61. Maribor Theatre Festival: Ocean Sea

The production is based on the novel Ocean Sea (1993) by the Italian writer Alessandro Baricco, which, with its fragmentary structure and aesthetic scope, is regarded today as a key example of contemporary Italian literature. Like the novel, the stage adaptation is set in the remote and secluded seaside resort of Almayer, which serves as an important – though temporary – home for numerous guests who have arrived there either deliberately or by chance. They have come with the hope that – like a last remedy – the sea will cure their “ailments”.

The stories of these unusual inhabitants – permeated by lost loves, disappointments, shipwrecks and eternal questions – at first only lightly brush against one another. The true dramatic conflict begins with the arrival of a mysterious sailor and later a doctor; their presence reveals how deeply their fates are intertwined. The destiny of all the characters in the drama is indelibly marked by the sea. As both symbol and protagonist, the sea becomes an ever-changing backdrop that reflects or challenges emotional states and transformations.

Original title Oceano mare
Première 3. 10. 2025, Gledališče Koper

Running time is 2 hours and 30 minutes with one interval.
English surtitles

Post-performance discussion with the artists.

Director and set designer Ivan Loboda
Translator Maja Gal Štromar
Authors of the dramatisation Anja Drnovšek, Ivan Loboda, Helena Šukljan
Dramaturg Helena Šukljan
Costume designer Tina Kolenik
Composer Sašo Fajon
Lighting and video designer Domen Lušin
Language consultant Martin Vrtačnik
Assistant director Ivona Furlan

Cast
Sara Gorše, Zala Djuric, Igor Štamulak, Rok Ličen, Luka Cimprič, Lara Komar, Rok Matek, Mak Tepšić, Blaž Popovski