The Little Witch
The Little Witch is a "puppetheque" marionette show based on a story by the German fabulist Otfried Preußler and dramatised by Jože Pengov in 1967, when the work received its Slovenian premiere, subtitled "a fairy-tale play for marionettes in 13 pictures". More than 50 years after Pengov's hit, the production returns to the Ljubljana Puppet Theatre in an adapted and refreshed form, this time under the direction of the master of Slovenian puppetry Brane Vižintin.
This warm and friendly humorous stage production, infused with folkloric elements, intertwined with humorous dialogues, intergenerational discussions and fierce conflicts arising from the everyday lives of children, raises questions about kindness, its importance and meaning. Will the Little Witch be able to behave and do "good" all year round? Does she even know what "good" magic is? She decides that the best revenge is to prove the older witches wrong about her and the meaning of magic... so that she will become a little superhero witch who helps those in need. She comes to the aid of many who cannot help themselves, proving to herself and to other witches that she can be a really good witch.
The puppet premiere of Preußler's text was directed in 1967 by Jože Pengov, a key player in Slovenian puppetry (premiere 17 June 1967). The production confirmed his programmatic orientation towards contemporary fairy-tale poetics and demonstrated his great confidence in the power of the marionette, its stage presence and movement. The marionettes were created by Slovenian sculptor and puppet designer Slavko Hočevar, who was the artistic director of the Ljubljana Puppet Theatre from 1956 to 1970. His marionettes were characterised by ironic humour and technological innovations that contributed greatly to the perception of the Slovenian puppet as a work of art.
Premiere: 17 November 2022, LGL Small Stage
Brane Vižintin is a puppet artist, actor and animator at the Ljubljana Puppet Theatre, winner of numerous international and Slovenian awards, including the Župančič Award. He is one of the greatest masters of puppet animation in Slovenia.
Jože Pengov (1916–1968), manager and artistic director of the Ljubljana City Theatre (today the Ljubljana Puppet Theatre), director, dramaturge, actor, writer, translator, publicist and educator, promoter of puppetry art at home and abroad, laid the foundations for contemporary puppet theatre in Slovenia.
The premiere is sponsored by Spar Slovenija d.o.o.
- Director:
Brane Vižintin - Translator:
Katja Ogrin - Dramaturgy and adaptation:
Jera Ivanc - Puppet design:
Slavko Hočevar - Scenography:
Laura Krajnc by Vladimir Rijavec’s design - Puppet technology:
Iztok Bobić - Music:
Marijan Vodopivec - Musical adaptation and closing song:
Joži Šalej - Proofreader:
Maja Cerar - Lighting design:
Niko Štabuc - Music production:
Nino de Gleria - Music performers:
Jelena Ždrale, Primož Fleishman, Aleš Rendla, Joži Šalej, Nino de Gleria - Voice on the recording:
Primož Pirnat - Performers:
Little Witch: Aja Kobe
Abraxas, Second child (voice): Matevž Müller
Rumpumpel Witch, Girl with flowers, Red Bill, Shepherd girl: Ana Hribar
Head Witch, Hawker (voice), Snowman, Rina (animation), Teapot: Jure Lajovic
Swamp Witch, Seller, First old woman, Lady, Second child (animation), Black Joe: Rok Kunaver
Second old woman, Hawker (animation), Lady's child, First child, Rina: Boštjan Sever - Stage Manager and Sound Designer:
Emil Koprivc - Producer:
Alja Cerar Mihajlović - Stage Technicians:
Darko Nedeljković, Klemen Sašek, Kliment Petkukjeski - Making of replicas of puppets, set and costumes:
Iztok Bobić, Sandra Birjukov, Monika Colja, Polona Černe, Zala Kalan, David Klemenčič, Olga Milić, Zlatko Djogić, Laura Krajnc, Žiga Lebar, Jože Lašič, Uroš Mehle, Zoran Srdić