NETA News

Confusions, a coproduction of the Croatian company Eurokaz, the Dramatic Art Academy of Zagreb, and the Domino artistic collective, joins the modern staging series brought by the 2015 NETA International Theatre Festival, organized in Bucharest between August 28 and September 4. The show will begin at 20:00 in the “Black Box” Hall, Monday, August 31.

Confusions was born from the famous novel The confusions of your Torless, written by Austrian author Rober Musil. The storyline progresses around a young man called Torless, who undergoes a physical and (homo) erotic maturation during his time at a military school on the outskirts of the Habsburg Empire.

For this project, artist Brank Brezovec, renowned professor of the Dramatic Art Academy of the University of Zagreb, brought together all departments (acting, directing, light design, film directing and production) and casted a remarkable young generation of Croatian actors to join actress Suzana Brezovec (Torless mother and the courtesan) on the stage.

Starting from his own observations of the theme, the director uses unconventional dramatic techniques, supported by a daring and dynamic musical illustration (Peteris Vasks IIns Symphony and the final act of Wagner’s Siegfried), to follow or undermine the storyline in the creation of its own meta-narration. This innovative dramaturgy style is enriched by combining various texts, contexts, languages, and acting styles in the same show. Branko Brezovec is investigating unexplored regions of the dramatic text, applying motives originating in different cultures (especially in the Balkans) joined through modern directing techniques.

The result is a visually fascinating stage experiment, with an opulent symbolism. “…Confusions is a play which disorients you until you discard any preconceived opinions about narrative theatre (…) You must be ready to be cast out into new territories, uncomfortable and amazing,” writes “Out Magazine” of New York.

This coproduction premiered in September 2014 at the Abrons Art Centre of New York.

Selected for several of international festivals organized this year, “Confusions” has already won two significant awards: for “The artistic experiment”, in the Vratsa Festival of the Small Theatrical Forms, and a “Golden Lion” at Umag, in the Chamber Theatre Festival.

Throughout the NETA Festival, the show makers will meet mass media and the spectators for 30-minute discussion sessions, organized each day after the show. The entrance to these sessions is free of charge.

The International NETA Theatre Festival is organized by the “I.L. Caragiale” National Theatre of Bucharest, NETA (New European Network) through the “Creative Europe” program, and with the support of the UNITER.

The event is funded by the Government of Romania through the Ministry of Culture, in partnership with the Cultural Centre of the Bucharest Municipality – ARCUB, and the Romanian Cultural Institute.                    

Media partners: TVR, Blitz TV, TV City, NETA Art TV, Radio Romania, Radio ZU, Radio Romantic, Burda Group, Nine O' Clock, Art & Living