#S2EP6 - Theater in the Balkans: a stage for societal critique and historical reflection

#S2EP6 - Theater in the Balkans: a stage for societal critique and historical reflection

Author: Kosovo 2.0 December 14, 2023 Duration: 56:11
Besa Luci in conversation with Haris Pašović and Natasha TripneyIn 2022 we published an in-depth article on the theater landscape in Kosovo. Speaking about theater professionals’ arduous working conditions, actor Adrian Morina remarked that “Theater is a mirror of all institutions.” Whether or not theater professionals are supported reveals institutions’ understanding — or lack thereof — of this art form’s significance.. Theaters have always had a dynamic relationship with power structures. Their stages have served as venues for political critique, revolt and reflection. As such, they have played pivotal roles in how our democracies are shaped, questioned or refuted. Particularly in our region, theaters have pushed societies to confront subjects that might otherwise be avoided. We have seen plays on the wars our region has endured that have invited us to face and critically engage with the past. We have encountered plays questioning the international community’s role in our region. In a region where freedom does not extend to women, LBGTQ+ individuals and ethnic minorities, we have witnessed how theaters expose societies’ flaws. We have also viewed plays on how theaters and artists themselves should become more self-critical, more radical or more vigorous, as the Bosnian theater director Haris Pašović says in an interview published in SEEstage.Haris is one of the guests on the podcast today. He is the director of the East West Centre Sarajevo and a professor of theater and film directing at the Performing Arts Academy in Sarajevo.The other guest is Natasha Tripney, a writer and theater critic based in London. She is international editor at The Stage and co-founder of Exeunt [ekziwnt], a digital theater review. Other Talking Points is produced by Besa Luci and Aulonë Kadriu.Music and sound mix by PUG musik.This podcast is part of the Human Rightivism project, which is funded by the Embassy of Sweden in Prishtina, implemented by the Community Development Fund through its Human Rightivism Program. The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the Embassy of Sweden in Prishtina.

In each episode of Other Talking Points, a production of Kosovo 2.0, editor-in-chief Besa Luci sits down with a guest whose voice and work challenge conventional narratives. These are not hurried interviews but considered conversations, often meandering through personal history, creative process, and critical thought. You’ll hear from authors dissecting the narratives of place, scholars questioning entrenched ideas, artists explaining the impetus behind their work, and activists detailing the realities of their struggles. The guests hail primarily from Kosovo and the surrounding region, but the scope frequently widens to include compelling voices from across the globe, creating a unique dialogue between local context and wider currents of thought. This podcast operates in the spaces between news and commentary, offering depth and nuance where headlines often fall short. The aim is to move beyond the usual soundbites and talking points that dominate public discourse, hence the name. By focusing intently on an individual’s journey and intellectual contributions, each discussion naturally opens up to reveal new perspectives on politics, culture, society, and what it means to engage with the world thoughtfully. Listening feels like being present for a genuine exchange, one that prioritizes understanding over simple debate. It’s for anyone curious about the forces shaping contemporary life in Southeast Europe and beyond, delivered through the intimate, unfolding format that only a thoughtful podcast can provide. The result is a collection of episodes that together build a complex and human portrait of the issues that define our time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 23

Other Talking Points
Podcast Episodes
#S2EP8 - Reviewing 2023 with the K2.0 editorial desk [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:44
Besa Luci in conversation with Gentiana Paçarizi and Aulonë Kadriu. We are leaving behind a year full of developments in Kosovo, the region and beyond. As always, we as journalists find ourselves having to be attentive a…
#S2EP5 - Investigating corruption and facing the corrupt [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:34
Besa Luci in conversation with Paul Caruana Galizia and Jeta Xharra. In this episode, we talk about threats to journalism and to journalists covering topics that those in power seek to conceal.In his recently published b…
#S2EP4 - Sports: a unifying and divisive force [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:05
Besa Luci in conversation with Loic Tregoures and Albert Mecini.If there’s one form of entertainment that can be considered universal, it’s sports. Be it through regular state games, regional matches, or worldwide compet…
#S2EP3 - Drag in the region, a career and a cause [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:54
Besa Luci in conversation with Adelina Rose and Lana Vee.Drag is thriving in our region, both as a form of art and as a tool for radical change. The vibrant art of drag is becoming ever more present in the public sphere.…
#S2EP2 - Behind the lens of Balkan filmmaking today [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:22
Besa Luci in conversation with Kaltrina Krasniqi and Kumjana Novakova. In this episode, we will be talking about contemporary cinematography in the region. The region has always been rich in filmmaking. Each generation o…
#S2EP1 - Who's shaping the narratives on the Balkans? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:01
Besa Luci in conversation with Aida Hozić and Aidan Hehir. In this first episode, we will be talking about political discourses and narratives about the region — how they're constructed, how they relate to political real…
#S1EP15 - Should I stay or should I go? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:42
Besa Luci in conversation with Ilir Gashi and Aulonë Kadriu.In our last episode of the first season of Other Talking Points, we are revisiting the topic of travel.Not long ago, when we recorded our first episode, we talk…
#S1EP14 - Oral history and the reimagining of historical memory [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:20
Besa Luci in conversation with Erëmirë Krasniqi and Milena Prevelić.Historical memory is shaped by what is documented. What we remember or celebrate, what we overlook or forget, is a result of the narratives we choose, o…
#S1EP13 - The Extra Obstacles Confronting Women Journalists [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:24
Besa Luci in conversation with Maša Mileusnić and Dafina Halili.In this episode, we talk about the experiences of women journalists in Kosovo, Serbia and the broader region. Though women's perspectives and voices are inc…