Siddhesh Joshi (Editor)

Jeton Neziraj

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Name
  
Jeton Neziraj

Role
  
Playwright

Books
  
Speckled blue eye


Jeton Neziraj Jeton Neziraj

Jeton Neziraj (ENG)


Jeton Neziraj is a playwright from Kosovo. He was the Artistic Director of the National Theatre of Kosovo and now he is the Director of Qendra Multimedia, a cultural production company based in Prishtina.

Contents

Background

He has written over 15 plays that have been staged and performed in Europe as well as in the USA. His plays and his writings have been translated and published in more than 10 languages, such as: German, English, French, Italian, Slovak, Macedonian, Slovenian, Croat, Romanian, Bosnian, Spanish, Turkish, Bulgarian, Serbian etc. His play, "Liza is sleeping" won the first prize in a national competition for Albanian plays, organised by the Publishing House, "Buzuku" and it had its premiere in the National Theatre of Kosovo in 2007. He has written several screenplays, which have been produced in Kosovo. He wrote the screenplay for the feature film "Donkeys of the Border", that had its premiere in October 2010 and since then has been shown at various international festivals.

Neziraj is the author of many articles on cultural and political issues, published in local and international magazines and journals. He is also the author of various books, including a book on the famous Kosovar actor Faruk Begolli. Neziraj is the founder and the director of Qendra Multimedia, a cultural production company based in Pristina. Neziraj was Professor of Dramaturgy at the Faculty of Arts at the University of Pristina during the year 2007-2008. He has given speeches and has run theater workshops at several festivals, conferences and universities throughout the world.

As a playwright, he has worked with theatres and companies such as: Volkstheater (Vienna, Austria), National Theater of Wales (Cardiff, Wales), National Theater of Montenegro, Luzerner Theater, the National Theatre of Kosovo (Pristina), the National Theatre of Macedonia (Bitola), Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden (Wiesbaden, Germany), Luzerner Theater (Luzern, Switzerland), International Theatre Festival MESS (Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina), Bitef Theater (Belgrade, Serbia), the Albanian Drama Theatre (Skopje, Macedonia), Teater de Vill (Stockholm, Sweden), The Internationalists (New York - USA), Markus Zohner Theater Company (Lugano, Switzerland), L'Espace d'un instant (Paris, France), Gare au Théâtre (Paris, France), the Oda Theatre (Pristina), Geral W. Lynch Theater (New York, USA), theater nomad (London, UK), Yale Drama Coalition (New haven, USA), Dodona Theatre (Pristina), etc.

Neziraj's plays have been performed in many important theatre festivals in Europe, including: Festival Internazionale del Teatro - Lugano, International Theater Festival "Protected territory" - Slovakia, MESS Sarajevo, Desire Festival - Novi Sad, VIE FESTIVAL - Modena, euro-scene - Leipzig, Die Besten aus dem Osten - Vienna, EX PONTO: International Performing Arts Festival - Lubljana, Zoom Festival - Rijeka, Experimental Theatre Festival Shanghai, etc.

He is member of the European Cultural Parliament and Kosovo coordinator of the EURODRAM network. He was board member of Dokufest (Prizren), and Kosovo patron for the New Plays from Europe Festival in Wiesbaden.

***** ****** ***** *****

“Kafka from the Balkan” – Theater der Zeit - December 2016

"For Jeton Neziraj, not only Kosovo but the entire world is a madhouse. With loving mockery, he looks through the bars at the people inside" (Wolfgang Kralicek, theatre critic, Vienna)

"In his theatre, humour and comedy are phenomenal weapons destroying national clichés and conventions” (Anna Maria Monteverdi, La Republica)

“Jeton Neziraj’s plays are inspired by Rock’n’Roll, political cabaret and the brazenness of William Shakespeare. More than 20 plays he has written until now. Lots of them were translated and performed in Europe and the USA. In Turkey he is a well known author. […] Some of his plays are inspired by famous films or theater plays – like “Peer Gynt from Kosovo”. Others make you laugh just because of their titles… […] Actually, his art disgruntles some people this much, that his latest premiere had to be staged under police protection even in Kosovo.” – Der Spiegel, Germany (June 2017)

