A holiday on an uninhabited island promises a break from the crazy world – for those who can afford it, of course. A motley crew of variously burnt-out individuals, experts, and professionals, including an adventurer and a poet with a writer’s block are joined in hope for a kind of rebirth in untouched nature, a detoxification of body and mind, and to enjoy a taste of freedom that is nowhere to be found anymore. A special attraction of the island is the chance to meet the mysterious »wild man«, one of the local legends of the island.
The idea of a »natural« being of some description, raised in isolation, unspoilt by upbringing and culture, has always stirred human imagination. This character is believed to resolve the key questions of our civilisation about the dispute between biology and culture. Although the mysterious Casper does appear on the island, the holidaymakers learn almost nothing about him. They do, however, reveal a great deal about themselves, their frustrations, anomalies and fears that drive the modern world. Instead of regeneration, the holidaying elite are going through a withdrawal crisis because there is no internet on the island. Relaxation is prevented by their disagreements which keep getting worse, and their meditating is distracted by down-to-earth questions about freedom and ethics.
Using her poignant humour and irony, Tena Štivičić is an astute and critical observer of the world in which we find ourselves, the world which, even on a desert island, cannot abandon its contradictions and entrapment in various interests, beliefs and prejudices. Cabaret elements are effortlessly incorporated into the playscript, insightfully combining psychological and social analysis and poking fun at the niche markets that, along with stress, regulate our lives. The result is a tenaciously cacophonous picture of our turbulent world.
The latest play by the internationally acclaimed and award-winning Croatian playwright Tena Štivičić, Cabaret Casper (2021), will have its world premiere in our theatre. It was commissioned by the SNT Drama Ljubljana and created in close collaboration between Štivičić and the director and composer Marjan Nečak.
Darja Dominkuš