Dialogues: an artistic residency in Slovenia

“Maybe we discover it is not even possible.” The two of us stand in the middle of the theatre room looking at each other. Then we shrug our shoulders and… Play again, for nobody else than the white wall.

This April, I was in Ljubljana to visit Slovenian improviser Juš Milčinski. Thanks to an EU grant from Culture Moves, I had the opportunity to participate in an artistic residency with him.

In this project called Dialogues, we explored a creative fusion of movie dialogues and improvised theatre. In this show format, we combine unscripted scenes, a variety of monologues, audio recording of a movie dialogue, and audience input. All of this with the intention to create a show that looks and feels different than ‘a usual improv show’.

And this is also where the challenge lies: to discover what is different, but still stage worthy (and not just artists being artsy for the sake of art).

After a few days of brainstorming, rehearsing, recording ourselves, reflecting, editing audio, watching movies, taking notes and designing the show, we were ready for the premiere.

Our performance at IGLU Theatre was a delight to do. And afterwards, we learned that it was well received, with the audience sharing how they enjoyed the different pace and innovative approach. But that they also had some big laughs.

The experience gave us many exciting ideas to further develop this format, and we’re hoping to bring Dialogues to other places in the next season.

I loved that having an artistic residency gave Juš and myself the opportunity to dive deeper into the creative process, without knowing what comes out on the other end. To explore freely, even if it means discovering something isn’t possible.

Maybe, just maybe, that is what making art is.