The novel, written by contemporary Italian author Elena Ferrante, chronicles the lives of two friends, Elena and Lila, and has captured the attention of both critics and readers right from its release. The stage adaptation traces the two girls' destinies and coming of age, exploring their complex friendship marked by love, rivalry, and conflict and set against a vivid social backdrop. Set in a post-war suburb of Naples, their story depicts a world of deprivation, limited education, backbreaking labour, and the unspoken codes of the local criminal underworld.
Adapted for the stage by Nina Pavlović and Filip Jurjević, My Brilliant Friend was brought to life at the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb under the direction of Marina Pejnović, who, with the support of a large ensemble cast, vividly captured the exciting scenes of one of the world’s most beloved novels.
