Belgrade National Theatre in Chaos: Svetislav Bule Goncić Flees, Staff Panic Over Dragoslav Bokan!
The Belgrade National Theatre, once a beacon of culture, is now in full-blown drama! Actor and manager Svetislav Bule Goncić has decided to leave this institution, and why? Personal and family reasons, but also the total chaos sparked by the appointment of Dragoslav Bokan as the chairman of the Board of Directors.
Picture this: half the hallway outside Goncić’s office is packed with worried employees—23 of them—who are against the new boss! They openly express dissatisfaction and fear that Bokan will destroy what Goncić has built. Even colleagues from artistic unions are ready to fight this Ministry of Culture decision.
Goncić announced his departure back in February, but colleagues begged him to stay at least until June. Still, it seems that wasn’t enough. His leaving leaves a void, and the new management brings fear and uncertainty.
To make matters worse, while this drama unfolds backstage, the audience last night enjoyed the play “Our Class,” directed by Tatjana Mandić Rigonat, who won the Bojan Stupica award for best directing in Serbia. The actors even raised their “indexes” to the audience, like at a university, sparking cheers.
But while the spotlight shines on the stage, behind the scenes a real battle for the fate of the National Theatre is raging. Will Goncić stay or go? Will Bokan really take over, and what does that mean for the theatre’s future?
Got thoughts on this drama? Maybe a joke about theatre politics? Drop a comment and join the show—this act is just getting started!
