Small Arts Platform 2024

The Small Arts Platform will once again invite audiences into an array of subversive spectacles. In its eight years of existence, the Small Arts Platform has established itself as a festival that highlights the emerging and current but dispersed and less visible non-institutional production of hybrid stage practices and questions the weight of the genres such as cabaret, queer burlesque, stand-up, clowning and improv theatre. Each year the festival merges Slovene and foreign groups of artists and producers whose works are often referred to as "small" due to their titillating content, social commentary, provocation and appropriation of pop culture in the theatrical context. Although these stage acts are imbued with humour, they provoke a laugh that often remains captured in the throat as the audience is confronted with a harsh critique of the social situation during the hedonistic enjoyment of the stage performances.

This year's edition will be enriched by domestic and foreign guests, including a transformation virtuoso and co-founder of the famous festival Go Drag! Bridge Markland (DE), queer feminist stand-up comedian Denice Bourbon (FI, AT), Parisian queer cabaret La Bouche (FR), contemporary dancer in high heels and Drag Race France 2023 finalist Sara Forever / Matthieu Barbin (FR), performer Diana Gadish (ES), eclectic Efemerne konfesije (RS), the queen of disguise Olympia Bukkakis (DE), who, in addition to the performance, will also hold a drag workshop. From the local performers we will present festival's pioneers The Feminalz, queer "pozvačin" Leon Marič and local drag kings and queens. (SI).

Welcome to virtuosity of cabaret, neoburlesque and drag between 13 and 16 November at Mladinsko theatre!

Program

Pre-festival event
7 November
20.00, Old Power Station - Elektro Ljubljana
Image Snatchers Present: Mad Jakale In A Film We Haven't Seen (technoburlesque)

13 November
18.00, The Post Office - Mladinsko Theatre
Diana Gadish: Lucy Live (dance performance)
19.30, The Post Office - Mladinsko Theatre
Denice Bourbon: PRUDE (stand-up show)
21.00, Lower Hall - Mladinsko Theatre
La Bouche (queer cabaret)

14 November
18.00, The Post Office - Mladinsko Theatre
Leon Marič: Kiss me (dance performance)
19.30, Lower Hall - Mladinsko Theatre
Double Bill:
Bridge Markland: king-ing the drag – drag-ing the king (lecture performance) + Darling Drago! 2.0 (evening of soft butch romanance, lip-syncing and royal mansplaining)

15 November
19.00, The Post Office - Mladinsko Theatre
Olympia Bukkakis: Material Performance (drag performance)
21.00, Lower Hall - Mladinsko Theatre
The Feminalz: Image Snatchers (tecnoburlesque)
22.00, Club Gromka, AKC Metelkova
Kamizdat Rentgen: Warrego Valles & guests (DJ party)

16 November
10.00, Studio 103 (Emanat)
Olympia Bukkakis: Expanding Drag (drag workshop)
19.00, The Post Office - Mladinsko Theatre
Efemerne Konfesije: Ephemeral Audio Piñatas (radio drama in drag)
20.30, Upper Hall - Mladinsko Theatre
Matthieu Barbin: Dynasties (drag performance)
22.00, Lower Hall - Mladinsko Theatre
Clash of the Queens (lip-sync contest)

Tickets

Performances at The Post Office of Mladinsko Theatre: 9 EUR
Performances at Lower and Upper Hall of Mladinsko Theatre: 15 EUR
Tickets: https://mladinsko.com/en/program/program/2024/11/
Workshop Expanding Drag: free admission, applications: info@emanat.si

Collaborators

Project group: Sabrina Železnik, Maša Radi Buh, Metod Zupan, Jan Rozman, Leon Marič, Maja Delak, Tamara Pepelnik, Marja Kovanda, Linn J. Koletnik
Executive production: Sabrina Železnik
Coordination: Tamara Pepelnik
Proofreading and translation: Katja Kosi
Graphic design: Matic Brinc
Space design: Jan Brovč
Technical support: Janko Oven, Aljaž Zaletel, Žan Rantaša

Support

Produced by: Emanat
In cooperation with: Mladinsko Theatre
Supported by: Ministry of Culture RS and City of Ljubljana
With support of Teatroskop, a program initiated by French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, French Ministry of Culture, and Institut français Paris.