ROLAND BARTHES: LOVER'S DISCOURSE

Authors and performers: Saša Božić, Selma Banich, Oliver Frljić, Milan Jastrevski, Željka Sančanin, Andrej Vučinić

Production: k.o. - theater group

Although it has been produced by millions of people, and it is dispersed in tv-shows, commercials, as well as in serious literature, the amorous discourse is yet hidden. Literary fragments by famous French philosopher Roland Barthes are investigating the disregarded language, constructing the specific object of interest out of uttered love. Lover's Discourse is a multi-media performance, influenced by the book of the famous French theoretician, which is trying to reflect upon the possibilities of the language to express our need for the other, and for the reflection of the self in the other. Contemplating language as dislocation of the lover's discourse from the representational model of reality, we are trying to affirm the amorous speech as a place of creation, the space in which language becomes action through the models of simulation and something intractable.

The work on this project is not based on the representation of semantic potentiality of the book, but it tries to reevaluate lover's discourse as a potentially structured performing action, as defined by the author himself. The process has been moderated through different strategies in which the performers are constantly defining and simulating those performing actions during the rehearsal. Based on the method of transferring those actions into different modes, the certain topics are continually questioned (using archive-method, video and audio notes, photographs, practicing meisner-technique...). The way the exercises are structured is based on R. Barthes idea of performing desire through the Other. The Other (partner, image, and object) serves as a medium through which my own Desire has been realized for me.

– Saša Božić