***** ****** ***** *****

Awards

With his play "Lisa is sleeping" he won the first prize at "Buzuku" competition for the best Albanian Play in 2006. He is the 2011 winner of the INPO prize for “Accelerating the debate". His play "One Flew Over the Kosovo Theater" won the Special Award at the 8th edition of the JoakimInterFest (2013). Motivation of the international Jury was: "brave and non compromise play". He won the prize for the "Best play" in the National Drama Festival in Ferizaj, 2016, for the play "A theater play with four actors...".

2017–2018

  • "PATRIOTIC HYPERMARKET" - Théâtre de l’Opprimé // Théâtre national de Syldavie / Maison d’Europe et D’Orient - Paris (2017)
  • "55 SHADES OF GAY" - Qendra Multimedia (2017)
  • "PEER GYNT FROM KOSOVO" - Qendra Multimedia (2017)
  • "THE WINDMILLS" ["Die Windmühlen"] - Theater Heilbronn (2017)
  • "BORDEL BALKAN" - National Theater of Kosovo (2017)
  • 2015–2016

  • "CARLA DEL PONTE TRINKT IN PRISTINA EINEN VANILLA CHAI LATTE" - Jochen Roller, Berlin, & FFT, Düsseldorf & Qendra Multimedia, Prishtina (2016)
  • "A PLAY WITH FOUR ACTORS AND SOME PIGS AND SOME COWS AND SOME HORSES AND A PRIME MINISTER AND A MILKA COW AND SOME LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL INSPECTORS" - Qendra Multimedia, Prishtina (2016)
  • "LISA IS SLEEPING" ["Lilza UYUYOR"] - Menfi Tiyatro - Istanbul (2016)
  • "YUE MADELEINE YUE" ["Şehir Büyüyor"] - Tiyatro TEMAS - Istanbul (2016)
  • "KOSOVO FOR DUMMIES" - Schlachthaus Theater Bern, Theater Winkelwiese Zürich, Kleintheater Luzern (2015)
  • '"THE BRIDGE"' - Spinning Dot Theatre - Michigan (2015)
  • "WAR IN TIMES OF LOVE" [La Guerre au Temps de l’Amour] - THÉÂTRE DU GRENIER - Bougival / Compagnie GRAINS DE SCÈNE (2015)
  • "o.REST.es IN PEACE" - National Theater of Montenegro (2015)
  • "GENERAL OF THE DEAD ARMY" (adaptation of the Ismail Kadare's novel) - Istanbul Municipal Theater (2015)
  • "WAR IN TIMES OF LOVE" - Qendra Multimedia (2015)
  • 2013–2014

  • "IN PARADISE ARTISTS CAN FLY" - Qendra Multimedia, Prishtina (Kosovo) & Pisa (Italy), 2014
  • "ONE FLEW OVER THE KOSOVO THEATER" [Geçtim Ama Tiyatrodan] - Istanbul State Theater (Istanbul) / 2014
  • "A P ДEПARTAMENT" - Skampa Theater, Elbasan Albanaia & City Theater, Ferizaj, Kosovo & Skampa International Theater Festival / 2014
  • "WAR IN TIMES OF LOVE" [La Guerre au Temps de l'Amour"] - GARE AU THÉÂTRE & TERMOS (Paris, France) / 2014
  • "PEER GYNT FROM KOSOVO" - Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden (Wiesbaden, Germany), Teater de Vill (Stockholm, Sweden), Qendra Multimedia (Prishtina, Kosovo) / 2014
  • "YUE MADELEINE YUE" [“Büyük Şehir”] - Aatiyatro & BO SAHNE (Istanbul, Turkey) / 2014
  • "THE DEMOLITION OF THE EIFFEL TOWER" - Qendra Multimedia (Prishtina, Kosovo) / 2013
  • "YUE MADELEINE YUE" – Luzerner Theater - (Luzern- Switzerland) / 2013
  • THE HUSTLER” – Qendra Multimedia (Prishtina, Kosovo) / 2013
  • THE AROUND THE GLOBE CHAIN PLAY” - Lark Play Development Center / USA 2013 (co-written with: Dominique Morisseau (USA), Bekah Brunstetter (USA), Van Badham (Australia), Mixkaela Villalon (Philippines), Janice Poon (Hong Kong), Abdelrahem Alawji (Lebanon), John Freedman (Russia), Ulrike Syha (Germany), Enver Husicic (Netherlands), Zainabu Jallo (Nigeria), Beatriz Cabur (Spain), Sarah Grochala (UK), Sigtryggur Magnason (Iceland), Noe Morales Munoz (Mexico) and Caridad Svich (USA).
  • 2011–2012

