The Theatre’s Festival Activity
The Goriška Small Stages Festival (Goriško srečanje malih odrov), held between 1972 and 1984, represents both the beginning and the most prominent realization of festival activity at the Nova Gorica theatre. After the Borštnik Theatre Festival in Maribor and the Week of Slovenian Drama in Kranj, it was the third Slovenian theatre festival, but also the first with an international character.
The festival emerged during a period of experimental practices and was itself devoted to new theatrical directions. However, this orientation raised certain concerns already in its early years, due to the ambiguity of the concept of experimentation and differing interpretations of the term “small stage.” Over its thirteen editions, the festival went through several phases and leadership strategies. At its founding, the festival was shaped and affirmed by its then director Jože Babič, who also led the recently professionalised theatre. After his departure, the festival was guided by a new leadership—director Sergij Pelhan and artistic director Janez Povše. Between 1975 and 1979, a professional festival council was established, tasked with providing final critical reflection. Later, Povše was succeeded as programme director by Marjan Bevk and subsequently Emil Aberšek, and the festival gradually evolved toward a competitive format with a selection process and professional jury.
With its renaming to the Alpe–Adria Theatre Meeting in 1985, a new (also conceptual) chapter of the festival began. However, it lasted for only six editions and, after a one-year break, concluded in 1991.
The idea of cross-border cooperation had already been partially realised in the late 1970s through staging performances in venues across the border. Although interest from Italian audiences—and later from Italian regional authorities in the renewed festival concept—remained limited, the idea was not abandoned after 1991. A renewed attempt took place in 2004, when, at the time of Slovenia’s accession to the European Union, the international theatre festival Mej(ni) fest was organised by SNG Nova Gorica.
Avtor: Ana Perne