They say laughter heals and prolongs life. Laugh people, even if forced, doctors say. But what about those who are a force for laughter? Ostrovski u Forests says through the character of the comedian Srećković: "It's easier for you tragedians!" We won't judge who has it easier, although the fact is that the audience appreciates it more serious actors. They often receive awards and decorations, and when they leave here, it is not uncommon for a street to bear their name. Milivoje Živanović, Ljuba Tadić and others tragedians they have had a street in Kragujevac for a long time. It was somehow considered normal and did not attract public attention. However, recently one of the most famous actors from Kragujevac, a born comedian, got his own street - Ljubomir Ubavkić Pendula. This caused great joy among the people of Kragujevac. It's as if every inhabitant of Kragujevac individually paid off some personal debt to the beloved actor. Naming the street after Pendula is, I guess, the only decision of the City Assembly on which everyone in the city was unanimous.
HE ARRIVED ANYWAY
Almost all families in Kragujevac had, in addition to their own members, godfathers, sons-in-law and sisters-in-law, one more - Ljubomir Ubavkić Pendula. They loved him and considered him a relative. Whenever it didn't work, no matter how hard and bumpy it was, Pendula helped. Laughter, the universal antidote to all ills since the dawn of time, burst forth unsparingly whenever Pendula came across – his talent and skill healed whatever life threw at you during the day.
"He's funny like Čkalja, studious like Mija, and rules his body like Marcel Marceau" - was the diagnosis of Radivoj Lola Đukić after his first experience as a director with Pendula. I would also add that his work ethic was at the level of the Athenian Stoics. Pendula was only late for the show once. Although at one time he was the most engaged actor from the interior on television and film, he found ways to get there on time - and he did. It never crossed his mind to turn down a role in the theater because he got a part in a big series. He played significant roles in two of the most watched and at one time the most popular series More than a game i Written off, and nobody in Kragujevac knew that until they were shown. However, it happened once. It was Nušić's A grieving family purchased for the students of the First Kragujevac High School. The start was scheduled for five o'clock in the afternoon on October 14, 1975. The performance was ten minutes late. At five to five, Pendula's son Srđan was born. As soon as the doctors told him that his wife Radmila was perfectly fine and as soon as he heard that Srdjan had collapsed, he got into his car, rushed to the theater, jumped into Agathon's costume and went on stage. And don't think that I remembered that date, I simply called and asked Srdjan when his birthday was. He was confused that I was asking him that, and when he answered, I told him that it was one of the important dates in the alternative history of the Kragujevac theater.
The first "Golden turkey" at the Days of Comedy in Jagodina Pendula won for Agathon in To the bereaved family. Although he won two more for leading roles and a fourth for lifetime achievement, although he won many more awards for some other roles, Agathon seems to have been his favorite. I would be free to claim that precisely because of the reason for that delay. And here is the proof.
TICKETS ARE SOLD OUT
When Pendula retired, exactly ten years had passed since he was not invited to play on the stage to which he had been faithful throughout his entire acting career, despite offers from major Belgrade theaters. You know Cicero's The weather, oh mores! Then it was added to the repertoire of the "Joakim Vujić" Theater Doctor Schuster Dušan Kovačević and no one doubted that Pendula should appear in the title role. When we took the text to him, he cried tears of happiness. By the way, near the end of his career, Pendulu did not suffer the fate of many actors, especially those who played a large number of leading roles - his ability to memorize the text weakened, so the prompters from Kragujevac experienced nervous breakdowns. On the first reading test Doctor Schuster it came with a text, but he didn't open it. He knew the role by heart! He didn't even need the prompter's help with his partners' puzzles. He taught them too. He excelled at the premiere and reruns. An inscription appeared again on the ticket office of the Kragujevac theater tickets are sold out. Word spread through town that Pendula was back on stage. Everyone thought that this big comeback of his was also his final farewell to the stage and the audience, because he was already deep into his eighth decade. But…
The management of the theater, seeing that the Penduli years had not ruined any of his talent, skill and energy, offered to choose for the next season the role he wanted to play in a piece that he would direct himself. Very pleased with the offer, he immediately exclaimed: A grieving family!
That play did not reach the fame of the one whose one reprise he was late for, but it showed all his comedic imagination and talent. For the role of Widow Savka, he invited his godson Gorica Popović as a guest - the audience enjoyed it.
The writer of these lines has a theory about actors - kudos to the "tragedians", but a good comedian can play any character. Do you remember how excitement was caused by Mica Popović's decision to play the main role of a Chetnik butcher in To the man from the oak forest trust Mija Aleksić, who at that time made the whole Yugoslavia laugh as the hero of Radio Belgrade's Happy Evening, Rafajlo Raf Maksić. It seems that Mića Popović has not forgotten Mija's Smerdjakov from The Brothers Karamazov.
And Pendula masterfully played a whole series of dramatic roles. For the role of Pyrotechnician in Roll calls for eternity Dimitrija Tadić received one of the special awards at Steria's Theater and a whole series of awards at other festivals. Also, he received several important awards for the role of Actor in the play At the bottom Maksim Gorky, for the role of Sava Odžačar in Kovačević's A claustrophobic comedy he received an award from both the expert jury and the audience jury at the "Joakim Vujić" Meetings in Pristina. The dying scene of Sava Odžačar in that play was anthological. Sava is lying on his back, receiving a transfusion, and the audience can only see the soles of his feet. With this minimal part of his body, Pendula shows the tremors of the dying. He reminded many that once upon a time in Paris, he spent a year studying the secrets of pantomime with the greatest master of this discipline, Marcel Marceau.
Unfortunately, acting is one of the most ephemeral activities of the human body and spirit. When an actor leaves, his acting leaves with him. Photos, recordings of inserts from plays and yellowed newspaper pages remain to remind us. Apart from them, signs of remembrance can also include giving the actor's name to the street. I am sure that the address in Ulica Ljubomira Ubavkića Pendula will bring a smile to the face of whoever reads it. Even if it's a tax settlement, an electric bill or a subpoena.
