Extinct Objects
Extinct Objects is an interactive ecological theatre performance for children and adults that revives devices which have fallen out of everyday use: the overhead projector, the slide projector and the cassette player. By placing these forgotten machines at the center of the stage and involving them as active participants, the play invites audiences to reflect on consumerism, waste and ecological pollution in daily life.
The performance connects seemingly distant worlds: the extinction of dinosaurs, the emergence of plastic, and the disappearance of once-beloved everyday objects. Through playful use of the overhead projector, slide projector and cassette player, objects once common but now forgotten become characters and accomplices in the game. As puppets, storytellers and stage partners, they take us back to a time when plastic did not exist, and when things were repaired and cherished.
Ecology lies at the very core of the work. Instead of theatre spotlights, the performance uses low-energy light bulbs. It is designed so that the entire cast, artistic team and scenography fit into a single car, minimizing fuel consumption and reducing the ecological footprint of touring. No new plastic was purchased for the making of the show: all costumes, scenography and props were sourced from flea markets and second-hand shops, giving discarded materials a new stage life.
At its heart, Extinct Objects suggests that true value is not found in what is new and shiny, but in what connects us: with ourselves, with others, and with nature. It invites children and adults alike into a poetic and playful reflection on consumerism, memory and the environment, encouraging audiences to see forgotten things in a new light.
The performance was created within the international project “Theatre in One Car”, carried out by Mixer Festival (Belgrade), Baska Theatre (Timișoara) and Independent Theatre Budapest. It represents a collaboration between Cultural Centre Talas (Smederevo, Serbia) and ReAktor (Novi Sad, Serbia), with the support of the City of Smederevo and the City Administration for Culture of Novi Sad.
Artistic team
● Director: Irena Antin
● Performer: Vladimir Beljić
● Scenography: Konstantinos Petrović
● Production assistant: Marina Todić
● Design: Nađa Petuhov
● Produced by: Cultural Centre Talas & ReAktor
The premiere took place on 10 August 2025 at the Summer Art Festival in Lukićevo (Serbia).
Photography: Irena Antin
ReAktor 