Actor and Character | Dervish Biba "The prosecutor who convicted Avni Rustem"!

The column of the page "Actor and Character" An interview with the actor Dervish Biba was given to the "Telegraf" newspaper some time ago, in October 2012, about the role of the prosecutor played by him in the drama "Dy krisma ne Paris" "I was hated and threatened all when I was playing the prosecutor who convicted Avni Rustem" says the actor and director of the Fier Theater. Originally from Dibra, but spent his artistic life in the professional troupe of Fier. And it wasn't easy to go from being a teacher to studying acting in that system, but it was the courage, the study, the courage that made him an actor. There are over 100 roles in his artistic life as an actor, but also 15 works staged as a director. All this is not a little in the life of an artist. But above all the roles, the one that has stuck him the most is the role of the Prosecutor in the drama "Two Christmases in Paris", where he got into trouble with the spectators, who looked at him with hatred and even threatened him!… How was he born ? desire for acting? I graduated from the pedagogical school for teachers in Peshkopi and worked for five years in education. At school I had a teacher, Shefki Hafizi, he took me for the first time in a production he made of the poem "Brotherhood". I played the brother who came from exile and when he got close to the house, the other brother thought that the thief was coming and the brother killed the brother. It was 1958. When I became a teacher, I really wanted to stage different things with the children, I asked the students to make compositions in poetry. So two or three children made such designs for me and I sent them to Fatosi and Pionieri magazines. At the same time, I was doing different artistic groups. And how did you go to the Institute of Arts for acting? When I had three years as a teacher, they told me to come to the Professional Estrada and play a role. I participated in two or three roles and on one occasion I recited a poem by Dritëro Agolli "Baballarët". A very beautiful poem that was liked and applauded. At this time, I met a friend of mine who was at the Institute of Arts, who one day said to me: Why don't you come to the acting school? Why do they accept me, I said? Come on, let's prepare together. To tell you the truth, I took it with great fear. Where should I go from Dibra there? I come to Tirana with my friend and we meet professor Drita Agolli, who welcomed me well. She helped me a lot in preparation. Who was on the jury? There were 15 of the best Albanian actors and directors of all time, Mihallaq Luarasi, Kujtim Spahivogli, Pandi Stillo, Drita Agolli, Prokop Mima… We competed with over 150 people and 12 people were accepted or won. There was no daughter. Who were your friends at the Institute, since you went to school late? Timo Flloko, Niko Kanxheri, Birçe Hasko, Gëzim Kame, Minella Borova, Llazi Serbo, Petrika Riza, Mevlan Shanaj, Kristaq Mitro, etc. After finishing the Institute, where did you go? I was appointed to the House of Culture in Dibër, where I stayed for three years. I achieved many successes as a director. What parts have you staged at this time in Peshkopi? "Filizat", a drama for children by Lenka Bungo. It was my first stage work, which was very successful, and because I was very young. I received a lot of praise and this piece was performed 20 times in a row at the House of Culture. Then, working at the House of Culture, I played a lot with the gymnasium and the amateur troupes. At that time, Peshkopia only had a professional troupe. With the Prëzhdan cooperative, I received first prize at a regional meeting in Lezhë. With Zerqani's troupe, I staged a variety show and at the city's Municipal Council, I won first prize at a meeting in Burrel, all as a director. What was special about your work as a director and actor in Peshkopi? I opened the puppet theater in Peshkopi for the first time, where I also performed a piece called "Kufitatar pe mai" which I staged myself. Within a year I put two puppet parts on stage. At the same time, I was acting as a director in the company as well as in pop music. I can say that during this time I played three very good roles in dramas. A role where I received the first medal in my life is the drama "Roots" by Kujtim Spahivogli, where I played the role of a fascist. This work had five characters. It was 1972 and the meeting of theater troupes took place in Durrës. We were 13 theater companies from all over Albania. There was a lot of enthusiasm. It was at this time that I asked to go to Fier, because there was a new professional body. As a new troupe, I started with many other actors. So in February 