by Nikola Stanishic
photo: Stefan Zdraveski
On the fourth day of the 29th Art Trema Fest, the play Four Sisters was performed, produced by the Banja Luka Student Theatre and directed by Aleksandar Pejaković. The performance begins with a strong and socially provocative premise: four sisters living in the same household who, in the national census, declare themselves as belonging to different ethnic identities. This concept carries the potential for a serious social commentary on contemporary Bosnia and Herzegovina, identity, and family dynamics. However, a significant gap remains between the idea and its realization — one the performance fails to bridge.
The use of fragments from various authors and personal experiences could function as a powerful stage device, yet without clear dramaturgical structure, these fragments remain scattered and fail to form a cohesive whole. The actresses (Milica Petković, Anastasija Vidović, Nikolina Bilandžija, Natalija Medojević) frequently step out of their roles to explain time periods or previous events to the audience. This comes across as an attempt to compensate for the lack of a clear narrative line. Instead of dramatic development, the audience is given explanations, which disrupts the flow and reduces the theatrical experience to mere illustration.
Particularly problematic is the character of the student tenant (Nikola Radivojac), who spends nearly half an hour sitting on stage reading a book without any apparent function, only to reappear near the end as a representative of the Ministry of Culture, creating a sudden twist. This solution undermines the internal logic of the performance, as it is neither prepared nor convincingly justified, leaving the ending more confusing than meaningful.
During the performance, offstage incidents occurred without any response from the ensemble, despite the fact that the fourth wall had been broken at the beginning and communication with the audience established. This inconsistency weakens the performance, allowing events outside the stage to overshadow those happening on it. The decision to stage the play in the round further complicates matters, as it requires high precision; at one point, however, the action effectively closes off and is played toward a single side, revealing an underdeveloped concept.
Violence in the performance occasionally emerges organically from the situation and feels realistic, but at times it becomes exaggerated in an effort to reach a climax. A similar issue appears in the segment depicting an acting entrance exam, which lacks a clear purpose and does not influence the course of the narrative. Four Sisters is ultimately too ambitious for an ensemble still searching for a stable artistic voice. A clearer text, more precise dramaturgy, and a reduction of directorial demands would be key steps toward achieving a more coherent and impactful performance.
FOUR SISTERS
Director: Aleksandar Pejaković
Cast: Milica Petković, Anastasija Vidović, Nikolina Bilandzija, Natalija Medojević, and Nikola Radivojac
Banja Luka Student Theatre
The “Criticism” Programme is an initiative by Spam Studios, developed in partnership with Art Trema Fest as part of its 29th edition, and carried out with the financial support of the “Culture for Democracy” programme of the Swiss Embassy and the Hartefakt Fund in Serbia.
