There is a considerable number of writings with the title “Life`s Role” made some time before the year 2013 from the page “Albanian Cinematography” on Facebook by then administrator Arian Muraj. In these writings, the different roles are shown, many of which make our actors stand out in their portrayal. Of course, over the years and adapting to the times, the title of this extremely interesting column (if you devote some time to reading it) evolved into “Actor and Character”.
The role of life – Shkelqim Basha!
The difficulty to exchange two words with people of everyday life about a role that has left its mark among the times, is found in the time in which we live, the evolution of art as well, but above all the change in human perception. I’m talking about ordinary people and talking to someone about an actor or a movie, especially when it concerns a distant time, is a bit difficult.
Above all, offering something written as a tribute, a trip down memory lane when it comes to film, theater and our actors before 1990 is even more difficult!
We live in a time when the perception, the understanding of things is closely related to the appearance and not to the comment, that is, the reading. For example, it would be much easier for someone to see a photo and be quick to comment about it than to spend five minutes reading something related to that photo and from this reading you can learn, something you didn’t know!
Also, because in Albania, there is still no real archive (or complete indifference regarding the artistic and sports memory of a people) of any kind of sports or cultural event that belongs to the past, often, we cannot be correct in our judgments about a show, film, theater or even a football match from the past, especially that of the productive golden years 1980-1990 in terms of sports.
An example about the theater.
Anyone who can ask the question which production from the National Theater is the best show, “Arturo Ui” can be the answer in the case of those who have passionately followed the theater and did not miss a show as much as they have more or less formed a level artistically pleasing in itself. But from this circle of people, there are very few who support the idea that the best show is “Monserati” and much more are those art lovers who have not even seen “Monserati” and this happens precisely because of what we said above.
But of course when we talk about comedy, which, no matter how bad the lies, in Albania is preferred as much as we have kept the jokes from dramatic films, unanimously, we all remember the portrait of Roland Trebicka in the role of “Uncle Vani” from “Pallati 176”, although we also have the production of “The Prefect” three times with Mihal Popi on radio, Nikolin Xhoja and Robert Ndrenika on television! It was not without purpose that I mentioned the fantastic achievements of the National Theatre!
First, because in the entire artistic world, an actor who does not perform in the theater cannot be called an actor, no matter how famous he is in the cinematography. For example, Antoni Hopkins, is one of the best actors of the English theater and in England, the theater often has more “fans” than the cinema! I could add many other names here, such as Reif Fajans, etc., etc.
Second, due to the fact that our actors were of such a high level, we have two extraordinary performances of two actors who were until that time simply “second-hand” actors, as we have learned to call them, but in fact, participants in small or almost episodic roles. I refer to the actor Shkelqim Basha and Roland Trebicka!
They, without being in central roles until that time, took upon themselves such great roles in the colossal productions of the Albanian National Theatre! 
Shkelqim Basha!
Few roles until then, in addition, he performed roles on the radio as in Children’s Theater, (the heroism of our people over the centuries). In cinematography, it was held and remembered during the introduction of the film “Guerrilla Unit” in the role of Gramozi (Vojo Kushi). He was so charming that with such an episodic role, in terms of appearance, he held almost the same place with Rikard Ljarja in the role of Skender Guri in “Silent Duel”. Anyway, it did not pass more than ten interpretations in total in the cinematography, but there are somewhere around seventy in the theater.
To play the role of Arturo Ui was a challenge for him as an actor. Kadri Roshi is considered to be his best interpretation in the theater in the 1971 production directed by Pirro Mani, but also Sulejman Dibra after Kadri, even more than 70 times as an interpretation until 1979 and of course here, in this writing, I don’t try to choose which actor was the best because, apart from the fact that many viewers of that time (1971) give points to Kadri Roshi, here we see this role from the point of view of an actor who had not previously been distinguished among protagonist roles and also, it is the only visual document we have. 
Personally, I remain loyal to the feeling of admiration for an actor who, from a modest role, managed to become so great “overnight”! Above all, it was a challenge for the “Teatri Popullor” to bring Arturo Ui to the stage in a camera performance, but also because even today, it is a challenge for every theater to successfully stage a play by Bertold Brecht!
One of the greatest playwrights of all time. It was a dangerous attempt because never before had so many actors participated in such a production on the stage of the theater and of course the cream of the Albanian actors was there, as had never happened in any cinematographic production… and Shkelqim Basha, he would play the protagonist!
It was precisely him, chosen among names such as Pjeter Gjoka, Kadri Roshi, Ndrek Luca, Sander Prosi, Violeta Manushi, Robert Ndrenika, Mimika Luca, Lazer Filipi, Prokop Mima, Luan Qerimi, Pirro Malaveci, Lazer Filipi, Lazer Vlashi, Ahmet Pasha, Ndrek Shkjezi, Anastas Kristofori , Tomor Guce, Roland Trebicka, etc. which are all found together there in that realization.
So many names! And what names! All great ones from a small country such is Albania. The ending is known! At an age of less than forty years, Shkelqim Basha, occupies an unforgettable place in the hearts of spectators and television viewers, but also among art critics of that time. Of course, without ever wanting to diminish Kadri Roshi’s interpretation, Shkelqimi remains even today the personification of Arturo Ui in the memory of the Albanian art lover and the drama “Arturo Ui” as the best realization of all times by the People’s Theatre.
Photo gallery from the performance of "Arturo Ui"
I am sure that it is the moment to remember that today, in our days, the words of the epilogue of the play written by Bertold Breht and recited by Vangjel Toce are powerful;
” This is what happens when a person does good, mind you, the world was destroyed by a monster like this, rat nuzzle”.
These are the words that today are valid for me, for you and for all of us!
(C) Material reserved with copyright by Arian Muraj (one of the first site administrators). First published on April 24, 2013. Illustrations by the current staff of “Albanian Cinematography”
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