Glej Theatre

Freedom based on Ivan Cankar's essay White Chrysanthemum, conceived and performed by Branko Jordan and Miha Golob. Produced by Glej Theatre, 2014.

The oldest independent performing arts venue in Ljubljana, since its establishment as an experimental theatre in 1970, Glej Theatre has played an important role in the making of the Slovene theatre scene. It remains a place open to unorthodox approaches and theatrical research and focuses mainly on the upcoming generations of artists. Glej Theatre has profiled itself as an alternative theatre of different poetics and genres with a programme that attracts very different audiences.

Besides numerous co-productions with Slovene and international organizations, Glej Theatre strives to develop fresh and innovative programs support young emerging artists and build longstanding partnerships on an international level.

Background

The theatre emerged in the 1970s from a need for an alternative space for theatrical production in Ljubljana. It was founded by a group of directors, who were inspired by evolving experimental theatre approaches and introduced them into the Slovene space, such as Lado Kralj, Dušan Jovanović, Zvone Šedlbauer, and others. Aiming for innovative and experimental approaches as well as new, more radical contents and sensibilities, the theatre chose its name (in English: Look) in view of the notions, developed by the American avant-garde theatre theoretician Richard Schechner. Since its beginnings, Glej has produced works that did not fit into the existing institutional theatre structures. Already in its formative years, Glej staged a number of successful performances, most notably Bojan Štih's Monument G [Spomenik G] (1972), directed by Dušan Jovanović, and Milan Jesih's The Bitter Fruits of Justice [Grenki sadeži pravice] (1974), directed by Zvone Šedlbauer, which strongly influenced the then Yugoslav theatre production.

In the 1980s, the theatre slowly moved away from radical experimental production. However, it retained its main orientation to produce works by emerging, innovative authors who were able to offer new aesthetics and emphases, and collaborated with a number of still influential Slovene directors, such as Vinko Möderndorfer, Matjaž Zupančič, and Eduard Miler. In the 1990s Glej opened up to various poetics under Nevenka Koprivšek's programme direction, producing works of non-verbal, physical theatre by Iztok Kovač, Matjaž Pograjc, and Tomaž Štrucl, as well as promoted unorthodox approaches, exercised by Nevenka Koprivšek, Matjaž Berger, Igor Štromajer, Tomi Janežič, Sebastjan Horvat, Diego DeBrea, Jernej Lorenci, Ivana Djilas, and Emil Hrvatin. It also produced comedies by Iztok Lovrić and the group Grejpfruit ("Grapefruit").

Programme

Since 2000, Glej has continued to produce works of different aesthetics and genres, from classical stagings of dramatic texts and comedies to puppet and "post-dramatic" performances. Glej's challenging productions were accepted by the audience and the expert publics, invited to numerous international festivals and won various awards. Different artistic directors have influenced and introduced pioneer programs which have been widely accepted by theatre institutions in Slovenia. These programs meant a great shift from Glej being only a performing arts venue to a theatre production house and educational platform.

Glej's guiding principle in the recent years has undoubtedly become “a process”. Various programmes introduced during the last 4 years, supported the upcoming artists' desire to focus on the process of their work rather than on the result itself. This approach has been undertaken in order to steer Glej's artistic and production vision away from the prevailing hyper-production model and has been widely recognized as suitable both by upcoming artists and different publics (experts, audience, etc).

We are coming, the third part of the theatre trilogy Silent City staged within the Glej Theatre residency programme under the direction of Jaša Koceli, 2014.

Following its policy to promote new ideas, approaches, and aesthetics, Glej Theatre annually produces or co-produces over a dozen performances of different genres, ranging from classical dramatic stagings to physical theatre and even dance works.

Since 2007 Glej has opened its program structure in the form of the year round open call (for theatrical and multidisciplinary projects) to anyone who wishes to work in the theatre. This gives Glej the flexibility to swiftly respond to any potential changes and needs in the theatre environment.

Glej runs several programs which consist of innovative, engaged, and proactive concepts:

Glej, Debut - offering young authors the opportunity to present their first project;
Glej, Miniatures – a platform for short experimental theatre pieces, regardless of whether they are completed works or works in progress;
Glej, Across the Border – guest performances of foreign small venues and production houses;
Glej in English - performances that are performed in English or have English subtitles, aimed at foreign citizens living in Slovenia;
Glej, Resident – a unique residency program offering an up coming artists the opportunity to research, develop and produce their own poetics over a period of one year.

Glej Theatre also forms bonds and connections with other institutions, regardless of whether they are independent or state funded. Since 2012 Glej Theatre co-organizes Overflight International Theatre Festival with Mladinsko Theatre, coordinates Transferzala, the first season ticket that covers five independent Ljubljana theatres (Mini Theatre, Dance Theatre Ljubljana, Španski borci Culture Centre, Stara Elektrarna - Old Power Station and Glej Theatre). Glej also often helps various festivals and independent artists by offering its venue for their performances.

Educational platform

Glej differs from other theatres in Slovenia by its unique way to identify and address challenges in the performing arts community in Slovenia. Glej initiated several educational platforms which have been widely recognized as original, fresh and innovative (PreGlej na glas! Playwriting Festival, a program for the promotion and development of quality Slovene playwriting; TOP Program for the development of young theatre critics; workshops for light designers; Poslušaj, a program for the development of theatre music).

Regardless of its various programmes and numerous cooperation’s Glej remains dedicated to young artists who often take their first steps in the theatre between the four pillars in Glej.

International cooperation

Glej Theater has been actively involved in several international projects and platforms, e.g. Development of New Art (DNA) (an EU supported project 2011-2013 led by the Czech NOVA SIT Association, with partners from Denmark, Hungary, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia) and the European Theater Night (2011, 2012). Currently, it is a member of the International Network for Contemporary Performing Arts (IETM), East European Performing Arts Platform (EEPAP) and a Call to Create platform.

In 2014 Glej initiated a Generation 2 Generation project together with partners from the Netherlands, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina and France, which focuses on the development of the theatre for teenage audience and the audience development in general.

External links

Gallery

Puppet created by Jasna Vastl for Kako je Jaromir iskal srečo, directed by Ajda Rooss, Jasna Vastl & Brane Vižintin, premiere at Glej Theatre 11 March 2011

Press image for Šajning [Shining], directed by Borut Bučinel, premiere in Glej Theatre, 2010

Press image for Life®ranti, actors Maja Nemec and Luka Cimprič, directed by Miha Nemec, premiere at Glej Theatre 6 March 2011

R9-42U, directed by Marko Čeh, Glej Theatre 2010

Butcher Shop, conceived and directed by Sabina Schwenner as a musical and physical operation for the dismemberment of everyday questions. Produced by Glej Theatre in 2011.

Misterio Bufo, directed by Marko Bratuš, premiered at Glej Theatre, 8 April 2011

Prometheus: An apology for a split personality and a chorus of hungry men, based on Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound and Dostoyevsky's The Brothers Karamazov, directed by Simon Belak. Produced by Glej Theatre, 2013.

Alice directed by Tjaša Črnigoj. Produced by Glej Theatre (Glej Miniature series), 2014.

Freedom based on Ivan Cankar's essay White Chrysanthemum, conceived and performed by Branko Jordan and Miha Golob. Produced by Glej Theatre, 2014.

Katarina Stegnar and Jure Novak in a devised performance entitled Katarina on Demand at Glej Theatre, 2014.

We are coming, the third part of the theatre trilogy Silent City staged within the Glej Theatre residency programme under the direction of Jaša Koceli, 2014.