“Yvonne, Princess of Burgundy” – premiere in the capital of North Macedonia

On 28 November 2025, the Komedija Theatre in Skopje will invite audiences to the premiere of Witold Gombrowicz’s play “Yvonne, Princess of Burgundy”. This classic work by the Polish playwright, reinterpreted by Macedonian artists, touches on timeless themes of social norms, the individual and the absurdities of life, combining the grotesque with profound philosophical reflection. The play was produced with the support of the Polish Embassy in Skopje and the Adam Mickiewicz Institute.

“Yvonne, Princess of Burgundy” – premiere at the Komedija Theatre 2025

The Komedija Theatre was established in November 2011 as a national cultural institution. It is a theatre with a distinct genre profile – it cultivates all varieties of comedy. Its repertoire includes premieres by Macedonian authors, classics of world literature, and contemporary comedies by international playwrights. Although it is the youngest national theatre institution in the country, it has quickly gained a reputation as a serious and successful theatre and has won awards at home and abroad.

The play “Yvonne, Princess of Burgundy” (“Ивона, принцезата на Бургунд”), imbued with Witold Gombrowicz’s characteristic sense of humour, will be premiered by the Komedija Theatre company on 28 November 2025. A preview performance will take place on 27 November, and a repeat performance on 29 November. The theatrical form of the performance will become a space for experimentation, emphasising emotional understanding and interpretation of social phenomena and speaking out about individuals and injustice in a complex society.

About Witold Gombrowicz’s play – psychological and philosophical elements in art

Witold Gombrowicz’s drama was published in 1938 Young and awkward Yvonne appears in the park with her two aunts, who point out all her flaws – not only those related to her appearance. Prince Philip and his friends are also in the same place. After listening to her aunts’ complaints, he decides to get engaged to Yvonne, provoking a series of reactions from the other characters.

Although the plot seems trivial, it was written by an experienced writer. The text features Gombrowicz’s characteristic revanchism, schoolboy obsessions, and psychomania. Yvonne, although anaemic and cowering – silent and withdrawn from the action – becomes a challenge for others with her presence. The play is full of psychological nuances, and its philosophical themes are both mature and contemporary. Critics emphasise that the work has not “aged” but has become more legible, and that time has made audiences more sensitive to the intellectual grotesqueness and perverse wisdom contained in the text.

Witold Gombrowicz’s “Yvonne, Princess of Burgundy” – premiere at the Komedija Theatre in 2025

• Premiere:  28 November 2025

• Preview performance on 27 November 2025, repeat performance on 29 November 2025

• Venue: Teatar Komedija (Blvd. Saint Clement of Ohrid бр. 27, Skopje 1000, North Macedonia)

• Tickets and more information: teatarkomedija.mk

• Credits: Author: Witold Gombrowicz, Translation: Filip Dimewski, Director: Biljana Radinoska, Assistant Director: Aleksandar Ivanovski, Dramaturgy: Blagica Sekuloska, Producer: Tatjana Deszko, Costumes: Ivana Karanfilovska Ugurovska, Set Design: Voydan Zaprov, Music: Oliver Josifovski, Lighting Design: Milcho Aleksandrov, Technical Manager: Nikola Nikolovski, Stage Manager: Aleksandar Jordanov, Sound Engineer: Tomi Anchov, Lighting Engineer: Slobodan Ilioski, Prompter: Cvetanka Jovanovska Nikolovska

• Cast: Elena Kuzmanov, Sergej Dimoski, Kristina Hristova Nikolova, Mirjana Popovska Ristov, Kristina Lasovska, Eva Skenderovska, Viktor Arsov, Robert Ristov, Ilija Ilioski, Aleksandar Veljanovski

• The performance was produced with the financial support of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Skopje and the Adam Mickiewicz Institute as part of the Culture Programme for 2025.