Conflicts do not subside. Massive opposition from part of the artistic community started immediately when they appointed Martina Šimkovičová (54) to the position of Minister of Culture. One of the loud critics of the former presenter is a Slovak actor Richard Stanke (59). In an interview, he responded to her with an opinion opponent after becoming head of the department.
In the show Answers with Anka Žitna on STVR there was the biggest suffocation on the subject of the dismissal of actors from the Slovak National Theater (SND) at the beginning of the year, no they also returned to reading statements after performances that commented on the current situation in culture.
“I agree that politics does not belong in culture and certainly not in theater. I would just like to say based on these matters that happened before the show… The fact that they are going to agitate politically before the show is absolutely unacceptable in my opinion. This agitation does not belong there. Then people call us and want to return the entrance fee, which is natural,” said Šimkovičová.
“People go to the theater to relax. It doesn’t matter if you’re in the coalition or the opposition. Culture should be for everyone. Culture should unite people, culture should be above politics. And we as a ministry should support everything that unites people and not divides them. So, if we go to a show, I can’t listen to some ideological agitation activity of a few people there. What if there are people in the audience who are against it? They want to relax, they are fed up with politics, that’s why they go to the theater,” added.
A Slovak daily asked about her words from the show Stankewho offered his clear answer. “Maybe she wants to come to the theater to relax. I think that the theater should also have the function of thinking. I don’t know if this function is close to her. When she wants to go to relax, let her go to the wellness center. This is something absolutely unimaginable for me. Theater is supposed to provoke in some way, raise questions,” thinks the popular actor.
“When I leave there and it doesn’t arouse anything in me, and I don’t care if I was in the theater or lying in bed, then such a show has no meaning. Theater has always reflected the time in which it was created. Of course, it’s best for them to play some mindless comedy that doesn’t hurt anyone and doesn’t point out what kind of crap these people are up to.” Stanke concluded.
