its partial freedom. This chaotic period, haunting for many, traumatizing for all, even the generations that were brought to life after, was impeccably displayed on June 14, 2022, at the National Theater of Kosova, by the Artistic Resident Troupe of Artpolis. It was the opening night of the 10th edition of FemArt – the largest Feminist Festival of Women Artists and Activists in the region.
Before the play even started, a large number of people were standing outside the theater or in the lobby, excited about the play, some going in blindly, unaware of what they were about to witness. The theater was filled to the brim with people, curious to see this masterpiece and experience all the emotions the artists exhibited. As the play begins, the actors of the troupe accompanied by the melodic voice of Donika Rushiti, bring the scene to life. The singing resembles the lullabies we have all once heard being sung by our mother or grandmother; as a mother surrenders her daughter to marriage. The following scene, supported by the familiar sounds of the Albanian defa and drums, shows the marriage of this newlywed couple dancing. And then suddenly the sounds intensify, bringing back the memories of guns being picked up by the people resisting its ethnic cleansing.
Further, a lady in a ravishingly gorgeous bloody-red gown appeared in the scene. A dress so red, it made me think of a mesmerizing land covered in blood. A land that more than 20 years later, still carries the dried red blood of the fallen soldiers, the fallen heroines, and the innocent children. A land haunted by their spirits, a land haunted by its blood.
The people standing behind ‘Lady Blood’, facing an imaginary wall, with their hands behind their heads, fall on and get off the ground, as she voices the feeling of being trapped and isolated in a land of blood. Resisting the regime, resisting the feeling of being isolated, falling, and rising again, like a phoenix in a never ending, exhausting loop.
And then, the issue that is least discussed in this society unfolds. Women during this war. The experiences of women, their feelings, their memories, and their trauma. The feeling of weakness, shame, guilt, fear, being trapped, of feeling as if they are the one at fault. That horrific moment of finding yourself naked, exposed to the elements, with legs up high, being tormented by an army of men, an army of pigs, an army of dirtbags. That memory that will never die, that exact minute when your whole life turns around, and it is not under your control. The moment you know everything is falling apart, and yet, there is nothing you can do but fight – even if that means not winning. The moment your body feels endangered and your brain receives that signal. The moment your body feels violated and you get raped. Raped by disgusting inhumane “beings”. And no one believes you. “It is not true / I am a woman / Trying to escape / The nightmare of a lost battle / That was never mine.”
Trapped by a barricade of men, pushing her back, silencing her, and yet, she continues raising her voice, speaking up. Nevertheless, no one wants to hear that, no one wants to believe that, and no one admits that. The sad reality of the many violated women.
A mother, a concerned mother, of a child who sees dead people and still hears gunshots and talks to herself. A mother seeking help for her own child. No one in the playground wants to play with her child, and no one can help her. Because as she said, “there are no doctors to help with her anxiety.” You can see people scorning her, ignorant to her pleas for help, as she is knocked down and raises up talking to them, crying for help.
And finally, the piece that affected each and every member of the audience. In the background, footage of soldiers, and other footage of the ‘99 Kosovo war is screened, projecting through the Motherland – the ‘Lady Red’, the clear curtain standing between her and the rest of the cast, in the role of the people of Kosovo. The latter were celebrating their liberation, Kosovo’s liberation. Dancing, laughing, singing, and ignoring their blooded Motherland who was speaking to them. She was pointing out that the earth they live in has been scarred – the land they know as their home is tainted with blood and it will remain as such forever. However, the citizens, as if trying to avoid the reality at that moment, paid no attention to her, divided by the curtain that was almost masked.
The war ended indeed; but, the armed conflict that followed, the atrocities that followed, did not end immediately. And still, people tried to identify a silver lining to the situation and just find what they received sufficient. Nevertheless, the next scene perfectly described what so many of the Kosovar families were confronted with – the reality of loss. A young man talking to his grandparents, his mother, and so forth, whom he could not see, but still appeared on the scene. The lack of conversation among them and the lack of physical attention towards one another made it obvious to the audience that they were gone. They were gone and were never coming back. Their bodies were there, but they, as he knew them, were not. The family members sat, eloquently and quietly, on a bench that was set on the stage. Following them, the son asks for his father, shouting on the stage. And just like the rest, he answers; however, they cannot conversate. Both remembering moments of the son’s childhood, the father slowly drifts to the back of the stage, lining up with other people. The fact that he does not join the rest of his family on the bench, suggests that he is among more than a thousand people, whose bodies are still missing. Whose bodies their families have still not found, and souls that have no resting place, which the family can go visit and express their anger and sadness. Whose luck is still unknown to many, and people who are believed to still be alive somewhere.
This play was definitely something I have personally not encountered before. It affected each person in the audience. As uncommon as it is remarkable. The direction, the scenic play, the poems, the coreography, the music and the videoprojection are in an extraordinary interaction. Through them, an extremery crucial piece of a nation’s history is conveyed. Many people, including myself, teared up during it. The swollen eyes were emphasized by the bright lights in the lobby of the National Theater of Kosova after the play. The souls battered by a bloody history loom on the horizon, never to be forgotten.
Alba Ajdarevikj is a recent graduate from Rochester Institute of Technology, with concentrations in Peace & Conflict Studies and Public Policy & Governance. She was an intern at Artpolis and is currently a project reporter at Artpolis.
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