1973 I went to the theater troupe of Fier. This troupe was created in 1971 and staged two plays. What were those dramas? I single out one. It was the drama "Njollat e murrme", which was canceled in the 12th show, after being criticized from an ideological point of view. It was a drama by Leka Bungo. It was the period of the 11th Festival in RTSH. At this time, I came across the drama "The House in the Alley" by Teodor Laço. I come to meet Teodroi in Tirana and tell him that I intend to stage this work. Agreed immediately. I presented it to the theater council, they agreed. So in Fier, my first work (work) was as a director in this drama where I simultaneously played a role myself. The show went very well. It was my first direction in professional bodies. How many works have you put in Fier as a director? I may have put about 15 works. While as an actor I have played about 100 roles. I may even have passed them. It was a time when only work was done. Day and night work. While working in this theater, I received several awards, such as in "The Winter's Dream", by Teodor Laço, in 1976, with the role of a ballista, where the director was Dhimitër Pecani. We received second prize after the National Theater at the Theater Festival. In 1979, I received the second prize with the comedy "Shoku Niqifor" by Pëllumb Kulla, where I was co-director with Pëllumb Kulla, where we received the first prize as co-director. I received the other award in 1981 with the Prosecutor in the drama "Two Crimes in Paris". As an actor, it is discussed among your friends that the most beautiful role was precisely that of the Prosecutor in the drama "Two Christmases in Paris"? Yes. I say so too. It is a piece expertly written by Pëllumb Kulla and Sheri Mita and staged by Pëllumb Kulla. It was 1981. The role was very difficult but very beautiful. This role was a bit of a contradiction in terms. So I, as a Prosecutor, would defend Esat Pasha, so the mass, the spectator would see me with hatred. In Albania at that time, Avni Rsutemi was looked upon as an idol. When we went as a troupe to Gjirokastër, to Libohova, the birthplace of Avni Rustemi, or to Vlora, they were seen with hatred, as if the event was real. The work had a great effect on the psyche of the spectator. Avni Rsutem's trial seemed very real and I hated it to the extreme. For example, in Libohova after the show, the director Roland Roshi tells me not to go out with the group of actors after the show because they preserve the emotions of the drama and no incident happens. Stay away for a few minutes so people get emotional and think you were on stage and not in real life. When Fatos Sela appeared in the role of Avni, he was surrounded by Libohova's sons. I approached among them when I see that they all took a different stance with gloomy faces. I put my hand around Fatosi's neck, saying we are friends, we were in a role there. In the role, in the role, but you are very mean, one of the boys told me. The same thing happened to me in Vlora with a man who took me to a bar and didn't tell me anything. Those days I was on vacation, in the camp, when he wouldn't let me go anywhere and while pouring cognac on me, he said "you are a mask, dirty, dirty, how dare you punish Avni Rustemi in the middle of Vlora". I was relieved to say what I had done. Do you have a role? Yes. I'm sorry I didn't play the role of Arturo Ui. I know why I have always secretly loved this role. Watching Kadri Roshi play it made me want to play it more. What about the role that gave you special pleasure? It is a role in a Greek drama. I had a leading role. It was in 2003. The director was Dhimitër Orgocka. In the final, when I greeted the spectators, they didn't let me go. I saw this expectation when I played the role of Baca in the part "Bullets and letters" in a recital for Idriz Seferi. The events of the work take place in the years when the Declaration of Independence was being prepared. These two roles are the roles where I got the most applause. Your stage friends in Fier? I have all of them as friends, both Estrada and theater actors. It takes time to submit them. Luftar Pajën, Hajrie Rondon, Arqile Lipen, Pëllumb Kulën, Roland Roshin, Fatos Selën, Zhuljeta Kulën and many others whose names I apologize for not mentioning. Published in "Telegraf" since October 2012 ___________________ Albanian cinematography in activity since 2013

 Follow us:
Blog: https://albaniancinematography.blogspot.com/
Vimeo:   Albanian Cinematography (vimeo.com)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ksh.faqjazyrtare
Dailymotion: https://www.dailymotion.com/kinetografiashqiptareartisporti
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDRYQ5xCyGkfELm3mX8Rhtw