By Olga Vujović
The question of how much "difficult" content children’s theater should include is often debated. Some balk at plays dealing with illness, death, or grief — yet don’t seem troubled by fairy tales where a wolf devours a grandmother or an evil queen tries to poison a child. That contradiction was brought into sharp focus on the opening night of the Novi Sad Theater Festival 2025 with the play In the Ceiling the Stars Are Shining, performed by Duško Radović Little Theater (Belgrade), and directed by Damjan Kecojević.
Based on Johanna Thydell’s novel and dramatized by Tijana Grumić, this powerful coming-of-age story tackles the subject of a young girl dealing with her mother’s cancer diagnosis. And judging by the quiet intensity with which the young audience followed every word, it’s clear that plays like this aren’t just “appropriate” — they’re necessary.
The play begins with a gut-punch of a line: “Mom has something to tell you.” Jenna's world — once filled with school and carefree parties — is shattered when her mother reveals she has breast cancer. Three versions of Jenna (played movingly by Drina Kecojević as a child, Mina Nenadović as a teen, and Julija Petković as an adult) guide us through her emotional journey.
She struggles to accept her mother’s decline, further confirmed by the arrival of her grandmother (Jelena Cvetković), pulling away from her friend Susana (Anđela Alavirević) and unable to talk about her fears. Even as she navigates adolescent crushes and school drama — like the quirky Zahe (Mladen Lero) or the pair Ulis and Stefan (Nevena Kočović, Filip Stanković) — Jenna becomes increasingly overwhelmed by grief. At one point, she even contemplates suicide if her mother dies.
But as the illness stretches on, Jenna grows — emotionally and spiritually. In the end, she doesn’t give in to despair. Her mother’s death, she realizes, is not the end of her life but a reason to continue it. The ensemble closes with Konstrakta’s song “Mama,” turning grief into a collective moment of strength.
Visually, the show strikes a clever balance. Zoran Petrov’s cheerful, yellow-toned set — full of doors that open into Jenna’s memories and experiences — contrasts effectively with the darker emotional themes. Bojana Lazić’s lighting further enhances the mood shifts, while Adde Huumonen’s music supports both the upbeat and tender moments.
Some costume choices by Aleksandra Lalić were slightly uneven — the boys in swimming trunks (to show they’re water polo players) felt a bit forced — but the overall aesthetic supports the play’s layered tone.
Transitions between the younger and older Jennas were particularly well handled. Nenadović and Petković reflect Jenna’s inner and outer changes with clarity and nuance, especially in how her daily routines intersect with her mother’s slow decline. The mother's hospital bed, physically separated on stage, becomes a poignant symbol of both emotional and spatial distance.
Jelena Ilić gives a strong, memorable performance as Ulis's alcoholic, troubled mother, adding depth to the world around Jenna. On the other hand, Lana Adžić’s character — a classmate — felt underdeveloped, a missed opportunity for emotional contrast.
In the Ceiling the Stars Are Shining is a moving and essential piece of theater for young people (recommended for ages 15+). It doesn’t shy away from hard truths, and that honesty is what makes it so impactful. That said, a slightly tighter structure — fewer repeated scenes and more focus on key emotional beats — could have made the play even more powerful.
Sometimes, less really is more.