The selector’s report after watching the performances registered at SLUK 2023.

SLUK 2023. A total of 16 performances have applied for SLUK 2023, which will be held in Osijek In addition to the five public puppet theaters, other theaters, theater companies and all artistic organizations registered in the register of the Ministry of Culture and which are members of the HC UNIMA have the right to participate, and eleven more different theater organizations have applied. Each theater can register two plays, so one of the theaters used that possibility Of the proposed plays for participation at SLUK 2023, I suggest the following performances:

1. David Petrović (according to the picture book by Jelena Pervan and Jelena Brezovec): Mrljek and Prljek

(director: David Petrović)

City Puppet Theater Rijeka

2. Ludwig Bauer: Three bears and a guitar

(director: Morana Dolenc)

Branko Mihaljević Children’s Theater in Osijek

3. Zlatko Krilić: Golden heart of Nikola

(director: Rene Medvešek)

Puppet Theater Zadar

4. Ivana Vuković (based on the motifs of “Regoča” by Ivana Brlić Mažuranić): How Ljiljo and Kosjenka defeated the evil discord

(director: Branimir Rakić)

City Puppet Theater Split

5. August Šenoa: The Shoemaker and the Devil

(director: Zoran Mužić)

Zagreb Puppet Theatre

6. Agnes De Lestrade/Bruno Margetić: The Great Factory of Words

(director: Morana Dolenc)

Mala Scena Theatre

7. Ivana Guljašević/Vesna Kosec Torjanac: Crocodile Marko

(director: Dubravko Torjanac)

Croatian National Theater Varaždin

8. Vanja Jovanović/Patrik Gregurec: Tree folks

(director: Vanja Jovanović)

Pinklec Theater Company

9. Matej Safudžić/Andrija Krištof: Tunja

(director: Matej Safundžić)

Artistic organization theater company “Ivana Brlić Mažuranić”

10. Petra Cicvarić: Doctor Svelječić

(director: Peđa Gvozdić)

City Theater Sisak

The play Mrljek and Prljek by the Rijeka City Puppet Theater based on the adaptation – text by David Petrović (based on the picture book by Jelena Pervan and Jelena Brezovec) is a very playful and educational play. The colorful artistry of the puppets gives it a fun visual character, and the text itself fills in a comical and educational element.

Three Bears and a Guitar by Branko Mihaljević’s Children’s Theater in Osijek is a play that talks about growing up and different skills throughout life. An excellent combination of animation and acting give the play a rich scope of playfulness that enriches the story with its artistry.

The Golden Heart of Nikola of the Zadar Doll Theater is a show that is characterized by the exceptional artistry of the puppets and the scenography. Puppets and a simple but functional scenography complete the show, as does the music performed polyphonically by wandering actors.

The play How Ljiljo and Kosjenka overcame the evil discord directed by Branimir Rakić, performed by the Split City Puppet Theater, follows proven puppetry techniques based on proven literary templates using common puppetry techniques.

The play The Shoemaker and the Devil performed by the Zagreb Puppet Theater is a typical Ginjol play that evokes the famous Šenoa folk tale on the screen.

The play The Great factory of Words by director Morana Dolenc performed by the Mala scena theater shows an interesting combination of animation, live music and singing. By combining these three elements, the play takes on a specific character form.

The play Crocodile Marko by the Croatian National Theater Varaždin and Dubravko Torjanac talks about diversity and how to respect others, but also love your own. Through comic situations, he perfectly combines the relationship between actors and puppets.

The play Tree folks directed by Vanja Jovanović and performed by the Pinklec Theater Company is a play that contains a specific puppet expression The puppeteer’s way of thinking runs through the whole play and through the hands of the animators gives it an extremely interesting form of play.

The play Tunja by the Ivana Brlić Mažuranić Theater Company  is an interactive play where the young director Matej Safundžić and fellow actor Andrija Krištof try to convey how infinite children’s imagination is. The young author team is a nice look into the future of puppetry.

The play Doctor Svelječić, performed by the City Theater of Sisak, is a play of a cheerful nature, which gives an interesting and rich impression with its interesting Lutarian solutions. The acting trio gives the show a fast rhythm, but also precise animation.

The criterion that guided me in choosing the plays is that the puppet or the puppeteer’s thinking must be dominantly present during the play. Of course, the artistry of the puppet and scenography as well as the message of the play were also extremely important to me.

I would like to thank everyone who gave me the honor and the opportunity to choose ten plays for SLUK 2023.

Hrvoje Seršić