George Kaplan

Three groups, three meetings, a common thread: George Kaplan. In the first, “GKG” five activists cannot agree on anything, not even what George Kaplan stands for – is this the name of their collective, each member, the project, the operation, the weapons … In the second, the “Dream Team” of successful screenwriters pitch their ideas for a commissioned film story in which George Kaplan appears. In the third, the “Invisible Government” the discussion tackles the most burning political problem – George Kaplan represents a great danger, even though it is not (yet) clear what this danger might be.

The daring, engaged political satire in three acts, which at first glance appear to be independent units represents different segments of contemporary society. The three parts share not only the name of the mystery man, the fictional character from Hitchcock’s North by Northwest, but also the phenomenon of manipulating people, their perceptions, and reality. The communication between connected, but poorly organised individuals on the margins, competitive film creatives and detached influencers is thus so dysfunctional that the bitterness of the situation becomes absurdly comical.

Although the contemporary French playwright Frédéric Sonntag (1978) wrote the play over ten years ago, the emergence of the pandemic, the war in Europe and also the immense development of artificial intelligence brought drastic changes to the world and society. It seems that in light of all these changes, the play is even more topical.

The author took an “invisible character” and created a myth. It thus became a part of collective consciousness. But once it was selected to become an instrument of propaganda, its invisibility became visible.

Reading the play opens many questions: What is the difference between reality and fiction? What is the role of art in modern society? And to what extent is it possible to use it to influence the consciousness of society? Who is responsible for the creation of a myth? How does politics use it? And how does the myth influence the society and lives of individuals?

Numerous references from popular culture complement and enhance the story and invite us to play with them and explore where they might take us.

Đorđe Nešović

Attending the performance is not recommended for people with epilepsy due to the use of a stroboscope.