  • "ONE FLEW OVER THE KOSOVO THEATER" - 2012 - Qendra Multimedia, Pristina / National Theater of Kosovo, Pristina / National Theater of Albania, Tirana / CTC, Skopje / CZKD, Belgrade
  • "YUE MADELEINE YUE" - 2012 - Volkstheater - (Vienna- Austria), Qendra Multimedia (Prishtina, Kosovo)
  • "THE BRIDGE" [Die Brücke] - 2012 - Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden (Wiesbaden, Germany)
  • "THE DEMOLITION OF THE IEFFEL TOWER" - 2011 - Gerald W. Lynch Theater – (New York - USA)
  • "THE DEMOLITION OF THE EIFFEL TOWER" –2011 - SARTR Theater - Sarajevo / MESS International Theater Festival – (Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
  • "PATRIOTIC HYPERMARKET" (co-author) – 2011 - Bitef Theater / Kulturanova/ Qendra Multimedia - (Belgrade and Pristina)
  • 2009 - 2010

  • "WAR IN TIMES OF LOVE" – 2010, Yale Drama Coalition (USA)
  • “THE DEMOLITION OF THE EIFFEL TOWER” - 2010, Fabrique Ephéméride (Paris, France)
  • "THE ODYSSEY PROJECT" - 2010 - (co-author with Sebastien Joanniez (France), Sigtryggur Magnason (Iceland), Joel Horwood (England), Ozen Yula (Turkey), Nikolai Khalezin (Belarus) - The Internationalists - (New York - U.S.A)
  • “THE GENERAL OF THE DEAD ARMY” - 2010 - (adaptation of the Ismail Kadare's novel) –Albanian Theatre – (Skopje, Macedonia)
  • “AN AMERICAN TUNE” – 2009 - (co-author) National Theatre of Macedonia (Bitola, Macedonia)
  • 2007–2008

  • "Punch and Judy Murder Love" – (co-author) 2008, Theatre of Prizren (Prizren)
  • "The Bridge" – 2008, Children’s Theatre Center (Skopje, Macedonia)
  • "The Bridge" – 2007, Qendra Multimedia / CCTD (Pristina)
  • "Liza is Sleeping" – 2007 - National Theatre of Kosovo (Pristina)
  • "War in Times of Love" – 2008 - Nomad Theatre (UK)
  • "The Last Supper" – 2007 - Qendra Multimedia & Markus Zohner Theatre Company, (Pristina / Lugano)
  • "Madeleine’s war" – 2007 - Oda Theatre (Pristina)
  • 2005–2006

  • "Aeneas Wounded" – 2006, Qendra Multimedia & 2007 Glej Theatre (Ljubljana, Slovenia)
  • "The Subversive Donkey" – 2006, National Theatre (Gnjilane)
  • "Speckled Blue Eyes" – 2005, Albanian Drama Theatre (Skopje, Macedonia)
  • "Le Roi, Le Clown, L`homme au Fouet et le Barbier" – 2005, Gare au Theatre (Paris, France)
  • "The Longest Winter", 2005, CCTD & OMPF (Pristina)
  • 2002–2004

  • "Forbidden Lesson" – 2004, CCTD & Dodona Theatre (Pristina)
  • "Voyage to Unmikistan" (co-author) 2002, L`espace d'un instant (Pristina / Paris)
  • "The Well" – 2002, City Theater Gjilan
  • Reviews

