"Milutin is full of critical remarks against the propagators of war and hatred, yes, but not towards other peoples," says director Egon Savin about the play "The Book of Milutin" before its 250th performance
Tonight, January 31, will be the 250th "Book of Milutin", one of the performances by which Belgrade's "Zvezdara Theater" is recognized.
"The Book of Milutin" is a monodrama based on the book of the same name by Danko Popović, adapted and directed by Egon Savin, and played by Nenad Jezdić.
It is a personal story about the First World War, about the torment and suffering that would not have happened if there had been no hatred.
"I don't keep a letter from history, I only say my thoughts and what's on my mind," says Milutin.
Egon Savin tells the "Vremena" portal that they have been preparing the play for two and a half years. "It was a process full of love: while Jezda (Nenad Jezdić) was learning the text, 60 pages of the dramatization of the novel had to be learned, Vesna Popović (the author of the scenography and costumes) and I searched the archives for material for the play."
Namely, all the time during the performance, as if in the background, recordings and documents of what Milutin is talking about are broadcast.
"I wanted the play not to be." TV series rather, a lesson from history, to be a testimony about the First World War, a testimony of a small, illiterate man who clearly and humanly sees and interprets the delusions of his military leaders, because of which the people suffer, but also all the absurdity caused by the hatred between the warring parties", says Egon Savin.
"This is an anti-war play and I'm proud of it."
Danko Popović's novel "The Book of Milutin" is the most read book of post-war Serbian literature. It was published in 1985, had a circulation of 40 issues and sold more than 500.000 copies.
"At one time, this book was said to have an undertone of nationalism. There is none. Milutin has a healthy, popular attitude towards the world. He has patriotism, and it may sound paradoxical, but there is no trace of nationalism in it," says Savin.
"Milutin is full of critical remarks against propagators of war and hatred, yes, but not against other peoples." There is astonishment in him when he realizes that he speaks the same language as the one against whom he is at war. He has love for man, for people, but also for the ox, the earth, the arable land, the soil from which he grew. He is against ideology, against politics and the use of the people for the purpose of one's political ambition".
The premiere of "The Book of Milutin" took place in November 2021.
"Now, after everything we've been through, Milutin's every word seems even stronger and more human," says the director of this play, Egon Savin.
The author of the scenography and costumes is Vesna Popović, and the composer is Bora Dugić.
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