The Montenegrin National Theatre

José Saramago

Death with Interruptions

Text adaptation: Kata Đarmati

Direction and the work on dramatization: Lidija Dedović

Dramaturgy: Stela Mišković

Music: Irena Popović Dragović

Scenography: Branko Hojnik

Light Design and Assistant Scenographer: Lina Leković

Stage movement: Gregor Luštek

Cast: Nada Vukčević, Dejan Ivanić, Ana Vučković, Julija Milačić Petrović Njegoš, Jadranka Mamić, Nikola Perišić, Omar Bajramspahić, Lazar Dragojević, Marija  Mitrović, Mladen Nikčević, Predrag Pavićević

The plot of the novel Death with interruptions (Death at intervals) by Jose Saramago is set in an unnamed state. This is the  place where the immortality begins.   There, death stops working as it didn’t succeed in killing a man whose turn was to die. The man is an artist and the unnamed state can be any state in the world nowadays because each and every one of them suffers its own kind of  apocalypse. This is why the play can be understood as describing this particular  state and the state in world generally, that is gradually becoming more and more alarming. Where there is no death, there are no rules. The borders and restraints of any kind are nonexistent and the world is coming down on us. Consequently, the transgression becomes the only salvation. This brilliant, multitalented and witty writer takes an unbelievable circumstance and that is the immortality of a nation for the basis of his story. This circumstance, however, calls for an authentic confrontation with the harsh reality. It highlights and dissects clearly the anomalies of  society, individuals and the world in general. Is it possible that the whole world is behaving like its immortal and all-powerful? Is it normal that neither consciousness nor fear or morals serve as an admonishment any more. Although Saramago wrote this novel in 2005, the heart of his authentic story together with events in it and attitudes of the characters beats fast and unfortunately accurately speaks the truth about the society nowadays