An existential crisis on stage
- Music
- Theatre
Jovan Smilda is graduating from the bachelor's programme in Music Theatre at ArtEZ Academy of Music in Arnhem. His work blurs the boundaries between performer, creator, director and musician. He creates music theatre productions in which he is involved in every stage of the process, from conception to performance. His artistic style is characterised by absurdist, language-driven music theatre.
“I don't want to choose between writing, directing and performing. I want to do it all,” says Jovan. This vision comes together in his latest production, Alles Over Hoop, in which he is both director and performer. “It all depends on the music. That’s really the musical dramaturgy.” It is the story embedded in the music that propels the narrative forward.
An absurdist setting
Jovan explores the emotional inaccessibility of men, translated into an absurdist setting. Alles Over Hoop is an existential crisis on stage, where music is the most essential force and player. The piece also marks the debut of music theatre group OVERHOOP, of which Jovan is the frontman. He plays with the boundaries between disciplines: “Am I making music theatre, or music and theatre? Are we creating scenes and songs, or are the scenes the songs?”
Room for process
During his internship at NITE — the National Interdisciplinary Theatre Ensemble in Groningen — this approach was reinforced. “We toured with a show that wasn’t finished, and shared fragments with the audience. Afterwards, we talked to them: ‘This could be what it becomes’.” He recognises that method from his studies too. “It’s more interesting to look at the steps you’ve taken, rather than just say: ‘Here’s a finished performance’.”
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