During the 2025/2026 season, the Yugoslav Drama Theatre’s productions were seen by more than 115,000 audience members. As in previous years, demand far exceeded our seating capacity.
This season featured four premieres. Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, directed by Nataša Radulović, premiered on the Studio Ćirilov stage on 10th October 2025. On 17th December, Branislav Nušić’s People’s Deputy, directed by Vito Taufer, premiered on the “Ljuba Tadić” Main Stage. The same stage hosted two additional premieres: William Shakespeare’s Richard the Second, directed by Boris Liješević, debuted on 4th April, followed by the season’s final premiere, Ronald Harwood’s The Dresser, directed by Paolo Magelli on 8th May.
In June, the Yugoslav Drama Theatre hosted the General Assembly of the Union of the European Theatres (UTE), Europe’s most prominent theatre association. This year marks exactly twenty years since YDT became a member of the Union. Furthermore, the Yugoslav Drama Theatre is actively participating in the Union of the European Theatres’ 2026 educational initiative—the UTE ACADEMY—which brings together young actors and actresses from UTE member theatres.
Our productions took part in numerous festivals and were performed on stages both locally and internationally. Man’s Teardrop, based on the works of A.P. Chekhov and directed by Aleksandar Popovski, was performed at the “Purgatorije” Festival of Mediterranean Theatre in Tivat in August, and at the Fadil Hadžić Days of Satire festival in Zagreb in June. St. George Slays the Dragon closed the “Purgatorije” Festival of Mediterranean Theatre in August. Heinrich von Kleist’s Michael Kohlhaas, directed by Boris Liješević, was staged at the International Theatre Meetings in Brčko and at the “Theatre at the Crossroads” Festival in Niš in October, followed by a performance at the Nicosia International Festival in November. The Tin Drum, based on the novel by Günter Grass and directed by Vasil Hristov, opened the MOT International Theatre Festival in Skopje in November. Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, directed by Nataša Radulović, opened the International Small Scene Theatre Festival in Rijeka in May and participated in the Theatre Marathon at the National Theatre in Sombor in June. Ronald Harwood’s The Dresser, directed by Paolo Magelli, had its guest performance at the Z/K/M (Zagreb Youth Theatre) in Zagreb in June.
We also celebrated several production milestones. In October, The Development Path of Bora the Tailor had its 50th performance, while The Glass Neck and Oedipus both reached their 100th performance milestones in January.
We will begin the upcoming season on tour once again. As in previous years, the Yugoslav Drama Theatre will participate in the “Purgatorije” Festival of Mediterranean Theatre in Tivat with two productions. William Shakespeare’s Richard the Second, directed by Boris Liješević, will be performed on 29th August, while Branislav Nušić’s People’s Deputy, directed by Vito Taufer, is scheduled for 31st August.
Performances from YDT’s regular repertoire on the “Ljuba Tadić” and Studio Ćirilov stages will resume in September.
Thank you for being with us throughout the past season.
SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER!