"Niksic follows Cetinje. They do not let them be decorated with laurels! That is how it should be," published the "Voice of Montenegro" in the edition of 19th February 1884. Three days earlier in the city under Trebjesa, the theatrical performance “Slobodarka” by Manojlo Đorđević Prizrenac took place.
On February 16th this year, Niksic Theater, which is the oldest theater in Montenegro apart from the Zetski dom, marks 135 years of existence. In addition to the war and peace destruction, extinction and re-establishment, the theatre stage boards tell the story of the duration, the ups and downs, the culture and the link between the three centuries.
In 1884, the society of Niksic readers decided to establish the Theater Company and for the first performance they chose "Slobodarka", which was performed in front of a fully booked hall, and before the play, Bekica Šobajić spoke about the significance of the opening of the theater, "first behind the first one in Cetinje".
King Nikola, half a year later, wanted to see this play, but his desire was not fulfilled, because some "dilettantes", as they called actors, were absent. In four years of existence, after the Theater Company lost its work due to the lack of room for the rehearsals and performances, in 1890 ceased with work, plays "Krst and Kruna" by Jovan Subotic, "Death of Stevan Dečanski" and "Miloš Obilić" by Jovan Sterije Popović and "Balkan Carica" by Nikola I, Gogol’s "The Government Inspector", which was performed at the school hall in 1891, the Company resumed with work.
The revenues from the performance were sent to the City Library, as well as the incomes from the play "Tri Bekrije", which was performed in March 1896. In December of that same year, comedies "Congratulations" and "Gypsy" were played, and money was directed to the victims of the floods in Crmnica and Ulcinj, while the drama "Dejan" was performed next year. By founding of the singing company "Zahumlje" in 1898, the Theater Company, which until then worked alone, was abolished and continued with its work within "Zahumlje". There were some theatrical performances, the chronologists recorded about the "impressive acting skills" shown.
The First World War breaks down the theater life in Niksic because most actors fron "Zahumlje" go to the front. After the war, the construction of the Craftsman's Workers' Association began, which was completed in 1925 when a drama section was established, led by a famous drama artist and director of Novi Sad Theater Mihailo Kovačević. He opened the House in August 1925 with the play "Maksim Crnojević" by Laza Kostić, in which Kovačević interpreted the main role. Three years later, the City Theater was established, and the director Milutin Plamenac was appointed as administrator. And as it is usually the case with the theater life in Niksic, ten years later, it ceased with work and all the assets, worth ten thousand dinars, were donated to "Zahumlje"
After the Second World War, in 1949, by the decision of the National Committee in Niksic, a National Theater was established, which was assigned to the Chamber of the former Craftsmen's Workers' Association. Veljko Šakotić was appointed as administrator and actor Veljko Mandić as secretary. For two years, members of the theater have voluntarily raised an auxiliary building with two studios, wardrobes, workshops and warehouses.
The first performance was made by the members of the theater on June 4th, 1949. It was 'Nemirna starost' of Rahmanjiv, directed by Radoje Gojković. Since the city was almost doubled, the theater had to be renovated and the work was entrusted to famous architects Djordje Minjević in 1953, who, together with Josip Slade, King Nikola and Slobodan Vukajlović, were the most important for building a modern city. Everything was then replaced and a balcony with 450 seats was built, which was also intended for theater and cinema performances.
In that hall on August 14th in 1961, the citizens saw black people for the first time when singers performed folk songs, the ensemble "Black Trio".
That the theater was a “Small Yugoslavia” says the fact that actors such as Raša Plaović, Milivoje Živanović, Ljubiša Jovanović, Olivera Marković appeared on the scene as guests of the National Theater. The world-famous Russian ballerina Maja Pliseckaj was also a guest. It is interesting that Savo Njunjić (1891-1962) doyenne of the Montenegrin acting society began his acting career in Zahumlje in Nikšić 1901 when he became a member of the Tambura Choir. Later, in the drama section, he developed his acting talent to professionalism - he appeared in 1909 for the first time and retired in Niksic Theater in 1953. Following the liberation of Niksic, he was an actor of the newly established National Theater and acted in 30 plays. He has played in the movie "Zle pare," which was shot in 1956.
The children's theater, the first of its kind in Montenegro after the Second World War, was founded in 1956.
For 16 years, the National Theater had 116 premieres of all genres of famous domestic and world dramaturgy. And again, that was not enough to survive. At the second session of the Council of Culture of the Republic of Montenegro, which was held in 1958 in Titograd, it is concluded that professional theaters in Niksic, Cetinje, Kotor and Pljevlja were reorganized into amateur and semi-amateur. The reason was that supposedly the number of theaters exceeded the possibilities of small media, that are in a difficult financial situation, of unequal quality, and that it would be better to have one quality theater that will meet the needs of other places. "By this decision, only directors and four actors could be engaged professionally.
Veljko Šakotić was re-appointed in the Niksic Theater, where Veljko Mandic was doing the job of a director, and this duo managed to offer more than 50 plays to citizens of Niksic, only in 1958.
The official decision to terminate the theater work, unanimously, was issued in 1965 at the June meeting of the Assembly of Niksic Municipality. Interestingly, at that time, there were 17 educators in the Assembly.
The theater building and fundus, the richest in Montenegro, had the scenes for displaying 20 plays, several sets of stylish furniture, a wide variety of costumes from various epochs, props, electric, carpenter and tailor tools, were handed over to Radnicki University.
Niksic Cultural Center founded the Drama Studio in 1980, which for ten years of work brought the theatre to the place where it belonged, prepared 17 premieres and played nearly 500 performances. But culture in the town under Trebjesa seems to have a limited duration. Although the Drama Studio was proclaimed one of the best amateur theaters in Yugoslavia, it closed down in 1991 when it was removed from its premises and when the "Culture" hall ceased to work. Instead of it, a café was opened, although the Center for Culture has been strongly urged to be restored and brought back to those who it belongs to - the actors.
By the decision of the Assembly of the Municipality Niksic, in December 1999, "Nikšic theatre" began with work and the building of the old theater, the "Culture" hall was demolished in 2008. With the renovation of the cinema building "18th September", Niksic Theatr on 30th January 2015 got its own home. From renewal to today they have had over 20 premieres, annually recording fifty performances of their own and nearly as many performances from guest theater productions. They have renewed the "International Festival of Actors" and the "Pozorište" magazine, whose first issue came out in 1956, established the "Veljko Mandić" prize, they also deal with publishing. And they last.
Text by Svetlana Mandic, on February 3rd, 2019, read more at Vijesti
