The Hurtling Stillness Season 2014-2015

The Hurtling Stillness was written by the acclaimed Macedonian playwright Dejan Dukovski in 1997, who is considered by many the ‘Chekhov of the Balkans.’ The story plays out in six darkly funny vignettes inspired by Balkan urban culture and classic works such as Waiting For Godot and The Seagull. Each vignette represents a central theme: Meaning, Joy, Faith, Hope, Love, and Sin.

We chose to dedicate our new season to this exceptional project,not only because of the extremely powerful text,but also because we believe that such Balkan Absurdist theater genre has a voice in NYC.We would like to thank you for taking a moment of your busy day to check out our project and we hope this cause will speak to you.

Welcome to the show!

1.The Hurtling Stillness or Who the Fuck Started All This plays out in six dark vignettes inspired by Balkan urban culture and classic works that include Waiting For Godot and The Seagull. Each vignette represents a Circle and central theme: Meaning, Joy, Faith, Hope, Love and Sin. Within these Circles thirteen characters that include circus performers, street dwellers, a prostitute, lovers, a tortured sexual predator, a nun and a demon plunge head first into a poetic world of death, love and angels.

Six scenes make up this absurdist play that explores the elements of love, joy, faith, hope, meaning and sin. In the opening scene of Meaning, we have the half blind Bill Collector and Benzanija, a runaway. This scene is very much inspired by Beckett in regard to the banter, and the obvious and yet nebulous relationship between the two characters. Desperation, longing and anticipation are what lies beneath the impulsive and somewhat crude lines.

In Joy, we find a ballerina and a clown, reminiscent of Pierrot, in a dying circus act. These to characters obviously care for one another, however a case of unrequited love and miscommunication plague their relationship until inevitably the clown accidentally murders the ballerina, for fear she will leave him alone in the destructive circus environment.

Faith’s scene is roughly inspired by Faustus. Dr. Phallus, the Faustus character, yearns for something he does not know, even though it appears he knows everything. In an attempt for human connection, he quickly offends the young man who happens to be in the inn with him, and an unexpected turn of events occur.

In Love, we see Lulu, a masked man and a third man. Lulu, perhaps a bit promiscuous, has been stringing the third man along, most likely for convenience, and she is in love with the masked man, who’s lack of commitment is obvious. It’s as if the mask represents a human part of the masked man that’s missing. The scene ends with the masked man leaving once again, and the third man copulating with an indifferent Lulu.

Hope is a Chekhovian-inspired scene that reveals two ex lovers, Ikonija and Konstantine, who have not seen each other in years. It’s clear that they still love each other, and therefore have hope, but there has been too much distance, in space and in years, to continue their love.

Sin deals with a demon, Sheytan and a nun. The manipulation that Sheytan uses throughout the scene is reminiscent of Richard III and the Marquis de Sade. Eventually, the nun, who is having doubts regarding her position, and feels pity for this “caged beast”, gives in to his demands and with a single kiss, Sheytan dies in peace.