Ndoc Deda (1905-1985), the veteran actor of the "Migheni" Theater!

#KinematografiaShqiptare Ndoc Deda (1905-1985) One of the veteran actresses of Shkodran and Albanian theater. He was born in Shkoder on August 4, 1905. He had a difficult childhood, or rather a poor one, he had "friends" Ndoc Deda from the first moments of his life. To challenge this misery a little so that the wetness of age would not be covered by the crust of pain; chose two paths in life: – at the age of 14 he started working as a cleaner in the cinema "Massimo" (former school of Parruca, – Shkodër) and – started to deal with theater where he became active in theater companies: "Populli" (later he got the name "Shkodra"), "Vllaznia", "Our Mountains", "Antoniane". His family remembers Ndoc Deda as always connected to the stage (from the age of 13 to 44) leaving behind a gallery of roles… Even at home he lived with the theater. Alone, in the bedroom, he repeated the role(s), and loudly interpreted… In that magical world he created, which only he knew, he sketched the profile of the character. It gave him life. (They tell about Ndoci… Often times guests or hosts, while listening to the permanent ritual of Ndoci's solitary performance, where his voice came from, were surprised and immediately remembered: "Ah, yes, it is Ndoci…! We thought that he is not in The friends, lovers and colleagues of Ndoc Deda were the artists: Kadri Roshi, Mihal Popi, Ndoc Mëshkalla, Gjon Karma, Ndrekë Shkjezi came from Shkodra at the People's Theater. During my research about this figure, I learned that Ndoci performed in the parts: "Lidhja e mirškosti", "Xhido", etc. For the first one, the newspaper "Bashkimi" dated May 29, 1946, said: "In the theater "Kosova" the state theater group presented for the first time on the evening of May 24 the comedy of VM Kirshion, the first of its kind… "The wonderful connection" – Pandi Stillu. Also performed: Liza Vorfa, Besim Levonja, Ndoc Deda, Belul Hatibi, Prokop Mima, Andrea Malo, Olga Shuraja. As for the drama "Xhido" in the magazine "Bota e re", which was published in Tirana in 1945, it is written: "Ndoc Deda in the role of Pandeli was successful, he proved his mastery his voice, as a Shkodran, was understandable, his voice did not need acoustics or loudspeakers." A special thing about Ndoc in his acting career was that, at first, his name was not mentioned as an actor, but only as translator as prompter (perhaps one of the first, next to Ndoc Gora), especially in the "Shkodra" cinema. He gave his voice to silent films in communication with the spectator. He also followed this path (as prompter and translator) in the "National" cinemas in Tirana and Durrës. This lasted until 1953. When the film came to sound, Ndoci's voice "rested". It returns to its former "nest", to the amateur groups that gave it life and that had created an invigorating and life-giving tradition in Shkodër. The main station of the activity is the "Antoniane" society. This lasted until… in 1944. On May 20, 1945, he was called to Tirana, in the first founding group of the People's Theater, as an actor. He worked for about 2 years and left for health reasons. His hometown, Shkodra, where he was born, is waiting for him again. He started working with amateur groups. In April 1949, he was appointed director of the "Vasil Shanto" and "Perlat Rexhepi" workers' clubs. On December 16, 1949, he became a professional actor in the theater "Migheni". Again in the first founding group… but this time from Shkodra. Footsteps in theater societies… Ndoc Deda's activity as an actor "knocked" in several theater societies that had a name in the city of Shkodra. From our research, we have come to the following notes, which we are forwarding as follows: *In the company "Vllaznia". -On 10.08.1919, he performed in the drama "Erminja e vorfën". In the press of the time, this drama had a lot of opposition and controversy. -On 27.11.1919, he acted in the drama "Besa" by Sami Frashëri. -In 1936, he performed in the drama "Count of Saint German", directed by Sokrat Miho. (Modern stages were used for the first time in this play.) *In the "Antonian" society. -On 23.10.1938 he performs in the drama "Dede Gjo' Luli". – On 29.08.1942 he performs "Oso Kuka" by Zef M. Harapi. Ndoci performs together with Luigj Mjeda and Ndoc Bazhdari. -In 1943, he performed in the drama "Artaxerxes". *In the company "Our mountains". -In 1934 he performed in the drama "Bardha e Ferdinandi" *In the company "Shkodra". -On 28.12.1921, he performed in the drama "Genovefa of Brabant", where he had a good response, so much so that at the request of the public it was performed more than 30 times. This drama, – according to the notes of the researcher Gjush Sheldia, – had more self-directing and, in particular, the play of the actor Ndoc Deda stood out. In Shkodër, until the establishment