Contemporary theatre sound in The Balkans: A synchronous approach to Molière ’s “Imaginary Invalid”

The fragmentary advance of Southeast Europe’s theatre scene has undertaken a new path that is incessantly letting new artists explore certain ways of creating music from an altered point of view, letting them produce an interweaving pathway in which the traditional theatre screenplay can be transformed in the spirit of today, reshaping outdated values and norms by using a mixed approach in which a fusion of composing styles is being methodically implemented. Even though the aspect of the traditional hierarchical arrangement and the ongoing unequal representation of women in cultural production - or more precisely in performative arts, in retrospect, is incessantly causing a vast amount of “untouchable” space that is noticeable in different shapes and forms in The Balkans, the artists of today are trying and fortunately succeeding in the process of diminishing its adverse impact that still exists to a certain degree. To comprehend the institutionalization of power, as well as the precarity in performing arts in The Balkans, principally focusing on music and compositional practices as a significant subcategory of performing arts, one must turn to different theoretical aspects, taking into consideration the different ways of the growth of music, depending on the region in question.

Undoubtedly, establishing new grounds where cohabitation and mutual collaboration amongst feminist artists is possible and a way to take thorough, transformative steps towards new ways of thinking and creating is a priority that has abruptly shown its challenges. “The Imaginary Invalid” by Molière is the perfect example for a collaborative flare, intertwining the creative minds and works of several women in the artistic field in The Balkans. With our collaborative methods, even in times of isolation, considering the fast spread of the pandemic, we have managed to create a transformative piece of work and recapture the dramatic text and 17th century atmosphere from a new angle. Before the start of a mutual, creative period, our principle idea has been thoroughly explored and the ultimate result has been achieved - together with Dragana Gunin, the director of the play, Rosita Simonovska, scenographer, and Ivana Cvetkovska, costume designer. In a brief, descriptive essay based on “The Imaginary Invalid”, Gunin explains her position as a director and her ways of achieving a deliberate transformation of Molière’s piece into a detailed play that is abundantly in harmony with today’s ways of living:

“Whilst choosing the text, I wanted to be able to present today's human behaviour, hypocrisy, deceit, false morality; all of t