Director Mile Korun debuts as playwright with "The Counselor"

Mile Korun, a celebrated Slovenian director, is venturing into playwriting with his debut drama, "The Counselor," set to premiere on October 13th at the MGL theater. Korun, known for his intense energy and profound impact on his students, often challenged them, fundamentally reshaping some while leaving others unaffected. His sensitivity and empathy are as evident as his occasional naivete in understanding the world.

“

The first rule of dialogue: you must listen to your partner.

Korun speaks about the passage of time, acknowledging its cumulative nature and his own deep reflections on professional adventures, tinged with both joy and pain. He expresses a consistent desire to have brought more joy than sorrow to others. His conversations often blur the lines between life and theater, exploring which comes first and how they intertwine. During these discussions, he readily abandons outdated notions of permanence, recognizing the fluidity of all things.

Regarding "The Counselor," Korun admits that much of his worldview and self-perception has seeped into this "catalog of bizarre dialogues." He confesses to feeling inadequate in writing dialogue, envying colleagues who excelled in this area. However, upon reaching retirement and completing a book on King Lear, he felt compelled to try his hand at dialogue writing to understand its mechanics.

“

I envied my colleagues and friends who wrote dramas and whom I sometimes even saw in films as dialogue writers. I didn't know how to do that.

He finds inspiration in the fundamental rule of dialogue: listening to the other person, a concept he believes is the most challenging aspect of conversation. His exploration of words, their origin, appearance, and flow, was spurred by a chance encounter with Frane Milčinski Ježek, a performer whose brother was a psychiatrist. Ježek shared two books on psychiatry, one on general psychopathology and another titled "The Psychiatrist's Interview." The latter significantly influenced Korun's writing process for "The Counselor," shaping his portrayal of the titular character as someone who enjoys conversing and offering help, relying on innate curiosity and the belief that mere presence and attentive listening can be therapeutic.

“

I imagined that the counselor is a person who likes to talk to people and who would like to help them somehow.