King Lear Bids Farewell to Brijuni
Ulysses Theatre organizes a round table ahead of the final performances of its longest-running production, which has become a Croatian theatrical legend.
Ulysses Theatre organizes a round table ahead of the final performances of its longest-running production, which has become a Croatian theatrical legend.
Shakespeare's "King Lear," directed by Lenka Udovički, a production that has been the hallmark of Ulysses Theatre since its founding in 2001, will see its final performances this summer. In its 26th season, after more than a hundred performances before tens of thousands of spectators, the curtain falls on one of the longest-running and most recognizable productions on the Croatian theater scene.
On this occasion, Ulysses Theatre is organizing a round table dedicated to this very production. The event will take place on August 9, 2026, at 8:30 PM at the Summer Cinema on Veliki Brijun, bringing together artists, authors, and collaborators who created and followed the play throughout its long stage life.
The discussion will be moderated by Branimir Pofuk, a prominent journalist, columnist, and music critic, and a longtime chronicler of Croatian cultural and theatrical life. The round table will feature key individuals who have woven their work into this unique symbiosis of Shakespeare's drama, acting artistry, and the ambiance of the Austro-Hungarian fortress on Mali Brijun.
Among the speakers are Duško Ljuština, director of Ulysses Theatre; director and artistic director Lenka Udovički; and Rade Šerbedžija, who has played the title role since the first performance and for whom Lear, as he himself notes, is one of the favorite roles of his career. Šerbedžija turned 80 this year and has been portraying King Lear for a quarter of a century.
Joining them to discuss the origins and significance of the production will be theater scholar, writer, and theater critic Nataša Govedić; journalist and writer Boris Dežulović; writer and language consultant for the production Marina Vujčić; executive producer of the original 2001 production Tanja Aćimović; and actor, director, and producer Dejan Aćimović, a member of the original cast.
The round table will also be attended by the numerous acting ensemble that has contributed its talent to "King Lear" over the years. Alongside Rade Šerbedžija, the attendees include Ivan Đuričić, Marko Juraga, Dado Ćosić, Duško Modrinić, Zoran Gogić, Miodrag Krivokapić, Frano Mašković, Bojan Krivokapić, Lovro Ivanković, Bojan Dimitrijević, Lovro Juraga, and actresses Jadranka Đokić, Lucija Šerbedžija, and Aleksandra Vulanović. Members of the music ensembles Mostarska Sinfonietta and Putokazi, who also contributed to this production, will also be present.
After a quarter of a century of "Lear-ing" with audiences, this unique production, which has become part of the artistic legacy of Ulysses Theatre, concludes its extraordinary stage life on Brijuni.
