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Old Bridge review – star-crossed lovers in war-torn Yugoslavia

Bush theatre, London
Igor Memic’s prize-winning debut is an affecting if slightly uneven conflict romance brought to life by vivid detail

Igor Memic, winner of the 2020 Papatango new writing prize, was born in Mostar, the ancient city in what is now Bosnia-Herzegovina that was a principal casualty of the 1992-95 wars after the racial and religious disintegration of communist Yugoslavia.

Memic draws powerfully on his experience in Old Bridge, titled for the Ottoman-era crossing above the Neretva river, setting for a diving competition among local men. The 1988 dives lead to a meeting between Mina, a Bosniak Muslim, and Mili, a Croatian Catholic, who become the latest theatrical successors to the Montagues and Capulets.

At the Bush theatre, London, until 20 November

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from Culture | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2XYmvgX
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