Patricia Highsmith
Little Tales of Misogyny
Scene Order:
1. The Perfectionist
2. The Prude
3. The Breeder
4. The Dancer
Claudette always pretended to suffer, to love Rodolphe and to suffer at the hands of his passion in the dance. This time she did not rise when he released her. Nor did he assist her, as he usually did. He had strangled her, too tightly for her to cry out. Rodolphe walked off the little stage, and left Claudette for other people to pick up.

Performed by: Anđela Marunović
Director / Mentor: Prof. Dubravka Drakić
Composer: Marija Mitrović

Drums: Martin Đorđević
Piano: Marija Mitrović
Lighting: Danilo Malović

The play explores the dark side of human nature through the lens of misogyny, portraying societal norms, prejudices, and power dynamics that define and restrict women’s lives. Each story presents extreme examples of sexism and misogyny, often depicting women as either victims or perpetrators in dark, ironic, and grotesque situations.
Working on Patricia Highsmith’s Little Tales of Misogyny has been a deeply meaningful experience for me for several reasons. The text itself is highly layered and demands profound immersion into complex characters that embody a variety of psychological dynamics. Highsmith is known for creating characters who are borderline, fascinating, and unsettling, which, as an actress, provides fertile ground for exploration. Beyond the nature of the text, this production has allowed me to engage with different acting techniques drawing on three major acting systems: Stanislavski, Brecht, and Artaud. Each offers a unique approach to realizing the roles I perform. Stanislavski helped me build the internal action, fundamentally understanding the characters and creating authentic emotional responses. Brecht, on the other hand, gave me the opportunity to distance myself from the characters and respond to the socio-political themes of the text. His concept of “alienation” allowed me the freedom to critically highlight themes of misogyny and extremist beliefs, creating moments that directly engage the audience and provoke reflection and thought. Artaud’s approach inspired me to explore the extreme limits of human nature through movement, sign, symbol, and music. His philosophy of the “Theater of Cruelty” enabled me to bring borderline situations to a point of no return.
Anđela Marunović