SLG Celje - The Famous Goat Trial of Višnja Gora

Josip Jurčič (1844-1881), a Slovenian writer, storyteller and journalist was born into a poor peasant family. His maternal grandfather, Jože Jankovič, roused his interest in literature and storytelling. He used to tell him fairy tales and fables of Slovenian folklore featuring witches and ghosts, stories from the time of the Turkish raids, about smugglers and contrabandists, and about the monks of the Stična Cistercian monastery, thus stirring his grandson's imagination and prompting his literary development.
One afternoon in a forest, Lukež Drnulja is secretly gathering leaves for his goat Lisec. Meanwhile, the goat escapes from the confines of his own home, and the dogs and children who are always pestering him, and hides behind the garden fence of Andraž Slamorezec. The goat’s alleged intrusion into the beautiful vegetable garden sparks a quarrel between Drnulja and Slamorezec, leading to the famous goal trial. The ensuing and complicated lawsuit instigates a conflict between the villagers and divides them into two camps – those for and against the goat. In the courtroom, the secrets of the townspeople are gradually uncovered, as well as many other resentments and feuds that affect their relations.
The satirical humorous tale of The Famous Goat Trial of Višnja Gora explores in a very witty way small community relations, bribery, feuds, conniving and self-interest. It penetrates to the very core of individual characters and the dynamics of a close-knit community. This makes it relevant even today, since human foolishness, narrow-mindedness and delusions have not changed to this day. Jurčič truly erected a monument to human stupidity, arrogance, narrow-mindedness and primal vindictiveness. Nonetheless, he managed to portray human flaws in an amusing and positive tone, so that the story of human shortcomings makes us laugh and feel good. Even today, in disputes, people are often too quick to seek justice in court. A frank conversation, good humour, a desire to maintain good relations with friends, relatives or neighbours would save them a lot of money, time and trouble if they could only listen to their fellow human beings. In arguments and misunderstandings, one should talk, not sue.
The new stage adaptation of this fine tale from ancient history deals with the reconstruction of memory and a story, being constantly changed and turned upside down, presenting the same event from different angles, as new scraps of information keep transpiring. What is a lie and what is a truth? Who is one to believe if everyone is lying? The courtroom thus becomes a theatre, a circus and a cabaret, in which the “wise men” of Višnja gora present their views. What if the goat himself stepped forward and told his side of the story?

Human foolishness, narrow-mindedness and delusions have not changed to this day.

Stage adaptation by Tatjana Doma, Luka Marcen
Songwriter Saša Eržen
Director Luka Marcen
Dramaturg Tatjana Doma
Set Designer Sara Slivnik
Costume Designer Ana Janc
Composer and Vocal Coach Mitja Vrhovnik Smrekar
Choreographer Aja Zupanec
Lighting Designer Andrej Hajdinjak
Language Consultants Jože Volk, Živa Čebulj
Assistant to Choreographer Lara Ekar Grlj
Designer and Manufacturer of goat heads Gregor Lorenci

Cast
Pavla Zaropotala, the mayor of Višnja gora Barbara Medvešček
Lukež Drnulja, night guard Urban Kuntarič
Andraž Slamorezec, town counsellor Filip Mramor, as guest/Damjan M. Trbovc
Žužnjal, town elder David Čeh
Gobežalka, town elder Tanja Potočnik
Flere Krivostegno, bailiff Žan Brelih Hatunić

Opening 7 October 2021
Performance duration: 1 hour 10 minutes. No interval.

Stage Manager Zvezdana Kroflič Štrakl • Prompters Breda Dekleva/Simona Krošl • Lighting Master Jernej Repinšek • Sound Master Mitja Švener • Property Master Manja Vadla • Front-of-house Alen Đudarić • Make-up Artists Marjana Sumrak, Andreja Veselak Pavlič • Wardrobe Masters Melita Trojar, Mojca Panič • Tailor Marija Žibret • Seamstress Ivica Vodovnik • Head of Construction Gregor Prah • Assistant Technical Manager Rajnhold Jelen • Technical Manager Aleksandra Štern

