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Edinburgh International Festival launches programme in Sarajevo
7 April 2008
The Festival travels this week to Sarajevo to announce the programme for Festival 08 and particularly the participation of East West Theatre Company, Sarajevo. The launch on Wednesday 9 April 2008 is the first time the Edinburgh International Festival has staged a major launch outside the UK.
Jonathan Mills' programme for the Edinburgh International Festival 08 explores some of the challenges, shifts and changes facing Europe today, alongside the wider theme of borders.
East West Theatre Company's Class Enemy is central to the Festival's theme, and Director Jonathan Mills has extended the prestigious invitation to the company and Director Haris Pašović to perform their hit show at the Edinburgh International Festival this year.
Jonathan Mills, Festival Director, commented ‘Haris Pašović has drawn together young actors from Bosnia, Serbia and Croatia to re-examine Nigel Williams' play. His unorthodox production which transports the classroom scene from South London in the late 70s to Sarajevo in 2007 embodies many of the ideas behind this years Festival and is an important demonstration of artists crossing boundaries, and how drawing together cultures can send a message to the rest of the community.'
Joanna Baker, Festival Managing Director, added ‘The East West Theatre Company is an exciting and vibrant young voice in Europe. The Festival is proud to include them in its 2008 programme. It is also a huge honour to come to Sarajevo to launch the Festival programme. Festivals can play an important role in developing political and cultural discourse, that is true nowhere more so than in this area of the world.'
The launch will be hosted by the East West Theatre Company and guests addressing the audience include Haris Pašović, Director of the East West Center Sarajevo; Miroslav Lajčak, High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina; Matthew Rycroft, Ambassador of Great Britain of Bosnia and Herzegovina; and Michael Moore, Director British Council in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
