If gender is a normative category—defined by civilizational expectations—then it also presupposes the existence of bodies beyond it: bodies that, in one way or another, do not fit into what is defined as normative. These bodies fall outside the discourse on what gender should be. At best, the dominant discourse still overlooks bodies beyond the norm; at worst, it pathologizes and medicalizes them. Violence against bodies that do not fit into the norm in one way or another is an everyday occurrence, which is also prominently featured in the true story of David Reimer. Through this story, I, David attempts to question the dominant binary perception of gender and the expectations that exist within the binary matrix of masculinity and femininity.
Director: Gabrijel Lazić / Cast: Eneja Štemberger, Muhamed Kulauzović, Kaja Petrovič, Luka Kotnik / Dramaturgy: Nastja Uršula Virk / Set and costume design: Lovro Ivančić / Music: Sara Renar / Lighting design: Domen Lušin / Graphic design: Stella Dujmušić / Photography: Jelena Janković / Photographs of rehearsals: Dominik Černe / Theatre language consultant: asist. Martin Vrtačnik / Translation to Croatian: Tina Ribić / Production: UL AGRFT & Maska Ljubljana / Co-production: Artistic Organisation Orlando
Gabrijel Lazić was born on September 12, 1995 in Pula, Croatia. During his high school days, he attended the Drama Studio of the Istrian National Theater in Pula, where he acquired basic acting, dancing and directing skills. He studied at The Academy of Performing Arts in Sarajevo (Department of directing). He graduated in 2021 with the title of Bachelor of Performing Arts – Directing, in the class of Professor Aida Begić-Zubčević. During his studies and after, he assisted directors in institutional theatres (Pjer Žalica, Tomi Janežič, Mirjana Medojević, Ivan Popovski, Dora Ruždjak Podolski, Ivica Buljan, Lenka Udovički), of which he stands out his collaboration with Tomi Janežič, where experience on working on the performance “NIJE TO TO / THAT’S NOT IT” (SARTR/MESS/BDP/Zetski dom) was of formative significance for his further work. At the moment he’s graduate student at Ljubljana’s Academy for Theatre, Radio, Film and Television.
He lives and works between Zagreb and Ljubljana. As a young director, he has so far had the opportunity to direct theater plays. His main area of interest is theater, movement and performance, and in his theatrical processes he is engaged in research and collaborative work.