Tanja Potočnik, Žan Brelih Hatunić, Barbara Medvešček, David Čeh, Urban Kuntarič, Filip Mramor
Žan Brelih Hatunić, Barbara Medvešček
Tanja Potočnik, Filip Mramor, Urban Kuntarič, Žan Brelih Hatunić, Barbara Medvešček, David Čeh
Tanja Potočnik, Filip Mramor, Žan Brelih Hatunić, Barbara Medvešček, David Čeh, Urban Kuntarič
Filip Mramor, Urban Kuntarič, Barbara Medvešček, Žan Brelih Hatunić
Barbara Medvešček, Žan Brelih Hatunić, David Čeh, Tanja Potočnik, Filip Mramor, Urban Kuntarič
Urban Kuntarič
Barbara Medvešček, Urban Kuntarič
Barbara Medvešček, Urban Kuntarič, Žan Brelih Hatunić, Filip Mramor
Urban Kuntarič, Tanja Potočnik, Barbara Medvešček, David Čeh, Žan Brelih Hatunić, Filip Mramor
Tanja Potočnok, Žan Brelih Hatunić, Barbara Medvešček
Žan Brelih Hatunić, Barbara Medvešček, David Čeh
Žan Brelih Hatunić, Barbara Medvešček, Filip Mramor, David Čeh
Urban Kuntarič, Barbara Medvešček, Tanja Potočnik, Žan Brelih Hatunić, David Čeh
Urban Kuntarič, Tanja Potočnik, Žan Brelih Hatunić, Filip Mramor, Barbara Medvešček, David Čeh
Tanja Potočnik, Urban Kuntarič, Žan Brelih Hatunić, Barbara Medvešček, David Čeh
Tanja Potočnik, Urban Kuntarič, Žan Brelih Hatunić, Barbara Medvešček, David Čeh
Žan Brelih Hatunić, Urban Kuntarič, David Čeh, Filip Mramor, Tanja Potočnik, Barbara Medvešček
Urban Kuntarič, Žan Brelih Hatunić, David Čeh, Tanja Potočnik, Barbara Medvešček, Filip Mramor
Urban Kuntarič, Žan Brelih Hatunić, David Čeh, Filip Mramor, Barbara Medvešček, Tanja Potočnik
Urban Kuntarič, David Čeh, Barbara Medvešček, Filip Mramor, Žan Brelih Hatunić, Tanja Potočnik
Urban Kuntarič, David Čeh, Filip Mramor, Žan Brelih Hatunić, Barbara Medvešček, Tanja Potočnik
Filip Mramor, Urban Kuntarič, David Čeh, Barbara Medvešček, Žan Brelih Hatunić, Tanja Potočnik
Žan Brelih Hatunić, Tanja Potočnik, Urban Kuntarič
Filip Mramor, Barbara Medvešček, David Čeh, Žan Brelih Hatunić, Urban Kuntarič, Tanja Potočnik
Urban Kuntarič, Filip Mramor
Filip Mramor, Barbara Medvešček, Urban Kuntarič, Tanja Potočnik, Žan Brelih Hatunić, David Čeh
Barbara Medvešček, Filip Mramor, Žan Brelih Hatunić, Tanja Potočnik, David Čeh
Barbara Medvešček, Žan Brelih Hatunić, Tanja Potočnik, David Čeh, Filip Mramor
David Čeh, Žan Brelih Hatunić, Filip Mramor, Barbara Medvešček, Tanja Potočnik, Urban Kuntarič
Žan Brelih Hatunić, David Čeh, Urban Kuntarič, Tanja Potočnik, Barbara Medvešček, Filip Mramor
Urban Kuntarič, David Čeh, Barbara Medvešček, Žan Brelih Hatunić, Filip Mramor, Tanja Potočnik
Tanja Potočnik, Barbara Medvešček, Žan Brelih Hatunić, David Čeh
Žan Brelih Hatunić, Tanja Potočnik, Urban Kuntarič, Filip Mramor, Barbara Medvešček, David Čeh
Tanja Potočnik, Urban Kuntarič, Žan Brelih Hatunić, Barbara Medvešček, David Čeh, Filip Mramor

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