Júlia Rázusová
Profile
Júlia Rázusová graduated from the Faculty of Arts of Prešov University in a double major in aesthetics–Slovak language and literature, and from the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava in theatre direction and dramaturgy. While still a student, she directed productions (e.g. The Living Corpse, Viktor or Power to the Children) that participated in Slovak and international theatre festivals (the Czech Republic, Russia, France, Portugal). In 2009, she spent a specialized study stay at Rose Bruford College in London focused primarily on physical theatre. After graduation, Rázusová worked as a director for several Slovak professional theatres (ASTORKA Korzo ’90 Theatre, Andrej Bagar Theatre in Nitra, Alexander Duchnovič Theatre in Prešov, Slovak National Theatre, Jozef Gregor Tajovský Theatre in Zvolen). Since 2013, she has been the artistic director of the Prešov National Theatre which she co-founded with dramaturg Michaela Zakuťanská. The concept of the Prešov National Theatre was appreciated by Slovak theatre critics when it was nominated for the Dosky Award in the Discovery of the Season category in 2014.
Júlia Rázusová’s directorial method is typical for its inclination to physical and experimental theatre. She has introduced a distinctive directorial approach dominated by a clearly stated artistic opinion. Her concepts in direction and dramaturgy are often based on the movement expression of open-minded and creative actors who need a great deal of imagination to “play” with the stage, with the costumes and, last but not least, with their own bodies. She thus transcends the boundaries of classical theatre thinking.
Classical, modern and devised dramatic texts she chooses to be staged in bricks-and-mortar as well as alternative theatre spaces share very similar features – there is always a substantial and strong story, and a topical social theme. Rázusová is the author of two shorter drama texts prepared in collaboration with the Slovak National Theatre. The first is the ninth fragment of The Ten Commandments project titled Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbour’s Wife, and the second Teach Us How To Count Our Days with which she contributed to the Morals 2000+ project. Since her studies at the Academy of Performing Arts, Rázusová has worked in tandem with playwright and dramaturg Michaela Zakuťanská and musician Lucia Chuťková.
- 2009 / Academy of Performing Arts, Bratislava / Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy: The Living Corpse
- 2010 / Academy of Performing Arts, Bratislava / Lukáš Brutovský, Michaela Zakuťanská: Quattro Formaggi
- 2010 / Studio 12, Bratislava / Barbados
- 2010 / Studio 12, Bratislava / Michaela Zakuťanská: The World Had Tempted Me
- 2011 / Academy of Performing Arts, Bratislava / Roger Vitrac: Victor or Power to the Children
- 2011 / ASTORKA Korzo ’90 Theatre, Bratislava / Sławomir Mrożek: The Party
- 2012 / Andrej Bagar Theatre, Nitra / Dorota Masłowska: A Couple of Poor, Polish-speaking Romanians
- 2012 / Bratislava Puppet Theatre / Tomáš Janovic: Wooden Daddy
- 2013 / Jozef Gregor Tajovský Theatre, Zvolen / a team of authors: Six Authors in Search for Characters
- 2013 / Prešov National Theatre / Michaela Zakuťanská: Single Radicals
- 2014 / Alexander Duchnovič Theatre, Prešov / Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy, Michaela Zakuťanská: Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery
- 2014 / Slovak National Theatre, Bratislava / a team of authors: The Ten Commandments
- 2015 / Bratislava Puppet Theatre / Astrid Lindgren, Peter Pavlac: Mio, my Mio
- 2015 / Prešov National Theatre / Michaela Zakuťanská: Good Place to Die
- 2016 / State Theatre Košice / Edward Albee: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf
- 2016 / Slovak National Theatre, Bratislava / Zuzana Dzurindová, Júlia Rázusová, Kamil Žiška: Morals 2000+
- 2016 / On the Platform, Košice / Júlia Rázusová and a team On the Platform: Heil Scholarship!
- 2016 / Jozef Gregor Tajovský Theatre, Zvolen/ Anna Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
- 2017 / Prešov National Theatre / Michaela Zakuťanská: The Day When Gott Died
- 2017 / City Theatre, Žilina / Nejc Gazvoda, Rok Biček, Janez Lapajne, Michaela Zakuťanská: Class Enemy
- 2018 / State Theatre, Košice / Joël Pommerat: The Reunification of the Two Koreas
- 2018 / Bratislava Puppet Theatre, Bratislava / Júlia Rázusová: Adventura Humana
- 2018 / Prešov National Theatre / Umberto Eco, Peter Brajerčík, Júlia Rázusová: Moral Insanity
- 2019 / Puppet Theatre Žilina / Michael Ende, Júlia Rázusová: Momo, or the Strange Story of the Time-thieves
- 2019 / Slovak National Theatre, Bratislava / Alexandra Salmela: Strange Things
- 2020 / Puppet Theatre on the Crossroads, Banská Bystrica / Xenia Dragunská: The Mysterious Lighthouse
- 2020 / Prešov National Theatre / Avery Corman, Júlia Rázusová: Kramer vs Kramer
- 2021 / State Theatre, Košice / Karol Horák, Michal Baláž, Michal Ditte: Borodáč, or the Three Sisters
- 2021 / State Theatre, Košice / Stefan Zweig, Júlia Rázusová: Impatience of the Heart
- 2021 / Jonáš Záborský Theatre, Prešov / Christopher Hampton: Dangerous Liaisons
- 2010 / The Istropolitana Festival Award for an extraordinary work of art in the production The Living Corpse
- 2012 / The Student Jury Prize at the 2012 Nová dráma/New Drama festival for the production A Couple of Poor Polish-speaking Romanians
- 2012 / 3rd Prix Bohemia Radio at the 2012 Festival of Radio Art for the radio play The World Had Tempted Me
- 2014 / Stano Radič Award at the Kremnica Gags festival for the production Single Radicals
- 2017 / nominated for the Dosky Award in the Best Direction of the Season category for the direction of The Diary of Anne Frank