Ay Carmela! is a play that has been performed in SARTR for 15 years, making it the longest running play in the history of SARTR theatre. Sarajevo Times speaks to actress Selma Alispahić, who stars in Ay Carmela! Selma has been performing in this play since its premiere 15 years ago on 19 March 1999. Since then, Ay Carmela! has enjoyed a successful run in theaters throughout B&H, the region and all over Europe.
1.On March the Ay Carmela! was shown in SARTR to mark 15 years since its premiere and has been dubbed the most successful performance of SARTR. What do you think accounts for such popularity of the play and its unending appeal?
Good theatre is always about a good story and good actors, of course. Apart from that Ay Carmela! has a certain amount of honesty that is rarely seen on stage nowadays. We are very aware of the fact that we have a very good, people even think wonderful show and we try to nurture it. We have been performing it for the last 15 years, and it has never lost any freshness, passion or joy. And a real emotion. Among all kinds of different media that we are being bombarded with Ay Carmela! still has simplicity and honesty and I think the audience recognizes that. Also, an emotional catharsis that this play carries at the end is very important. We live in an age where people are encouraged not to show emotions too much, we live in times of rationality, money driven lives and society and we as artists have the responsibility to encourage an audience to go back to the centre of their emotional life without being frightened or ashamed to show it. Another very important aspect of the show is an antifascist idea within the story because unfortunately today we are still fighting fascism both in an open and latent way, and it is crucial to fight against any form of fascism.
I am very proud that our audience is getting younger and younger which means that there is hope for the future of the theatre.
2.The cast has performed Ay Carmela! not only in the Western Balkans but also throughout Europe. What are some of the more memorable performances throughout Europe?
We have so many lovely and touching memories from touring with the show. I remember meeting people who fled Bosnia during the war and they now live in Sweden, England, France, Italy… By performing in these countries we realized that our show meant a lot to them. But the most memorable moments are from visiting small towns in Bosnia a couple of years after the war. We performed in areas where electricity was just provided for the space where we performed and we had a full audience. Or one time where it was raining through the broken window while we performed the show. Also, we met so many lovely people who came to see the show and told us that it gave them a gleam of hope in the years after the war. It was very nice performing in London, Florence, Prague, Cagliari, Belgrade, Zagreb, Skopje, Ljubljana, Podgorica…but it was equally nice and important for us to take the show to Mostar, Gračanica, Kakanj, Gradačac, Bihać and all over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
3.What are some of the notable symbols in the play that demonstrate the broader themes?
I would rather say notable themes…It’s a story within the war and about the war, it’s a story about the artist’s response to the war. There is a red flag and symbol of antifascist struggle and the most important rebellion of one person who believed that her gesture can change something in the world or at least show that people do care about other people and that they are ready to fight violence, war and every kind of aggression or suppression.
4.In what ways does the message of the play, and the character that you play, personally resonate with you?
I strongly believe in the power of the individual gesture. We can belong to a certain national, religious or whatever group by birth or by decision but at the end of the day we shouldn’t make collective but only individual decisions in our lives. That is what I found most powerful about this play. And that our personal beliefs are most important no matter what others say. And that our decision should always be fought for our own freedom and the freedom of another human being because it is our future and the future of our kids that is at stake.
