Bogatić

Milivoje Martinović – Martin, a legend of the Mačvan theater

MILIVOJE MARTINOVIĆ - MARTIN

Milivoje Martinović – Martin

If there was no theater in heaven until twenty-six years ago, the dilemma of whether “boards mean life” in the other world really ceased to exist in 1980. year, when Bogatić said goodbye to Milivoj Martinović – Martin. He certainly founded a theater there as well and now directs, acts, paints… Because it has been a short time since 1933. when he was born, to be brought all, to the bottom of his being, into the magic of the theater and burned up in his short life.

For decades, Milivoje Martinović was the pivot of Bogatić’s cultural life. Economist by education and profession, actor, painter, director, scenographer – by vocation. He never understood the theater as a profession, a struggle for a salary and a career. Theatrical play was his greatest love, the magic he enjoyed, with which he played, bringing joy and cheerfulness to the stage.

Way back in 1951. In 2008, just one year after the gathering of fans in acting in, who would have guessed then, the long-lived and successful Amateur Theater “Janko Veselinović”, Martin staged Nušić’s one-act plays “World War” and “Kirija”. From year to year, other plays took place on the stage in Bogatić – “Prank”, “Alien”, “Extinguished Hearth”, “Wind over Serbia”, “Suspicious Person”, “People’s Representative”, “Koštana”. .. He invested his whole self, all his talent and energy in each of them. He was also a scenographer, prompter, actor… Nothing was difficult for him – to drive nails, stretch curtains, load and unload props… He directed more than ten plays, played 17 roles, and designed countless scenographies. It is an impressive work for a short life.

His entire work is a reflection of a stormy and powerful temperament, strong emotionality, creative enthusiasm and enthusiasm. – Martin was a wonderful man, big, broad, suggestive of a warm human nature, full of breath. Touchingly honest and deep in experience, so precious in his work. Theater for him, and for us with him, was life, home, family – says Jelica Djonlić, then a young actress. It was a completely innocent time in which Martin created, when people, especially actors, socialized much more, sat every evening at the other’s house in the long winter nights and studied texts with varenika, sausages and a jar of pickles. Sleepless nights at rehearsals, trips to festivals all over the former Yugoslavia, acquaintances and friendships… More beautiful things, almost nothing ugly and unpleasant for almost three decades of wandering. When Martin is mentioned, it becomes clearer why some people are said to live even after their physical departure.

Could his inner strength, feeling, hope, lavish talent, will, love, be extinguished with the forgiveness of the soul? Not. He belonged to others who, respecting him, continued where he left off. The plethora of excellent actors she created with Martin, the inimitable direction of Zoran Djonlić, who came to the theater as a young actor and became a top director, and even the youngest students of the acting school “Baltazar” who know about Martin from newspapers and yellowed pictures, are there not many for the claim that the creator of the world “felt” Bogatić with his theatrical talent. It started with Martin, and as he wished, it did not end with him. On the well-trodden paths, actors from Bogatić have been leading theater amateurism in Serbia for five and a half decades, never falling asleep on the laurels of fame, with Martin in their memory. He was a role model, an idol for many. Some, growing up with him, fell in love with acting. Theater “Janko Veselinović” has been organizing the event “Martin’s Days” for several years, bringing successful performances of Serbian theaters to Bogatić.

With new plays, young ensembles, those who knew Martin, who worked with him, competed “against” his plays at “Phedras”… Reminiscences begin, beautiful and pleasant about the founder of the theater in Bogatić, awards, pictures…