An event in the town of Goga
(work in progress) by Slavko Grum

For the first time in our country, on the stage of Ivan Radoev Drama and Puppet Theatre, we get to see one of Slovenia’s dramaturgical masterpieces – the play “An Event in the Town of Goga” by Slavko Grum.

Slavko Grum (1901–1949) is among Slovenian expressionism’s most emblematic names. Having graduated medicine in Vienna, practicing as a gynecologist and psychiatrist, he engrossed himself in the emergent, still scandalous, psychoanalysis. His further work was deeply influenced by his personal acquaintance with Sigmund Freud, occuring in 1921. His interests lay primarily in theatre and film. His role models include the German silent-era cult film director Conrad Veidt and Russian director Alexander Tairov.

In 1979 Prešeren Theatre Kranj established a best original Slovenian play award in Slavko Grum’s name, still awarded to this day.

“An Event in the Town of Goga” (1930) is the author’s most popular, mature work – earning its deserved place in Slovenian dramaturgical canon almost immediately upon its composition. The idea came upon him from various cases in his psychiatric practice.

Goga is a remote, decrepit, and boring town where nothing ever happens. All stands still, people are passive and lead monotonous, empty lives, without any possibility of reciprocity. They are beset by hypocrisy, perversion, and painful dissatisfaction.

Grum’s intent for the production was for it to appear as an unusual, but precisely tuned mechanism. In the words of the character of Teobald: “…if we were not set to live, let us perform a life”.

The creative mix between director – Stilyan Petrov, set designer – Nikola Toromanov, and composer – Milen Kukosharov, together with Pleven’s acting troupe is a preposition for a fulfilling theatrical experience!