The final premiere of this season, Ronald Harwood’s The Dresser, directed by Paolo Magelli, will be presented to the Zagreb audience just a month and a half after its Belgrade premiere. On Wednesday, 24th June, the production will be performed on the stage of the Zagreb Youth Theatre (Z/K/M) in the capital of Croatia.
The cast features Voja Brajović, Miki Manojlović, Sloboda Mićalović, Branka Petrić, Nikola Rakočević, Miloš Samolov, Marta Bogosavljević, Simo Đukić, Rade Stojiljković, and Nemanja Aćimović.
The Dresser takes us into the theatre at a moment when the world outside is unstoppably falling apart. The story unfolds in a wartime setting—a war taking place sometime in the past or perhaps right now (but certainly in a time we can recognize), where the theatre becomes a kind of bunker, a sanctuary from the external chaos, but also a space for the internal struggles of the individual. Under these circumstances, a touring theatre company continues to perform day after day, defying the reality that surrounds them. For them, theatre is not a luxury—it becomes a necessity, the final line of defense for one’s identity. At the heart of this fragile system lies the relationship between the great actor, “Sir,” and his dresser, Norman. Their bond transcends professional boundaries, evolving into a deep, almost existential interdependence: without Norman, Sir loses control and the ability to perform; whereas Norman, without Sir, loses his purpose and identity. Each exists thanks to the illusion the other maintains.
The dramaturgy is by Željka Udovičić Pleština, with the set design by Darko Nedeljković and the costume design by Lana Cvijanović. The video author is Ivan Marušić Klif, the music was composed by the band KOIKOI, while the stage speech is shaped by Ljiljana Mrkić Popović.
