Novi Sad’s Ship Theater soon in operation – cultural center sails along Vojvodina’s rivers

People in the Novi Sad-based shipyard are intensively working on reconstruction of the ship that will be sailing up and down the navigable waterways of Vojvodina. Intercultural center Brod (Ship), the Students’ Cultural Center of Novi Sad and the Capital Investments Fund of AP Vojvodina have invested in the project whose realization will make it possible for the Ship Theater to sail from Amsterdam to Deronj as well.

The tender for refurbishment of the ship was announced at the end of the last year, and Novi Sad-based "I company" won on that tender. This company is now intensively working on enabling multifunctional use of the ship. Ratko Radivojević, director, actor, and the creator of the idea of Ship Theater, speaks about innovations on the ship.

- In addition to the stage where plays will be presented, there will also be a wonderful space for exhibitions, and our idea is, also, to organize literary nights, concerts and workshops on the ship. We have already organized certain exhibitions and concerts, so that the audience in small towns in Vojvodina enjoyed themselves and had the opportunity to watch the all-night programme. Once the ship is completed, we will be, really, much more equipped. The ship will have a stage that will be used 365 days a year, and that is the real thing because we will get another theatrical stage in that way – Radivojević points out.

The deadline for completion of works and refurbishment of the ship is the end of July 2009, and that is the time when the Ship Theater’s team moved along the navigable waterways of Vojvodina in the last few seasons.

Author Đorđe Pisarev is writing a new play for the forthcoming season, and Radivojević points out that, in addition to the fact that they will now be able to sail through Europe, the Ship Theater will always fulfill its most important mission – presentation of plays in every place in Vojvodina where they can dock and cast anchor.