June 25, 2021

The diverse audience welcomed the stage reading “Games in the Backyard”

Under the open sky of the City Park in Prishtina, on the night of June 25, 2021, the stage reading “Games in the Backyard”, directed by Zana Hoxha, premiered.

The resident troupe of the Artpolis Center performed this work by Edna Mazyas in front of an audience with gender, age, and ethnicity diversity, which welcomed the realization of this work and the topics addressed in it.

After the stage reading, the audience was very active with criticism, advice, and comments regarding the artists’ performance and the topic of addressing sexual harassment.

Edna Mazya through her work brings us the real story of the rape of a girl by four young people in Israel, in the years 1988-91. In addition, “Games in the Backyard” highlights the deep roots of the patriarchal system in state institutions, which only increases the burden of oppression on women.

The activist, Durim Elshani, regarding this topic said that “it is not natural for a boy to be unemotional, aggressive, violent, and harassing. It is a system of power created with clear norms, and with roles defined according to social constructs, where to be a ‘good, honest and loving’ boy one must be aggressive, provocative, and dominant. That is why the boys during the rape were not afraid of the violence they were causing, because that, within the masculine hegemony, makes you a strong man.”

Author: Edna Mazyac
Directed by: Zana Hoxha
Translator: Artur Lena

Actors: Zhaneta Xhemajli, Mikel Markaj, Edlir Gashi, Ismail Kasumi, Blerta Gubetini and Art Pasha

Location: City Park, Prishtina
Date: June 25
Time: 20:00

This activity is realized within the “-50%” Campaign.

Artpolis is supported by the Kosovo Civil Society Foundation (KCSF) ‘EJA Kosovo’ program, co-financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and CFD.

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