  • „Postmodern Theatre, Albanians and Serbs“ (Review of "Patriotic Hypermarket"), Balkan Insight, January 12, 2012.
  • "One flew over the Kosovo theatre", Balkan Insight, April 24, 2013.
  • One Flew Over the Kosovo Theater [article in German] - Goethe Institute / [review of: One Flew over the Kosovo Theater]
  • (Sturz-) Flug über den Kosovo / IG Freie Theaterarbait [review of: One Flew over the Kosovo Theater
  • Kuckucksnest Kosovo / Theater Heute [Article in German] [review of: One Flew over the Kosovo Theater]
  • Kosovarische Abgründe und Hoffnungsträger / Der Standard, Vienna / Review of Yue Madeleine Yue
  • Jeton Neziraj and Kosovo War Theatre / [Review in English on One Flew Over the Kosovo Theater - originally published in La Republica, Italy]
  • Il teatro di guerra del Kosovo / [Review in Italian on One Flew Over the Kosovo Theater - La Republica, Italy]
  • Les écritures d'une autre Europe n°7 [Review in French on War in Times of Love and The Demolition of the Eiffel Tower, published in BAT, Paris]
  • Interviews

  • Kosovar Politics and Balkan Theatre [Margarita Russolello interviews Jeton Neziraj / BTS
  • "PRIMITIVISM DOESN’T GET THE ROLE OF ART" / DUSAN KOMARCEVIC interviews Jeton Neziraj / Kosovo 2.0
  • Clearing the Cultural ‘Mines’ of the Balkan Wars / Nemanja Cabricinterviews Jeton Neziraj / BIRN Sarajevo
  • Jung, provozierend, kritisch / Von Dirk Auer, DEUTSCHLANDRADIO
  • Jeton Neziraj: Iz Prištine, s ljubavlju / Author: Davor Mandić, Novi List, Hrvatska
  • Existing translations of his plays

  • "55 shades of Gay" - Albanian, English
  • "The Internationals" - Albanian, English
  • "a play with four actors and some pigs and some cows and some horses and a prime minister and a milka cow and some local and international inspectors" - Albanian, English, German, Croatian
  • "The Windmills" - Albanian, German
  • "Kosovo for Dummies" - Albanian, German
  • "Bordel Balkan" - Albanian, Montenegrin, English, German, Slovenian
  • "Peer Gynt from Kosovo" - Albanian, German, English, Serbian, Turkish, Italian
  • "One Flew over the Kosovo theater" - Albanian, English, Greece, French, German, Serbian, Turkish, Italian, Slovenian.
  • "Yue Madeleine Yue"- Albanian, German, English, Turkish, Croatian
  • "The Demolition of the Eiffel Tower" - Albanian, Italian, Bosnian, English, French, German, Turkish, Macedonian, Polish, Czech
  • "War in Times of Love" - Albanian, English, German, French, Turkish, Bulgarian, Serbian, Polish, Italian and Spanish
  • "In Paradise Artists can Fly"- Albanian, English
  • "Aeneas Wounded" - Albanian, English, Slovenian, Serbian, Romanian, Turkish
  • "The Hustler" - Albanian, English, Turkish
  • “The Bridge” - Albanian, English, German, Bosnian, Turkish.
  • "Patriotic hypermarket"- Albanian, Serbian, English, French.
  • “The General of the Dead Army” - Albanian, Serbian, Turkish
  • "Speckled Blue Eyes" - Albanian, English, Macedonian, Spanish, Turkish
  • "Liza is Sleeping" - Albanian, English, Bulgarian, Turkish.
  • "Punch and Judy Murder Love" - Albanian, English
  • "Madeleine’s war" - Albanian, English
  • "Voyage to Unmikistan" - Albanian, French
  • "Forbidden Lesson" - Albanian, English
  • "Le Roi, Le Clown, L`homme au Fouet et le Barbier" - French
  • “An American tune” - English
  • References

    Jeton Neziraj Wikipedia