Production Commenced for the Play “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”

Production of William Shakespeare’s play “The Two Gentlemen of Verona” officially commenced on 12 March 2025 at the Student Cultural Centre of the University of Banja Luka. 

This remarkable project represents a collaboration between the Academy of Arts of the University of Banja Luka and the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts – GITIS, with young Russian director Ilya Zaitsev at the helm, promising to bring a fresh and exciting perspective to this Shakespearean classic.

The roles in the play have been entrusted to third-year Acting students of the Academy of Arts, studying under Professor Elena Kostić Trepetova. The cast includes Miodrag Jovanović, Vojin Topalović, Nikola Stanković, Marija Polić, Veljko Milijić, Tara Desnica, Mateja Mitić, Isidora Rarulović, Mila Stanojević, and Miloš Drljača, and their performances will be instrumental in exploring love, friendship, betrayal, and identity, as prominent themes in this play.

The set and costume design are led by Vladimirka Velaga under the mentorship of Professor Dragana Purković Macan, PhD, while the stage movement is overseen by Professor Renata Agostini, PhD. The producer of the play will be Ivona Bijelić.

The play is scheduled to open on 15 April 2025. “The Two Gentlemen of Verona” is the second production by the Student Cultural Centre of the University of Banja Luka, providing the audience with the opportunity to explore the boundaries of love, loyalty, and honour, framed by the uncertainties and dilemmas of human nature.

Photo: D. Desnica