Ships

Première 8. 8. 2025, Park Pečno, Kanal

Running time 1 hour and 25 minutes, no intermission.

As the performance takes place in the forest, we recommend suitable outdoor clothing and footwear.

In the event of rain, the performance will be cancelled.

Director Mojca Madon

Set designers Mojca Madon, Andrej Vrhovnik

Costume designer Andrej Vrhovnik

Composer Luka Ipavec

Sound designer Jure Mavrič

Dramaturgy consultant Jernej Poročan

Cast Anuša Kodelja, Marjuta Slamič, Nejc Cijan Garlatti, Mojca Madon

The production Ships would not have been possible without the community that helped shape it in a variety of ways. A special thank you for the "wind in our sails" goes to the Kanal Institute for Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sport; the Slovene National Theatre Nova Gorica; the Kontrada Kanal Theatre Society; and to Jožef Kodelja, Doroteja Kodelja, Tanja Lemut, Miroslav Madon, Anica Madon, Silvester Jakopič, Jasmina Jakopič, Maja Simoneti, Anka Garlatti, Egon Cijan, Polonca Cijan, Matevž Cijan, Ines Cijan, Ivan Jederlinič, Tatjana Kolenc, Sašo Štih, Medea Novak, Bojan Perše, Barbara Fajdiga Perše, Klemen Korbar, Neža Perše, Matija Perše, Lea Korbar, Ivan Križnič, Irena Križnič, Nika Šimac, Peter Mignozzi, Nada Likar Lazovski, Dragi Lazovski, Barbara Mlinar, Lijana Jurečič, Primož Kožuh, Matejka Bucik, and Gorazd Ipavec.

Ships is an authorial theatre performance based on true stories of Slovenian emigrants, especially those who left for Australia and Argentina in different historical periods. It is based on the experiences of people who left their homes because of economic hardship, political pressure, and fear of military service, and who set out on an uncertain journey through forests, across borders, and over oceans. The performance explores the idea of home and how identity and a sense of belonging are formed. It focuses on the moment of decision to leave—often a one-way journey—across a border, to another continent, to the other side of the world, as well as on the moment of farewell, trying to understand the outer and inner reasons for leaving home.

The text combines quotes from the book Between Happiness and Freedom by Breda Čebulj-Sajko with the stories of those who left and those who stayed. The performance includes quoted narratives from the book by Marta Obleščak, Andrej Obleščak, Pavla Gruden, Vinko Ovijač, Bill Marinič, and Frido Mavko.