The Comet

The Comet’s introductory description of the scene suggests serenity: "Village meadow and a big staked apple tree in the background. Blue skies. Midsummer. Noon. Sun. Heat. We can suspect mosquitoes and hear crickets." However, it soon becomes clear that we are about to watch something completely different, scenes of “breathless, gasping, agitated, restless pace" in many ways close to, for instance, Von Trier’s Melancholia. "I want my life to be happy!" Elisabeth shouts to the sky, and so do the other characters of this tragicomedy (Vera: "It has to be a wish that can come true. I want money!"), because all the wishes are shouted skywards, in the direction of the comet, which is "gigantic, almost dangerous." Beneath the humour and the apparent lightness of being, lies a collective cry for happiness, and the dramatic process by which del Corte dissolves it offers actors ample opportunities to shape their characters in many layers and to interplay with each other and the audience. As a matter of fact, by reconstructing a wedding of a decade ago, The Comet uses the model of "theatre within the theatre", which becomes "reality within reality". Here again the main source of pain and anxiety are feelings, so the author, not without irony by which she usually coats the lines uttered by her characters, notes: "Great philosophers have agreed that feelings bring only suffering and misery to people." Directed by Aida Bukvic, whose best works were acting performances, The Comet toys with the optimism of memory, mixing joy and sorrow, the past and the present, reality and fiction.

‘’An extraordinary text by the Mexican-German author Justine del Corte. Directed by Aida Bukvić the play skilfully meanders between ironic quips, humour and profound monologues. (...) The director managed to pick up the threads of the play and the plot. She also casted brilliant actors, who portrayed their roles so naturally and unobtrusively, while the emotions they displayed on stage turned the evening into a fresh and authentic roundabout of events. Sincere praise goes to Nela Kocsis, Živko Anočić and Antonija Stanišić Šperanda for their performances, but honestly, credit must go to the entire cast for such a spring evening in the theatre. The audience were as one with the characters in their pursuit of happiness.’’ (Kristina Keglje, 24express)