The King Of Betajnova
Premiere February 20, 1944 Director Matej Bor Scenography Drago Vidmar Jožef Kantor, factory owner Lojze Potokar Hana, his wife Bogdana Stritar Francka, their daughter Ema Starc Nina, Kantor's relative, fourteen-year-old Vladoša Simčič Krnec, a one-time shopkeeper and and innkeeper France Presetnik Maks, his son Jože Gale Clergyman Milan Košak Franc Bernot, landowner, with an engineering degree, Jože Tiran Judge Stane Česnik Lužarica Nada Stritar Caretaker Avgust Anderluh as guest Prompter Stane Česnik Stage Manager Janez Kuhar Tehnician Mile Doberlet

In the name of Agitation Propaganda (Agitprop) of the Executive Committe of the Liberation Front (IOOF), Edward Kocbek made the suggestion for the Slovene National Theatre's debut performance on the liberated territory. What used to be Sokolski dom (Sokol House) in Črnomlje was offered as the auditorium; the stage scenery was made from the remains of Italian barracks; the lightbulbs came from Croatia. »Matej Bor is formally the director, while the rest of us are meddlers. Thankfully, at least Vidmar commands some respect; he had disciplined us already at the Drama theatre...« (Filip Kalan: Wind of Joy, 1975) »As actors we were left to our own devices, despite the fact that three of us had a lot of experience ... We were running out of time. It seemed we were not tuned in enough (Jože Gale, Actors came, 1996). The premiere took place after the first session of the Slovene liberation committee. There were flags representing Slovenes and their allies suspended in the hall, and the keynote address was delivered by Kumbatovič and Kocbek.

Scene from Act One, Lojze Potokar playing the part of Kantor, France Presetnik playing the part of Krnec, Jože Gale playing the part of Maks
Scene from Act One, Ema Starc playing the part of Francka, Vladoša Simčič playing the part of Nina, Jože Gale playing the part of Maks, Bogdana Stritar playing the part of Hana
Scene from Act Two, Ema Starc playing the part of Francka, Jože Gale playing the part of Maks
Scene from Act Three, Lojze Potokar and Ema Starc
Scene from Act Three, Lojze Potokar and Stane Česnik
First page from the original script
Segment from Filip Kalan Kumbatovič’s article on the first performance of the SNTon the liberated territories, published in Ljudska pravica on May 1, 1944

Nada Vidmar

on collaboration in the acting group, meetings and the role of Lužarica in the King of Betajnova

Excerpt from the TV programme Theatre amidst the Rifles (Time that Lives), directed by Helena Koder, produced by RTV Slovenija, 1977

 

Premiere February 20, 1944 Director Matej Bor Scenography Drago Vidmar Jožef Kantor, factory owner Lojze Potokar Hana, his wife Bogdana Stritar Francka, their daughter Ema Starc Nina, Kantor's relative, fourteen-year-old Vladoša Simčič Krnec, a one-time shopkeeper and and innkeeper France Presetnik Maks, his son Jože Gale Clergyman Milan Košak Franc Bernot, landowner, with an engineering degree, Jože Tiran Judge Stane Česnik Lužarica Nada Stritar Caretaker Avgust Anderluh as guest Prompter Stane Česnik Stage Manager Janez Kuhar Tehnician Mile Doberlet
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