A special place in this year’s Ulysses Theatre season is once again reserved for King Lear, the legendary production that marked the beginning of Ulysses Theatre’s work in 2001.

Rade Šerbedžija, in the title role—one of the most beloved and demanding of his career—captivates audiences with the power and vulnerability of his performance.

Due to great audience interest, a fifth performance of King Lear has been added and will take place on 13 August on Mali Brijun.

Due to overwhelming public interest, we’ve added another performance of King Lear on 13 August.
The boat departs from Fažana at 7:30pm.
Tickets are now on sale.

One of Southeast Europe’s most beloved actors, Zijah A. Sokolović, performed two of his one-man shows for audiences at Ulysses Theatre on the island of Veliki Brijun – Left Right Actor and the cult production The Actor… Is an Actor… Is an Actor. Both performances received standing ovations.

As an actor, director, university professor and author of one-man shows, Sokolović has, over the decades, established himself as a veritable theatrical institution and a singular creative voice in this part of Europe.

The one-man show The Actor… Is an Actor… Is an Actor premiered at the MESS Festival in Sarajevo in 1978. Since then, in addition to Zijah A. Sokolović, it has been performed by nineteen other actors, in five languages and across 25 countries worldwide. With humour and immediacy, the production explores the actor, the theatre and their relationship with the audience, transforming the craft of acting into a vibrant and unpredictable encounter with spectators.

At the end of June, the first activity of the project “A Programme to Strengthen the Resilience and Capacity of Ukrainian Women Artists Through Artistic and Therapeutic Practices” started.

In Lviv, our long-standing collaborators Nigel Osborne and Jonathan Walton held a series of meetings, lectures and workshops.

Nigel Osborne is a composer, music therapist and professor at the University of Edinburgh. Jonathan Walton is a musician and music therapist.

They delivered a lecture on how art, and music in particular, affects the human brain and body; worked with artists, psychologists and the team at the UNBROKEN Ukraine rehabilitation centre; took part in a discussion on the role of art in healthcare; and, together with war veterans, gave a concert that will be remembered for a long time to come.

Between these events, they shaped the programme for the camp, preparing the central part of the project, which will take place from 20 to 30 July on Mali Brijun. It will host Ukrainian women artists, who will take part in workshops on artistic and creative practices focused on working with trauma, as well as on mutual support and professional development.

The project is being run by the Ulysses Theatre in collaboration with the Ukrainian organisation Art Dot, with financial support from the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia.

The project is being implemented by Ulysses in partnership with Art Dot from Kharkiv, and represents a continuation of the collaboration begun in 2022 through the “Camp for Ukrainian Women Artists” programme. It is oriented towards supporting artists affected by war and promoting art as a tool for recovery, empowerment and social renewal.

Project Duration: 5 March 2026 – 5 April 2027

Dear Friends,

The Season 2026 programme is here – and tickets are now available to purchase in advance through our website or our online ticketing platform, Mojekarte.hr.

As in every season before this one, we have worked hard to bring you a rich and varied programme, featuring some of the finest artists from Croatia and beyond.

This year’s season opens with the world premiere of Ronald Harwood’s celebrated drama TAKING SIDES, directed by Lenka Udovički, with Ozren Grabarić and Svetozar Cvetković in the leading roles. Alongside it, we have secured a compelling lineup of guest productions – including performances within the RUTA festival – as well as concerts from some of your favourite artists: Rade Šerbedžija and Zapadni Kolodvor, Vlatko Stefanovski, Darko Rundek, Damir Urban, and the band Pips, Chips & Videoclips.

Following last year’s extraordinary response, we are once again taking our work beyond our home stages on Mali and Veliki Brijun. On 21 and 22 July, we return to the Small Roman Theatre in Pula with Sophocles’ Antigone – 2,000 Years Later – and we hope that everyone who missed out on tickets last season will finally have the chance to see it.

We do have some sad news: King Lear will not return after this season, and the performances listed in the 2026 programme will be its final showings.

Due to significant cost increases across all areas of production – and in particular rising transport costs – we have had to raise ticket prices this season. Please note that transport to performances is included in the ticket price.

Thank you for your understanding, and we encourage you to book early.

Last year, Kazalište Ulysses celebrated 25 years. As an independent theatre sustained almost entirely by your remarkable loyalty and the generosity of a small group of sponsors and donors, stepping into our 26th season feels like a genuine milestone – and a renewed commitment to everything we set out to do.

Thank you for your trust. We hope you enjoy the programme, and we look forward to seeing you.

Your Ulysses

We are proud to announce that Kazalište Ulysses has signed a project financing agreement for international development and humanitarian cooperation, under the 5th Public Call of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia.

This agreement provides support for the project “Programme for Strengthening the Resilience and Capacities of Ukrainian Women Artists through Artistic and Therapeutic Practices”, which Ulysses is implementing in partnership with the NGO Art Dot from Kharkiv, Ukraine.

The project is a continuation of the successful collaboration begun in 2022 during the “Camp for Ukrainian Artists and Children” programme, which established strong professional ties and mutual trust between Croatian and Ukrainian partners. Supporting artists affected by war and promoting art as a tool for recovery and empowerment is the foundation of this project too.

The aim of the programme is to strengthen the resilience, mental health, and professional capacities of Ukrainian women artists affected by the circumstances of war. The project is structured in three interconnected phases:

• Phase One involves Croatian artists staying in Ukraine, where – through meetings and workshops with local women artists – the needs of the target group are identified and a summer camp programme is jointly developed.
• Phase Two encompasses a multi-day camp held in Croatia, in a safe and supportive environment, through artistic, therapeutic and educational activities focused on recovery, sharing of experience and networking.
• The Final Phase involves a follow-up visit to Ukraine for the purposes of evaluation, collection of feedback, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of results.

The ten-month programme draws on creative and therapeutic artistic practices in confronting trauma and the mental and physical challenges of war. Ukrainian artists – among them professors, deans, and teachers from arts education institutions in Mariupol, Dnipro, Kharkiv and other cities – play a key role in the process of social healing and reconstruction of war-affected communities.

The project contributes to strengthening international cooperation, developing solidarity, and empowering women artists for continued activity within their communities – affirming the vital role of art as a space for dialogue, healing and social recovery.

We thank the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia for their support, and look forward to continuing our cooperation.