The Forest of Songs

4+, 40'
The Forest of Sounds is a musical-puppet fairytale for children. It is a sound "forest" theatre where the forest plats, tree branches, roots and forest fruits become musical instruments, puppets or parts of stage set.


Concept, directed and music by Peter Kus
Text by Ajda Rooss (inspired by stories by Sergey Kozlov)
Art design by Kaja Avberšek
Costumes by Iztok Hrga
Light design by Borut Bučinel

Performed by Urška Cvetko/Petra Kavaš, Bruno Kontrec, Gregor Hrovat/Lola Mlačnik, Ivan Štrok

Produced by Children's Theatre Dubrava, Glej Theatre, Federacija
Coproduced by Kuskus

DOCUMENTS:
pdf presentation
technical requirements
lighting plan
press photos

FOR EDUCATORS:
materials for educators
preparazione pedagogica
Geschichten aus dem tiefen Wald
Pedagoška priprema (srpski)

LINKS:
Dječje kazalište Dubrava
Glej Theatre
Federacija

  • ForestOfSongs01_photo_Hans_Avbersek
  • ForestOfSongs02_photo_Hans_Avbersek
  • ForestOfSongs03_photo_Hans_Avbersek
  • ForestOfSongs04_photo_Hans_Avbersek
Photos by Ivo Hans Avberšek

COMING UP:

  • Nov. 7th 2024 at 5.00 and 6.30, Cultural Centre, Kamnik (Slovenia) – SEASON AND BOX OFFICE TICKETS
  • Nov. 10th. 2024 at 3.00 pm, Literaturhaus, Graz (Austrija) – BOOKOLINO FESTIVAL
  • Nov. 27th 2024 at 9.00 and 10.30 am, SiTi Teater, Ljubljana (Slovenia) – KINDERGARTEN AND SCHOOL PERFORMANCES
  • Nov. 28th 2024 at 5.00 and 6.15 pm, Cultural Centre, Grosuplje (Slovenia) – SEASON AND BOX OFFICE TICKETS
  • Mar. 24th 2025 at 9.00 and 10.30 am, SiTi Teater, Ljubljana (Slovenia) – KINDERGARTEN AND SCHOOL PERFORMANCES

PRESS REVIEWS:

»… the show is a real play of music, art, and youthful performer’s charm and therefore has to be watched and listened carefully. This is a magic of theater art.« Mira Muhoberac, Vijenac (Croatia)

»…Exceptional art design and beautiful sound, combined with top artistry, take us away from the usual and demand from the young audience an active effort of watching the show. However, in the end this is rewarded by the joy of understanding and satisfaction of experiencing.« Iva Gruić, Kazalište (Croatia)

»The show enchanted the audience with imagination inspired by forestall stage set and its inhabitants, who lived through the adventures in all four seasons. Under the direction of Peter Kus the whole stage of this musical and puppet theater transformed into the forest home of the bear and the hedgehog. His performances attract us with magical images and sound, with humor, refined feeling and an abundance of ideas. The actors Andrea Giordani, Bruno Kontrec, Gregor Hrovat, and Ivan Štrok persuaded us with reach musical talent and great enthusiasm for performing on stage.« Sophia Juen, Vorarlberg Online (Austria)

“Forrest of Songs is an enchanting theatre experience that brings, with the help of theatrical instead of pedagogical means, nature to children and children to nature.Four musicians play and animate puppets – instruments on such a skillful level that the child and adult audience can experience rare freedom of talent. … Musical and artistic beauty and incredible imagination in the construction of the instruments and recreating nature is enough to take a breath away and inspire the soul.”  Mina Petrić, Bilten 27. Festivala ekološkog pozorišta (Srbija)

ABOUT THE SHOW:

The main idea of the performance is to create a sound forest theatre, built from materials derived from nature. In this theater forest plants, trees, fruits, and other things from the forest come to life in the form of musical instruments or scenography.

The main thread of the performance is the tale of a hedgehog and his best friend the bear based on children’s tales from Russian author Sergei Kozlov (1940 – 2010). The hedgehog and the bear live in the forest and explore it together; they meet other animals, observe nature and the changes the seasons bring to their forest. Through their relationship, the tales reveal topics such as friendship, trust, loneliness, tolerance, sensitivity, bewilderment for the world that surrounds them, and the joy of life. Together with the hedgehog and the bear the children are set for an adventure in lessons of life, its troubles, secrets, and joys.

