Balkan Epic is the story of the camp prisoner, murderer and father of young children Strahil Peev. When his youngest son, Anders, turns 6, he begins to tell his life story.
Strahil tells Anders about Dedo Mite catching small fish with a flintlock rifle in the river Struma. About the child soldiers in Pirin-Macedonia during World War II. And about the hole he has in his leg. In his townhouse in Sweden, Strahil makes silencers for small arms in the basement. He has an amazing library of classic masterpieces. He is armed when he goes to the office at Alfa-Laval. And only Anders knows that.
On a Sunday in May 1988, the doorbell to the terraced house in Hallunda rings. A man enters with a limp and difficulty breathing.
Balkan Epic is the true story of musician Anders Peev's father and is about living a double life. About not fitting into communism but not fitting into a democracy either. About the longing for a Balkan that remains only in memory and about the hatred of the Balkan that became. And about a father's love for his children - and the inability to love more than one child at a time.
With a unique narrative form that seamlessly intertwines oral and musical storytelling, Balkan Epic embarks on a quest to understand the consequences of war, a father's actions towards his children and the longing for a life that is not possible.
The performance is narrated by narrator Johan Theodorsson together with musicians Mihail Dinchev and Anders Peev who play epic folk music from the Balkans and Sweden with tenor nyckelharpa, vocals and tambura.
Eng:
Balkan Epic is the story of the camp prisoner, murderer and father Strahil Peev. When his youngest son, Anders, turns 6, he begins to tell about his life.
Strahil tells Anders about Dedo Mite, who catches small fish with a flintlock rifle in the river Struma. About the child soldiers in Pirin-Macedonia during the 2nd World War. And about the hole he has in his leg. In the townhouse in Sweden, Strahil manufactures silencers for handguns in the basement. He has an amazing library of classical masterpieces. He is armed when he goes to the office at Alfa-Laval. And only Anders knows that.
One Sunday in May 1988, the doorbell to the terraced house in Hallunda rang. A man walks in, limping and having trouble breathing.
Balkan Epic is the true story of musician Anders Peev’s father and is about living a double life. About not getting a place in communism but also not fitting into a democracy. About the longing for a Balkan that only remains in the memory and about the hatred for the Balkan that became. And about a father’s love for his children – and the inability to love more than one child at a time.
With a unique narrative form that seamlessly intertwines oral and musical storytelling, Balkan Epic sets out on a quest to understand the consequences of war, a father’s actions towards his children and the longing for a life that is not possible.
Performance in Swedish.
