Viewing posts from: nikola skocajic

IN THE WELL

Radmila Smiljanić: The Well, directed by: Egon Savin, produced by:  Cultural Institution ‘’Vuk Karadžić’’

By: Nikola Skočajić

Probably the most interesting part of The Well by Radmila Smiljanić, is that it speaks of nationalism from a female point of view and through a female character. In a Serbian village in post-war Bosnia, Miloš and Jasmina live with his mother. She has no other name than Mother, although in this play she would be better named Mother-in-law, and she is very unhappy that the young couple do not have children.  When an offer to build water supply system comes to the village, which would mean selling some family land, other family issues surface. Topic of a mixed marriage between a Serb and a Muslim, in context of selling (Serbian) land, sets off various conflicts between the three main characters in the play. Formally, The Well is a conventionally structured dramatic text, but theme-wise, The Well does not offer anything new. Furthermore, Radmila Smiljanić’s play only reproduces a number of clichés.

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