they long for something to identify themselves with

Since the fall of its communist dictatorship, Albania has begun to approach modern theatre. Before, theatres were forced to adhere to pre-approved dramatic models. Apart from the typical utopian imagery that communistic mythology propagated, the drama of “social realism” also suffered from a lack of imagination; at the same time, this kind of theatre dealt with reality: History and human nature were distorted to correspond to given formulas and the mandates of the censors.

Since the 1990s, interesting structures, paradoxical concepts and new models have emerged. Often beginning with the most trivial incidents and coincidences, the best young playwrights manage to shed new light on everyday events, especially the psychosocial dimension of life; there, the suffering, confusion and inner chaos of human kind become apparent. In these dramatic times of political and economic change, they long for something to identify themselves with.

Translated into English by Lynnette Polcyn