When Shlemiel Went to Warsaw ⁵⁺

Isaac B. Singer

Shlemiel, whose wife sells vegetables at the market, watches their children at home and dreams about the big big world outside. One day, he decides to turn his dreams into reality, and as a Polish Jew, decides to go to Warsaw. He wraps a few slices of bread in a kerchief, tells his oldest boy to watch the younger ones, and leaves his native Chelm. He enjoys his travels, and when he tires at night he takes off his boots and lies down to rest. He carefully makes sure that the toes of his boots face towards Warsaw, so he might continue in the right direction the next day. As unsuspecting Shlemiel is dreaming of the beauty of the promised city, a prankster blacksmith turns the toes of his boots around. The rest of his journey becomes oddly familiar.

Gallery

Ko je Šlemil šel v Varšavo <em>Photo: Boštjan Lah</em> — Ko je Šlemil šel v Varšavo *Photo: Boštjan Lah*

Crew and cast

Directress Jelena Sitar Cvetko

Visual designer Svjetlan Junaković

Performers Miha Bezeljak, Aja Kobe and Danilo Trstenjak

Translator Savina Zwitter

Puppet designer Darka Erdelji

Composer Igor Cvetko

Dramaturge Katarina Klančnik Kocutar

Speech advisor Metka Damjan

Lighting designer and technical director Miljenko Knezoci

Puppets and set painted by Svjetlan Junaković

Puppet technologists and makers Mirko Černic and Slavko Rakuša Slavinec

Set maker Branko Caserman

Costume designer Maja Švagelj

Premiere — 3. November 2011

Responses and Rewards

When Shlemiel Went to Warsaw, Puppetry Critics

2014 Award for best director, awarded to Jelena Sitar Cvetko, International Festival of Puppetry, Podgorica (Montenegro).
2014 Award for best stage design, awarded to Branko Caserman, International Festival of Puppetry, Podgorica (Montenegro).
2014 Award for best original music, awarded to Igor Cvetko, International Festival of Puppetry, Podgorica (Montenegro).
2014 Actor's excellence award, awarded to Miha Bezeljak, International Festival of Puppetry, Podgorica (Montenegro).
2014 Grand Prix – award for the best overall performance – International Puppet Тheatre Festival 'Three Are Too Many, Two – Not Enough', Plovdiv (Bulgaria).
2013 Grand Prix – award for the best overall performance – Biennial of Puppetry, Bugojno (Bosnia and Herzegovina).
2013 Award for best music, awarded to Igor Cvetko, Biennial of Puppetry, Bugojno (Bosnia and Herzegovina).
2013 Award for best visual image, awarded to Svjetlan Junaković, Biennial of Puppetry Artists of Slovenia, Maribor (Slovenia).
2013 Award for best visual image, awarded to Svjetlan Junaković, Valise international festival, Łomža (Poland).
2012 Award for best visual image, awarded to Svjetlan Junaković, International Theatre Festival for Children, Banja Luka (Bosnia and Herzegovina).
2012 Award for acting, awarded to Miha Bezeljak, International Festival for Children, Banja Luka (Bosnia and Herzegovina).
2012 Grand Prix ‘Milan Čečuk’ for best performance, International Puppet Festival PIF, Zagreb (Croatia).
2012 25 golden stars from the children's jury, Summer Puppet Pier, Maribor (Slovenia).
2012 Award for best acting, awarded to Miha Bezeljak, Golden Spark International Festival, Kragujevac (Serbia).
2012 Award for best directing, awarded to Jelena Sitar Cvetko, Golden Spark International Festival, Kragujevac (Serbia).
2012 Grand Prix – award for the best overall performance, Golden Spark International Festival, Kragujevac (Serbia).
2012 Award from the children's jury, Eurofest International Festival, Słupsk (Poland).