THE CLUCKING DYNASTY
drama
Based on motifs from The Suspicious Person by Branislav Nušić
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT
BRANISLAV NUŠIĆ (1864–1938)
This year marks the 160th anniversary of the birth of Branislav Nušić, one of the most significant Serbian playwrights and a founding figure of modern Serbian comedy. The National Theatre in Niš was founded in 1887, the same year in which Nušić wrote his famous comedy The Suspicious Person, which also served as the inspiration for the play The Stuffed Dynasty.
He was born on October 20, 1864, in Belgrade. Through his literary work and involvement in theatre, he had a profound influence on the development of Serbian drama and on the shaping of theatre repertoires throughout the country. His works remain among the most frequently performed on Serbian stages.
After completing his law studies in 1884, Nušić was sentenced to imprisonment because of his satirical poem Two Graves, in which he criticized the authorities of the time. This experience had a significant influence on his literary and social engagement. In 1900, he became Secretary of the Ministry of Education, and later dramaturge at the National Theatre in Belgrade. Although he was not directly associated with the National Theatre in Niš, his work in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Skopje and other cities left a strong mark on the theatrical repertoire in Niš as well.
His best-known comedies, including Madam Minister, The Cabinet Minister’s Wife, The Suspicious Person, and The People’s Representative, have been regularly performed at the National Theatre in Niš. Through witty plots, memorable characters and sharp satire, Nušić portrayed everyday life, human weaknesses, social flaws and the political circumstances of his time. His humor, irony and exceptional sense of theatre made him one of the most beloved playwrights among audiences.
Branislav Nušić left a lasting mark not only through his dramatic works but also through his contribution to the development of Serbian theatre. His work represents one of the pillars of the national dramatic heritage, while his comedies continue to engage contemporary audiences with equal success, confirming the timeless value of his creative legacy.
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
Andrej Nosov is a theatre director who graduated in Theatre Directing from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts at the University of Arts in Belgrade and completed his master’s studies at the Academy of Theatre of the University of the Arts in Amsterdam.
Throughout his career, he has directed productions in numerous theatres in Serbia, the region and across Europe, collaborating with various artistic ensembles and institutions. In addition to his directing work, he is the founder and director of Hartefact, an independent production company and foundation dedicated to contemporary theatre, artistic creation, social dialogue and the development of critical culture.
ABOUT THE DRAMATURG
Jana Milivojević is a fourth-year Dramaturgy student at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts, University of Arts in Belgrade.
She is the recipient of the first prize in Radio Belgrade’s competition for an original children’s radio drama, drawing attention to her dramaturgical talent and creative work already during her studies.
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION
A celebration. A farewell. And what comes next?
Captain Jerotije Pantić has been promoted following a successful operation to apprehend a suspicious person. His family is ready to move “upward” after the festivities, while “down below,” in a reconstructed city hotel, his subordinates and members of the local community gather to organize an official farewell. And just when everything seems to be going according to plan, an unexpected event shakes the entire town.
Who comes after Jerotije, and what legacy has he left behind? Who makes up the stuffed dynasty, and can the blue fish survive?
The production The Stuffed Dynasty is based on motifs from The Suspicious Person by Branislav Nušić. Through a distinctive collaborative and ensemble-based theatre process, a new dramatization and a contemporary reading of one of the most significant works by Serbia’s greatest comedic playwright have emerged, in the year marking the 160th anniversary of his birth.
DRAMATURGICAL NOTE
Although we wanted to escape from the situation in which Nušić trapped his characters in The Suspicious Person, The Stuffed Dynasty brought us back to precisely that place, because we cannot escape from what has remained unchanged. Our characters remain true to their ambitions, no matter how unattainable or absurd they may sometimes seem. Above all, they remain true to themselves, because they are never certain of the truths offered to them by others.
At first, it was challenging to write a text inspired by Nušić’s work, constantly returning to his language, lines and dramatic structure. That is precisely what made the process exciting – exploring different ways of telling a story that the audience already knows well and discovering how everything can be different while its essence remains the same.
DIRECTOR’S NOTE
Nušić writes about power, about a small community shaped by fear, survival, the struggle for power and social advancement. In such a world, it is always important how others see us, what image of ourselves we project, and what those “above” us – those who hold power – will say about us. We often give up our own strength to live and change the rules of that life as early as our first paycheck.
In our production, the repeatedly told stories about “mentality,” “our nature,” and Nušić as a contemporary who described us with such precision inevitably emerge as well. I believe we have succeeded in recognizing some of these characters around us, but also within ourselves. Our intention was not to comment on current politics, but to recognize situations that resemble the reality we live in and to examine them critically.
Our starting point was The Suspicious Person, but we arrived at the production through improvisations, conversations, collective reflection and a creative “conspiracy.” This text would not exist without the dedication and creative contribution of the acting ensemble – it was precisely through this process that the dramatic text, the stage situations and our production as a whole came into being.
This is not a play about other people. This is a play about us. A play meant to worry us a little, make us laugh a little, and perhaps encourage us to turn the mirror toward ourselves, to learn to laugh at our own weaknesses rather than complain so much. Perhaps that is precisely what can move us forward – if we have not already given up on everything.
When is this performance playing?
You can find all upcoming dates on the Repertoire page.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Genre
Drama
Duration
90 minutes
Age
14+
Premiere
November 30, 2024
Stage
Main Stage
CREATIVE TEAM
Text
Based on motifs from *The Suspicious Person* by B. Nušić
Director
Andrej Nosov
Dramaturg
Jana Milivojević
Set Designer
Zorana Petrov
Costume Designer
Petra Fotez
Overall Design
Nemanja Calić
Language Consultant
Nataša Ilić
Photography
Nikola Milosavljević
Organizer
Ivana Madić Stojanović
CAST
Jerotije
Aleksandar Mihailović
Živka
Vesna Stanković
Anđa
Sanja Krstović
Marica
Bratislava Milić
Aleksa
Marko Radojević
Vića
Stefan Mladenović
Tasa
Petar Miljuš, guest artist
Đoka
Danilo Milenković, guest artist
TECHNICAL TEAM
Stage Manager
Dobrica Marjanović
Sound Design
Aleksandar Stojanović
Lighting Design
Vojkan Dobrosavljević
Lighting
Marko Đorđević
Prompter
Jana Savić
Technical Director
Dejan Mitić
Stage Manager
Radomir Pešić
Set Construction Crew
Srđan Kitanović, Miodrag Đorđević, Mića Lazarević, Nemanja Perić, Marin Rajić, Nikola Stojanović, Pavle Rajić
Props Master
Dragan Nikolić
Wardrobe
Dušica Mladenović, Katarina Pavlović
Make-up and Wig Artists
Ljiljana Rašić, Marija Cvetanović, Ivana Lazarević
Tailoring
Aleksandra Jenić, Vladimir Pekić
Workshop
Goran Stanković, Dragan Perić, Branislav Nikolić
Procurement
Zoran Denčić, Ivan Todorović
Driver
Nebojša Šarčević