The Living Garden She Left Behind

Bez javiska, o.z., Pôtoň Theatre, Association Divadelná Nitra, Slovakia, 2025
Author: Slavka Civáňová
Directed by: Iveta Ditte Jurčová

Necropolis Arkadi Zaides, France, Israel, Belarus, 2021 Author: Arkadi Zaides Directed by: Arkadi Zaides about the production

The collaboration of two independent theatres from the Nitra region resulted in the production The Living Garden She Lefts Behind, inspired by the last years of the life of the Czech Baroness Sidónia Nádherná of Borutín (1885 – 1950). The directors worked with historical materials, publications and the extensive correspondence of Baroness Nádherná. After WWII and the passing of all her closest relatives she desperately tried to save the family property – the castle and the garden in Vrchotový Janovice, being aware of the importance of their historical, monumental and public value for future generations. The production will also be performed in subsequent shows primarily in site-specific venues: in decrepit and empty manor houses, castles, industrial monuments, or culture centres across Slovakia that have been in disrepair for a long time. The Living Garden She Lefts Behind is a paraphrase of our current relationship to cultural and historical values, to monuments, heritage and memory.

creators

author of the text, dramaturgy: Slavka Civáňová
set, costumes and objects design: Markéta Plachá
graphic design: Aliona Voitiuk
collaboration on the production of objects: František Kovács
music and sound design: Jakub Bielik
direction: Iveta Ditte Jurčová
technical realization: Dušan Hvizd
performer: Simona Hudecová
audio recordings: Juraj Ďuriš, Otto Culka, Andrej Remeník, Oľga Schrameková

director

Iveta Ditte Jurčová

Having graduated in stage directing (2006) at the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, Ms Ditte Jurčová is stage director and artistic director of the Pôtoň Theatre. She runs the theatre since 2008 in the former cultural centre, now the Centre for Arts and Creativity, in Bátovce. With the dramaturge Michal Ditte she developed the Pôtoň Theatre into one of the foremost independent theatres in Slovakia; together they presented several notable and awarded productions: Dve slová Belisy Súmračnej… príbeh Evy Luny (2004), Terra Granus (2007), Nevesta hôľ (2009), Psota (2011), Americký cisár (2018), Terra Apathy (2022). As stage director, she has also worked with a number of Slovak and Czech theatres (e.g. Puppet Theatre Žilina, Slovak Chamber Theatre in Martin, Slovak National Theatre, Zlín City Theatre, Silesian Theatre Opava). She is author and lecturer of many learning projects in performing arts. As director she regularly works with the Slovak Radio.