The Paradoxes of Kosovo in the Theatre of Jeton Neziraj

At the core of this essay are the paradoxes of Kosovo, the youngest country in Europe as reflected in the theatre of Jeton Neziraj from Pristina, one of the most representative playwrights in the Balkans. Neziraj’s controversial and often censored texts, written in an absurd and ironic style, deal with current and burning social topics in Kosovo, the paradoxical realm of instability, controlled ethnic minorities, religious fundamentalism, nationalism, racism, immigration, homophobia, and corruption. For his plays, he has been blamed as ‘antipatriotic’, ‘Yugonostalgic’, and a ‘betrayer of national interests’. This essay includes interviews with the author, reflections on the contrasts and suffering of this ‘newborn’ country, and descriptions of the theatre performances directed by Blerta Rrustemi Neziraj.