As It Is in Heaven

The Swedish box office hit As It Is in Heaven, directed by Kay Pollak, tells the stroy of Daniel, an internationally renowned conductor who, feeling burnt-out by long-lasting tensions that the life of a brilliant musician carries with itself, returns to the place of his birth, searching for peace and isolation. Just when he is about to find those things the conductor of a local church choir asks him for his help in working with amateur singers. Daniel accepts the offer that will change his life in ways he never could have imagined. Through working with him the choir begins to progress and grow but the newly found freedom of its members and their attempts to ''find their own voice'' doesn't suit everyone, least of all the pastor, who, in such behaviour, sees a threat to the established values and order. As It Is in Heaven, which will be directed by Rene Medvešek, is a story of unity and creation of a homogenous group of people/performers from seemingly quite different individuals (some of them include the victim of family violence, a young man with special needs, the pastors' wife, a weighty loner, a girl suspected of promiscuity...). This is also a story about how music, and art in general, can transform people, can heal them, a story about the need to express oneself, about the silence and listening. ''I've just come here to listen'', says Daniel to his singers, reminding them of one forgotten value in these cacophonous and sometimes noisy times...

''Medvešek boldly chose to speak about faith in people, not institutions. As It Is in Heaven is neither a propagandist, nor a preaching production. On the contrary, this is theatre at its most glittering form of accepting the weight and the unpredictability of human encounters, which leave no one the same after the play ends. (...) And literally all cast members gave brilliant performances in Gavella's newest premiere.'' (Nataša Govedić, Novi list)

''Gavella's entire ensemble heals and questions itself with this play, as well as preparing themselves for new challenges, unexpected in our small town. (...) The audience has already rated this production highly and there are no seats available in the house on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. (...) To confront a medium, in this case a film, so burdened and empowered by attractions, to the theatre and leave the theatre just to the actor and the viewer is an act of civic bravery, as well as Medvešek's and Mihanović's belief in the essence of theatre.'' (Želimir Ciglar, Vijenac)

''Rene Medvešek guided the actors to the peak of their interpretative powers harmonizing that creative effort into the unity of a stage event. The painstaking search followed by the finding of one's true voice shows us the gradual and nuanced changes in the characters' personalities and, at the same time, reveal the fascinating actors' achievements. In this way a truly great production is created. It is layered in meaning, ranging from finding the true voice of one's freedom, identity and artistic ideas to the importance of solidarity in gaining freedom and humanity. However, As It Is in Heaven is not just another great production by Rene Medvešek, his associates and Gavella Theatre's ensemble, but also an extremely important event in the significance it gives to the act of listening to oneself and the others around you, which is a rare thing.'' (Tomislav Kurelec, Kazalište.hr)

''Supported by a few choir members, Gavella's actors sound authentic and Dijana Vidušin's solo towards the end of Act I takes singing into the realm of perfection. (...) The main protagonist, the conductor Daniel Dareus, who gives up his world-renowned career because of heart problems and retires to the Swedish countryside, is measuredly and timidly portrayed by Ozren Grabarić in the form of an introverted artist. The intesity of his performance rises and falls in regular amplitudes, depending on whether he portrays him as a musician or a private person. Darko Milas is equally impressive in the role of pastor Stig, who because of his rigid, backward-looking religious beliefs comes into conflict with Daniel. Milas accurately portrays the priest, with the right dose of typical sacral dramaticism. His wife Inger is inspiredly portrayed by Slavica Knežević. She managed to breathe into the role a lot more warmth and care than the actress who originally played that role. We were caught off-guard the most by Hrvoje Klobučar in the role of Conny, the local bully and the abuser of women. Although we mostly see him in the roles of romantic heroes, Klobučar was up to the task and his performance was an ice-cold and a persuasive one.'' (Mia Mitrović, 24express)

''The actors did a brilliant job. The superb Ozren Grabarić, as the leader of the team, is followed by the rest: the proverbially good and convincing trio, Siniša Ružić (Holmfrid), Sven Šestak (Arne) and Nenad Cvetko (Erik), as well as Slavica Knežević (Inger), Dijana Vidušin (Gabriella), Antonija Stanišić Šperanda (Florence) and Ana Kvrgić (Siv). Igor Kovač is brilliant in the role of Tore, a feeble-minded man who joins the choir on Dareus's insistance.'' (Mihovil Švigir, Playboy)