PAST FESTIVALS AND AWARDS:

  • 19th Ogulin Festival of Fairytales, Sept. 9th 2024
  • ASSITEJ Artistic Gathering 2023 (Turning Point), Novi Sad (Serbia), Nov. 21st, 2023,
  • Cikl Cakl, Sankt Michael ob Bleiburg (Austria), Oct. 18th, 2023,
  • 22. International festival of theater for children, Banja Luka (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Oct. 11th, 2023 – best music, grand prix for best performance of the festival,
  • Pozorište Zvezdariše, Beograd (Serbia), Sept. 29th, 2023 – award for creation and animation of puppets,
  • International Festival for Children’s Theatre „Igor Madzirov“, Skopje (North Macedonia), Sept. 28th, 2023 – best music, best stage set design,
  • International Theatre Festival Walizka, Łomża (Poljska), Jun. 3rd, 2023 – best music award, best performance by audience award
  • Sommertraumhafen Festival, Eibiswald (Austria), May 6th, 2023
  • Teatro Miela, Trieste (Italy), Feb. 19th,2023
  • 27th Festival of Ecological Theater, Bačka Palanka (Serbia), 2021 – expert jury award for best overall performance, children’s jury award for best show
  • Plesni zbirkus, Rijeka (Croatia), 2020
  • Trallallero, Artegna (Italy), 2019
  • 30th Summer Puppet Pier, Maribor (Slovenia), 2019
  • Summer in Dubrava, 2018, Zagreb (Croatia)
  • Internationale Puppentheatertage, 2017, Mistelbach (Austria)
  • 18. Lutfest, 2017, East Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina) – award for best original idea „Lutkobaz“ Marko Kovačević (Peter Kus), award “magic of puppetry Radoslav Lazić”, award for best stage set design (Kaja Avberšek), award for best music (Peter Kus), award for best performance by the children’s jury
  • Internationales Storytelling Festival, 2017, Irdning, Graz, Bad Schönau (Austria)
  • 21st Revue of Puppet Theaters, 2016, Rijeka (Croatia)
  • Pannopticum, 2016, Neusiedl am See (Austria)
  • Sommertraumhafen, 2016, Wies (Austria)
  • Luaga und losna, 2015, Feldkirch (Austria)
  • Špancirfest, 2015, Varaždin (Croatia)
  • Kotor Festival of Children’s Theater, 2015, Kotor (Montenegro)
  • Fantasima, 2015, Lienz (Austria)
  • Cikl Cakl, 2013, Bleiburg (Austrija)
  • International Children’s Festival, Šibenik (Croatia), 2013
  • International Festival of Children’s Theatres, Subotica (Serbia), 2013 – award for best music
  • SLUK Festival, Osijek (Croatia), 2013 – award for innovation in pupperty
  • Beavers, 2013, Ljubljna (Slovenia)
  • Assitej Croatia Meeting, Čakovec (Croatia), 2012 – best set and musical instruments design, best music and best light design
  • Prelet Festival, Ljubljana (Slovenia) 2012

 

FROM THE NEWS:
Oct. 20th, 2017: Forrest of Songs at the Internationale Puppentheatertage in Mistelbach in Austria
Oct 8th, 2017: Five awards for The Forrest of Songs at the 18. Lutfest in Sarajevo
May 29th, 2017: Forrest of Songs at the Internationales Storytelling festival in Austria
Nov. 5th, 2016: Forest of Songs at the Revue of Puppet Theaters in Rijeka, Croatia
Jul. 1st, 2016: Forest of Songs at the Pannopticum Festival in Austria
May 7th, 2016: The Forest of Songs at the Sommertraumhafen Festival in Austria
Aug. 28th, 2015: The Forest of Songs will open Luaga und Losna festival in Austria
Jun. 4th, 2015: Three Performances at the Festival in Sibenik (Croatia)
May 26th, 2013: New Award for The Forest of Songs in Subotica
May 10th, 2013: The Forest of Songs in Subotica (Serbia)
May 6th, 2013: Award for The Forest of Songs