Bible, the First Attempt

Première 19 April 2017, Slovenian National Theatre Drama Ljubljana
Running time 3 hours. One interval.

Director Jernej Lorenci
Dramaturg Matic Starina
Set designer Branko Hojnik
Costume designer Belinda Radulović
Composer Branko Rožman
Lighting designer Pascal Mérat
Choreographer Kaja Lorenci
Language consultant Tatjana Stanič
Assistent directors Dorian Šilec Petek, Jan Krmelj
 
Cast
Janez Škof • Marko Mandić • Nina Ivanišin • Nataša Barbara Gračner • Gregor Zorc • Jernej Šugman • Pia Zemljič • Aljaž Jovanović • Tina Vrbnjak/Maruša Majer

Musicians
Branko Rožman • Štefica Stipančević (sopran) • Eva Jurgec (oboe, flutes) • Kaja Novosel (flute)

This is a big book, the biggest book of all. And this big book, the biggest book of all was gradually becoming bigger and bigger. And even bigger. It became so big that it was too big. And when it became too big, it began to get emptied. And when it became even bigger, it become even emptier. Without even noticing, it was being blown out of all proportion until it became almost completely empty. The book of all books.
The Bible has made a long journey through the history of humankind, uniting in itself everything that is human: the most fragile loneliness, the feeling of being lost and under mental distress, human eros, both the yearning for and the need for love, the need to complete oneself with the other, with one more perfect; and on the other hand, the most cruel violence, hatred and suppression of the other or oneself. And what about staging the Bible? The Holy Scripture is an ocean of material to inspire artists. How does one tackle such a textual proposal?  Humbly, while being aware of the immense historical burden, or impertinently, with unburdened child-like creativity and curiosity?