Anhovo

Première 28. 5. 2025
Veliki oder SNG Nova Gorica

Running time 3 hours 40 minutes, with one intermission.
Surtitles: English
Post-performance discussion with the artists.

Director Žiga Divjak

Authors of text Žiga Divjak, Katarina Morano

Dramaturg Katarina Morano

Expert consultants Jasmina Jerant, Monika Weiss

Language consultant Anja Pišot

Set designer Igor Vasiljev

Costume designer Tina Pavlović

Composer Blaž Gracar

Lighting designer Aleksandar Čavlek

Sound designer Vladimir Hmeljak

Assistant set designer Katarina Prislan

Cast

Iztok Drabik Jug as guest, Ana Facchini, Lara Fortuna, Miha Nemec, Ivana Percan Kodarin, Urška Taufer, Marjuta Slamič, Timon Šturbej as guest

We would like to thank: Association Društvo EKO Anhovo in dolina Soče, Bogomir and Slavka Bavdaž, Helena Markič, dr. Metoda Dodič Fikfak, Milovan Bertoto, Lilijana Pulec, Branko Skok, dr. Nevenka Mlinar, dr. Nada Merljak, Zlatko Kumar, Anja Medved, Sabina Maver, Mojca Dumančič, and everyone who shared their stories with us.

In the wider region surrounding us, it would be hard to find a place that saw the magical promise of industrialisation and progress morph into its opposite more painfully. What had enthusiastically provided the daily bread later turned out to be poison. A single asbestos fibre is enough to make a person sick. It has taken many lives and decades after being banned it continues to take them. The valley paid dearly for those breadcrumbs, but the story of Anhovo, tragic as it is, does not end with the production of asbestos roofing. In the 1990s, it was replaced by the production of, also cancerogenic, styrene. Soon, the co-incinerating of toxic waste entered, as well as extensive digging of ore from the local quarry and unregulated water distribution system into which water, poisoned with heavy metals, recently broke. But Anhovo is not only a story of the many facets of ecologic destruction and the rule of the capital over people's health. It is also a story of resistance, courage, resilience, solidarity and persistence.