of the professional theater, he performed in the plays: *"Under the Chestnuts of Prague", *"The Truth", *"The Russian Issue", *"Makar Dubrava", *"Those who do not submit", in the role of Taras Jachenko. Meanwhile, in the "Migheni" theater, he performed in the dramas "Zani i Amerika", "Pyrmbysja". While at the People's Theatre, in 1945 he participated in the drama "The Great Evening". Again in Shkodër. With the theater group of the House of Culture, he will perform in the part "Order in Zvonkov" (comedy in 3 acts, author: A. Kornejčuk, Ndoci played the role of architect Arkidi Ivanović.) In this performance, Margalina Bojaxhi, Xhana Gjeluci, Maria Buçi, Roza Shpendi, Fadile Mustafa, Gjenovefa Paloka, Zina Filipi, Liza Paloka, Qazim Lila, Ndoc Gashi, Tonin Lorja, etc. Ndoc Deda, constantly, enriched his biography with new roles, which he played with soul and gave his soul to live. But one day came… It was 08.05.1951. Ndoci was returning that evening in May from the show "Zani i Amerika". All the way he felt the joy of the role played; the joy that the actor feels after the given performance. It was still with the enthusiasm of playing the role. Still communicating with the character. He talked to him like a close friend. He was still repeating a joke. Laughter. He laughed to himself. Still experiencing the thrill of the show. He enjoyed the May evening, the smiling moon and the stars that sparkled happily. When… behold… some shadows suddenly appeared… From those shadows that frighten the evening and man, the moon and the stars… They arrest him. Now the stage will miss the performance of actor Ndoc Deda. The stage will miss his humor. They punish him for 8 years. They condemn the actor who wanted and sought the spaces of freedom… The shadows, with this punishment, deprived him of the Freedom he always dreamed of…, which he loved eternally. During these years, Ndoci got to know the captive camps of Ura Vajgurore, Varibob Kafaraj, Vlashuk, Radoština, Levan… and finally… he left countless sweat drops of toil, fatigue, and tear as evidence in the construction of the Rinas airport. After leaving prison, Ndoci continued his ties with the theater (where he had his soul and heart), this time establishing relations with the amateur theater of the Municipal Enterprise. He worked all day, opening and closing channels, and at the same time he was thinking about a theater group. Finally, with a thousand and one struggles, he raised it… Again a special one for Ndoc. It was 1964. The theater group of the Municipal Enterprise takes first place in the National Festival of Amateur Theaters. Ndoc Deda is declared Laureate of the Festival. They competed with the drama "War Wedding" by Minush Jero. Ndoci is the director of the show, but he also plays the role of Halim. But even this joy was… short-lived. For this "mistake" the member of the Jury, People's Artist Ndrekë Luca, was reprimanded, where again the shadows reminded him of the words: "You knew that… Why did you appreciate it? Why?.." As if for irony of these evil words, we are mentioning some other notes from Ndoc Deda's acting life: – In 1925, he performed in the part "Harapi i Saint Domingo", which appeared in the captaincy of Kala of Shkodra. -In 1938, he performed in the play: "Dream of 500 years" by Andrea Skanjeti. – In 1945, he plays in the part "Sweat and Blood". In the information presented about this show, the newspaper "Koha e re" of Shkodra writes: "Ndoc Deda performed as the best artist, especially in the monologue of the last act and the death." A little portrait. Short body, with straight brown hair, with a characteristic fast walk, with sharp eyesight, with a face that always smiled, that never lacked humor and that his heart loved to "play with me and sing with me". He was an ardent football fan. Ndoc Deda passed away on February 22, 1983, at the age of 77. The memory of my partner in several shows, the first professional actress of the "Migjeni" theater, Çezarina Çiftja, who said: "She was one of the most elegant actors on the Shkodra stage, hangs like a green fir. Together with Loro Kovač, Pjetër Gjoka, Marije Logoreci, etc., they have been a connecting bridge between the old tradition of the stage and the new realistic theater, after the war. His name is associated with a large percentage of the national and foreign repertoire of the two eras. A special and rare love connects him with the stage, which lived with him until the end of his life. His figure on the stage has been identified as the figure of an artist, where the following stood out in particular: his beautiful voice, warm speech and a great variety of colors." _____________ Simbas "Migeni Theater" – Memory of a city / XH. Bushati / albas 2019 / p.165-166-167-168. Posted on the page "Albanian Cinema" that in 2020.

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