11/12/2023
After several months of research and preparations, the Center for Contemporary Art and Culture ATO - Bitola, on December 11, 2023, at the Center of Culture in Bitola premiered the new documentary theater play entitled "8%?". Members of Mobility Bitola attended the premiere, after previously being part of the research phase, where they shared their experiences. "They say we are 8%, maybe we are that much, maybe we are not, maybe we are a bit more, we think we are more, but the statistics don't say so...", I took this from Darinka Veslievska, with whom I was at the play", our member Sotir Chaushevski from Resen, a passionate lover of the theater, who himself has many years of experience directing, begins to tell his impressions. Two or three days ago we had the honor together with Darinka Veslievska, president of ZAR Prespa - Resen, to watch this play, to hear how many people from our place, our environment, society, our country are discriminated against, without medicine, without rights and without access, restricted, closed without freedom of movement, in a word they do not have the life they would like and the life they could live. The conclusion hurts: the system is to blame, and the system is all of us, the system is also ME! This show needs to be broadcast to a large audience and reach everyone's consciousness and conscience, so let's move one pebble at a time to build a wall of solidarity and empathy, to help as much as we can! I am a person with a disability and I had a hard time accepting the play. Difficult, because the director, the playwright, the actors told the whole truth about people with some kind of disability, no, with any kind of disability. The truth hurts, it hurts a lot, you can't fix anything as an individual. What to say: I'm glad that someone brought up the pain, at least to be heard. Dramaturgical, directorial, acting performance to perfection. Well done to everyone. The audience is my hope that something will change. The audience, which was so calm during the entire play, at the same time disturbed by everything that was shown. And I hope that they will stand up and ask to fix the conditions, the method and many other things. I may not see it, but I know that something must and needs to change... The play "8%?" was done based on research and interviewing people from different cities in the country who were exposed to discrimination, domestic violence and systemic injustices. I am glad that I was also a part of that research. Maybe I helped with something. After several months of research phase, on which the director and the co-author worked in cooperation with the actors and interviewees, the play tells various unpleasant truths that are sensitive for the Macedonian people as well as for the system. Truths that people are afraid to say out loud. Truths that society doesn't recognize or, worst of all, avoids. The conclusion of the research and the message of the ATO Center together with the theater team to the public is that: "We are the system, and we build the system!" WE ARE ALL RESPONSIBLE!" "8%?" is supported by the German Agency for International Cooperation - GIZ North Macedonia. Author and director of the play is Jovan Ristovski, co-author is Vesna Kusleska, costume designer Marta Dojchinovska and playwright Biljana Krajchevska. The roles are played by Marija Stefanovska, Natalija Risteska, Sonja Mihajlova, Nikola Projchevski and Petar Gorko. Our member Biljana Todorovska, Vesna Sofronijevska from the Association of Blind Persons from Bitola and Ivana Atanasoska from the Cystic Fibrosis Association also participated in the Bitola performances. After the premiere performances in Bitola, at the beginning of 2024, there will be a guest performances in several cities across the country. Sotir Chaushevski Photos: ATO Bitola
