about the production
Productions for teenage audiences have long been among the distinctive lines of The Andrej Bagar Theatre repertoire. The most recent work falls in this category. The stage adaptation of the novel by Danish author Janne Teller Nothing was created in collaboration with the Faculty of Theatre, Academy of Music and Drama. The production of Nothing is a symbolic gateway for communicating pressing themes that are increasingly entering the lives of contemporary youth. In a whirlwind of mutual harm, fifteen-year-olds are on the quest to the meaning of life that even adults do not know. Their project of finding meaning eventually becomes more important than themselves, their feelings, dreams, desires and relationships, and takes on unexpected dimensions. Luckily, the whole story is mere fiction. Nothing, but fiction. The author calls it a metaphysical fairy tale. It is a warning that if we lose feeling, humanity and mutual understanding, we are bound to create a terrifying world impossible to live in. The production team point out that the work highlights the idea that every young person has the right to feel bad, unaccepted, misunderstood, afraid, or unable to find the meaning of life. Yet it is important to talk about it and seek professional help or support from loved ones. The work is to contribute to the prevention of violence and social depolarisation. The production, intended for adolescents and their parents, opens a discussion about how thin the line is between good intentions and demagoguery, about why we turn our own pain into cruelty towards others and about the struggle to understand today’s world.
The production Nothing is part of the Open Stage Nitra Festival section.
creators
director
Marianna Stančoková
Holding undergraduate degree in Theatre Dramaturgy and Dramc Production at the Faculty of Drama of the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava and 2nd year Master’s student in Stage Directing at the Faculty of Drama of the Academy of Performing Arts under the tutelage of Roman Polák, Ms Stančoková is leading figure of the RosArt Theatre in Ružomberok. She focuses on presenting contemporary texts, many of which she prepared in Slovak premières. She also makes works for children and youth addressing current topics – Duncan Macmillan, Jonny Donahoe: Všetky supiš veci, an original eco -detective story for youth Podpokrievkou as part of the international Play the Future / Erasmus+, Na skok – a production for children based on fairy tales by A. Lobela, Z. Ferenczová, A. Medowits: Candycrush.sk, J. Pommerat: Znovuzjednotenie Kóreí, F. Zeller : OYEP, G. Cărbunariu: Solitarita and others. She collaborated with Radio Devín RTVS as author of the text and director of the radio play NE/VINY. At the LAB Theatre she collaborated as a dramaturge on the productions: Čechov, Hauptman, Ibsen: Performancie and J. Fosse: Dieťa. As director she stage the production of Vyrypajev Opití.