23. 10. 2009.

Press Conference and Roundtable Session – Ice and Twins

The MESS Press Conference held on 21 October 2009 was host to the actors of Hungarian play Ice, Bori Péterfy, József Gyabronka, Attila László, as well as to the director and cast of the performance Twins.

The cast of Ice shared with the press their satisfaction with the reception given to them by the audience in Zenica, and pointed out that, regardless of the recent history, they very much appreciate the opinions of theatre-goers in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  

On the same day, at 12.00 at the Hotel Bosna, the two plays were also the subject of a round table of theatre criticism, which also included one of the MESS' selectors, Giorgio Ursini Uršič.

The moderator of the round table discussion Bojan Munjin asked Ursini to elaborate on his motives for selecting the very controversial performance of Ice for the programme of this year's MESS. Giorgio Ursini Uršič emphasized that the play, above all, and perhaps in the best way possible, embodies the main idea and motive of the MESS – freedom, in all its complexity. In Ursini's words: This play is for the viewer, a kick in the gut. That is its aim. The moderator then invited the critics, journalists and viewers present at the round table to answer (what was in his mind) the most important question: whether this brutal confrontation with the truth leads to a better world – in other words, is the play, in all its outrageousness, directness and brutality, fit for today’s audience, and is this the only way to provoke the modern audience to thought… Munjin also characterized Ice as a hysterical series of schizophrenic images enfolding parallel in time, and a play with a powerful message: Don’t be afraid! 

Following that the director of the children’s production of Twins Oliver Frljić addressed the round table, stating that the play, although geared to altogether different audience – a child audience – also brings with it the same message carried by Ice: Fear not! The young director also said that his play us not just a game, and that it carries a powerful message, for both children and parents alike. He also stated that he felt a very positive energy from the audience in Sarajevo, and that he hopes that these new generations can be successfully initiated into the theatre culture, for the sake of developing an awareness of theatre.