It appears that the festival has come under attack for staging Antigone in the ruins of the church within the Castle grounds - which you can read about here.
International readers will be familiar with this narrative. There is certainly an argument for consultation with community groups prior to performances in found spaces, when there is the potential to accidentally transgress. On the other hand, it is incredibly hard, and incredibly special, to perform in a found space.
I found nothing insulting or sacreligious in the staging of Antigone, a fairly classic, stylised interpretation of a classic text, in this space. It is obvious to me that the counciler in question did not see the play, and so just how he is qualified to comment based on the totally incorrect perception that "the performance brought the theater that presents itself as postmodern, and this is inherent in the fundamental disregard for the holy things" (bad Google translation but you get the idea).
I admit to not understanding the full context of the comments, but I can't help thinking that this is a reactionary response from a counciler looking to shore up conservative support. It shows a totally naive knowledge of postmodern art, emerging as it does out of a spiritual vacuum, and a lack of information about the play itself (which actually I would not have classified as postmodern art). If you're hanging Sorrano's Piss Christ, I agree with you. This was not that.
It is an insult to all of the volunteers and workers who made the festival so special.
That, to me, is sacred.
Mr. Vitaly Sobko should retract these comments immediately.
International readers will be familiar with this narrative. There is certainly an argument for consultation with community groups prior to performances in found spaces, when there is the potential to accidentally transgress. On the other hand, it is incredibly hard, and incredibly special, to perform in a found space.
I found nothing insulting or sacreligious in the staging of Antigone, a fairly classic, stylised interpretation of a classic text, in this space. It is obvious to me that the counciler in question did not see the play, and so just how he is qualified to comment based on the totally incorrect perception that "the performance brought the theater that presents itself as postmodern, and this is inherent in the fundamental disregard for the holy things" (bad Google translation but you get the idea).
I admit to not understanding the full context of the comments, but I can't help thinking that this is a reactionary response from a counciler looking to shore up conservative support. It shows a totally naive knowledge of postmodern art, emerging as it does out of a spiritual vacuum, and a lack of information about the play itself (which actually I would not have classified as postmodern art). If you're hanging Sorrano's Piss Christ, I agree with you. This was not that.
It is an insult to all of the volunteers and workers who made the festival so special.
That, to me, is sacred.
Mr. Vitaly Sobko should retract these comments immediately.
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