Kristian Novak THE GYPSY, BUT THE MOST BEAUTIFUL 180 min

THE GYPSY, BUT THE MOST BEAUTIFUL

Creatives

Author of dramatization

Ivor Martinić

Stage director

Ivica Buljan

Set designer

Aleksandar Denić

Costume designer

Ana Savić Gecan

Composer

Mitja Vrhovnik Smrekar

Lighting designer

Sonda 4

Video designer

Toni Soprano

Choreographer

Leo Rafolt

Phonetician, lecturer for the Međimurje dialect

Ines Carović

Language adviser on the Međimurje dialect

Ivan Glowatzky

Language adviser on the Romani language

Elvis Kralj

Assistant set director

Rajna Racz

Assistant set designer

Vanja Magić

Assistant costume designers

Mirjam Krajina, Matija Dijanović (volonter)

Ensemble of the performance

SABOLŠČAK

Milena, divorcée

Sandi Ignac, Gypsy, but the most beautiful

Filip Vidović

Japica Rudolf, old man

Milena's brother

Ivan Glowatzky

Brother's wife

Fanika, Milena's friend, hairdresser

Fanika senior, her mother, hairdresser

Nikola, husband of Fanika junior

Marijan Hamer, local hero

Dragica, Hamer's wife

Vlasta Ramljak

Jadranka, neighbour

Goga, waitress

Drago Štoplin, house-painter /Čonta, village lad

Denis, village lad

Peško, Hamer's assistant

Eliza, Hamer's assistant

BUKOV DOL

Albina, Sandi's mother

Mirza, young gypsy, Sandi's friend

Tin Rožman

Tompo, young gypsy, Sandi's friend

Ugo Korani, Rok Juričić

Jasmin, young gypsy, Sandi's friend

Đani, Albina's common-law husband

Elder of Roma settlement

Policeman

MOSUL

Nuzat, Kurdish refugee

Azad, Iranian refugee

Dilara, Nuzat's wife

Hasan, human smuggler

Papous, foreman on a Greek strawberry plantation

Translator for Arabic

POLICE

Plančić, policeman from Zagreb

Luka Dragić, Marin Klišmanić

Bule, policeman from Zagreb

Krešo Mikić, Ivan Colarić

Padolek, local policeman

Ivan Taradi, agent, crime-technician

Chief of police

Matija, pathologist

Stage manager and prompter

Stage manager

Roko Grbin

Prompter

Višnja Kiš

World opening night

30.12.2017

Kristian Novak

GYPSY, BUT THE FAIREST OF THEM ALL


Directed by Ivica Buljan

The protagonists of Novak’s brilliant novel make up an incredible and masterfully fictionalized gallery of characters in which we find contemporary fears reflected. A young Romani man Sandokan, aka Sandy, falls in love with Milena from Međimurje, a white woman from the neighboring village of Sabolščak. Divorced and in her late forties, she has been unfairly laid off and returns to her childhood home, where she must take care of her stubborn grandfather.

Nuzat, a Kurd from Mosul, has left his family and his country that is ravaged by war, and is in search of a better life in Calais. Plančić, the PR manager for the Zagreb Police Station, has been sent to the field and instructed to cover up a murder that could explode into great violence and a major political scandal. A Croatian Homeland War veteran keeps a fragile peace in the village, and a policeman in the twilight of his career is experiencing visions and apparitions from the apocalyptic TV series The Leftovers.

These unconventional antiheroes are not stereotypical representatives of their ethnic or social group; rather, they are noble outsiders whose behavior defies stereotypes, as they empathetically challenge the prejudices society holds about them. The story lines fork out only to finally meet in a savage murder. The author uses a lavish style to meticulously narrate biographies from four different social milieus, resulting in a precise social and emotional topography of identities. The novel's enormous theatrical potential lies, above all, in the author's lavish style, composed of elements of crime, melodrama, documentary material, social drama and elements of popular (sub)culture, including Romani songs, the most famous being the one of the novel's title. The play's dramaturg is Ivor Martinić, one of the most notable Croatian dramatists, whose works have been successfully staged on numerous international stages.

One of the bravest love stories of contemporary Croatian theatre. – Tportal

The mere fact of bringing to life a gallery of different characters who bit by bit fight various prejudices makes this production a great artistic success.

— Novi list

Nina Violić is brilliant. The young Filip Vidović is just as good, despite this being his first time performing on the CNT's stage.

'Ciganin, ali najljepši': Jedna od najsmjelijih ljubavnih priča suvremenog hrvatskog teatra.— Tportal
The mere fact of bringing to life a gallery of different characters who bit by bit fight various prejudices makes this production a great artistic success.— Novi list
Nina Violić is brilliant. The young Filip Vidović is just as good, despite this being his first time performing on the CNT's stage.— Večernji list

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