| 55 SVETISLAV “BULE” GONCIĆ: I’MREALLY DEVILISH We will be able to watch Svetislav “Bule” Goncić in the title role of ‘Broadway Devildom’ – a Serbian adaptation of the show The Drowsy Chaperone, the premiere performance of which opens the new season this October. He also simultaneously remains unsurpassed as Daphne in the oldest play on the repertoire. That’s because the musical Some Like It Hot will commemorate the 30th anniversary of its premiere performance at Terazije on 27th December, and Rade Marjanović and Bule Goncić have starred in it from the very beginning. One of the shows that has marked your career, but also Terazije Theatre’s repertoire, is certainly Some Like It Hot. Have you grown bored of Daphne and do you recall what it looked like in the beginning when you first had to step into the shoes of Jack Lemon? “I’m eternally grateful to Soja Jovanovic for giving me a chance to perform for her. We initially weren’t aware of what we’d made, so we were extremely happy when the premiere exploded in 1990. That happiness exists to this day, many years and almost 500 performances later. But the relationship has evolved over time. Happiness has turned into life, enduring, theatrical ritual, dancing with the audience... Now, like the audience, I’m just infinitely grateful to be part of a story that began as a show, but which endures like Soja’s spirit.” You are awaited by another major role in a new play. What can we expect from Broadway Devildom, will there be devilishness? “Great stories demand top performers. I’m glad to see that the young generation of enthusiastic artists has come of age on stage, and is infected with the musical. Broadway Devildom is just that, devildom on stage which, if not performed professionally, won’t be devildom. That’s why it’s difficult. I have my place in that story; I’m really devilish.” What would you say to travellers arriving in New York; why is Broadway a must? “I’ve had the opportunity to watch Broadway musicals, but also dramatic performances on Broadway, on several occasions. It’s a spectacular experience. The halls are huge compared to ours, the production top quality. This mustn’t be missed. I would single out, for example, Victor/Victoria with Julie Andrews in the title role, like in the film version. Fantastic” I watched George C. Scott in a drama theatre. Really exceptional. If you go to New York you mustn’t bypass Broadway. But if you’re in Belgrade, you have Terazije. That’s that. The difference is geographical. The love is the same. Enjoy!” Circumstances combined in several ways to positively influence the emergence of the genre of musicals precisely in America: a young nation that created various cultural forms, a great propensity for music benefiting from the most diverse traditions of immigrants, the non-existence of any distinction between lower and higher culture... When it emerged at the end of the 19th century, the term“musical”wasn’t used, rather the forms out of which the musical as we know it today would emerge: burlesque, operetta, extravaganza, comic opera, spectacle. Testifying to the great impact of jazz and cabaret - as a dramaturgical form - on the development of the musical genre are the composers whose works became classics in the sphere of musicals: Gershwin (An American in Paris), Cole Porter (Kiss Me, Kate), Leonard Bernstein (West Side Story). The last two titles were also performed successfully on the stage of Terazije Theatre - Kiss Me, Kate actually on two occasions (1969 and 2002). Then came the‘80s, andwhat proved to be a trend back then, and still exists today, are shows with an emphasis on technological and visual innovations, expensive technical and design demands, and tricks that overpower the senses (Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Phantom of the Opera). In recent years, Terazije Theatre has succeeded in competing for two major titles that have only reinforced its position as a theatre that’s capable of responding in every way to the challenges of the most complex productions – Mamma Mia! and The Phantom of the Opera. However, the difference between our theatre and Broadway is insurmountable when it comes to the level of commercialisation. According to reports of the Association of Thea-
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