"Frog - a refreshing dream without dreams"
Dubravko Mihanović's "Frog" is one of the rare contemporary texts that not only retains its relevance over time but deepens it. Primarily addressing the wartime and post-war traumas in a time of distorted values where war takes on a mythical place of discord, "Frog" reveals all the demons and traumas deeply and sharply etched on the faces of this piece. Three friends in a barbershop, that mythical place of masculinity, will open their shattered souls on Christmas Eve. It's a time when families and friends gather, and for at least a moment, they try to forget the cruel reality. But can shattered souls be gathered? Souls exhausted by unimaginable traumas and daily problems, deeply scarred with wounds that don't heal, lonely in their inner struggle.
The most ancient dramatic key, with its unity of time, place, and action, covered by the tragic guilt of the main character, seeks a cinematic acting language – sharp, fast, and direct in the code of psychological realism that builds the mental space of each character. In a hostage situation, Zeko, Toni, and Grga are trapped in the barbershop, most of all trapped in their skin, from which there is no escape. In the atmosphere of Christmas Eve, which calls for an attempt at tranquility and peace, a "little evening prayer" is invoked for our protagonists to empower them and return them stronger to the cruel reality. The appearance of Mladić, who sells books, offers us slightly ajar doors of comfort and salvation.
Is it possible to change one's life? Is it possible to overcome trauma? Is it possible to transform oneself? We want to say that it's possible, but the real truth is hidden deep within shattered souls that, in the solitude of their introspection, make decisions. That's why "Frog" is like a "little evening prayer," in its simplicity, warmth, precision, and even humor, more necessary than ever – as a refreshing dream without dreams.
- Aida Bukvić