Vesna Stanojevic

BA, MA
Job title
Senior Lecturer, Acting

Profile

I gained my BA in Acting from The Belgrade University of Dramatic Arts, with the main focus on the Stanislavski Acting Method. My professional training in London comprised four years in the Acting Technique of Étienne Decroux, at the École de Mime Corporel Dramatique.

I started teaching at Central in 2006, when the late Professor Bruce Kirle invited me to establish the acting training at the BA Acting (Musical Theatre) course, and I have been responsible for this since then.

Over the last fifteen years I have had ongoing international collaborations, teaching, workshops and advisory work in higher education with the following institutions: North Western University, De Paul University, Roosevelt University, Chicago University, University of Illinois, Belgrade Drama University, Academy of Dramatic Arts in Cetinje and Michael Chekov Europe.

Recently, I have had an intensive collaboration with the University of Contemporary Arts in Belgrade, where I have been invited to create and begin the first MA course, for Stage and Screen Acting in English language, starting in 2023.

In 2016 I received a national award ‘Golden Badge’ from the Cultural Educational Union, Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, for the significant contribution to development of Art and Culture.

In 2012 and 2019, I was invited to represent a union of Serbian and British culture through my academic and acting work. I worked together with the Serbian Council and British Library, at the seminar Ivo Andrić Nobel Prize Winner and at the promotion of the first English-language translation of the publication A Novel of London, written by the prominent Serbian writer Milos Crnjanski.

I am a member of the British Equity, Spotlight and The Association of Dramatic Artists of Serbia.

Areas of Expertise

I have created my own acting methodology ‘The Space Between The Lines’, and have used it as an acting coach and professionally as an an actress. It emphases universal values of the acting craft and work on characters’ thought processes, inner journey, use of impulses, physical action and clarity of intentions.

  • Application of the acting Methodology The Space Between The Lines in contemporary and classical plays
  • Transitions from Spoken to Sung Word
  • Impact of Rhythm and Physical Action on Emotional Journey in Acting Through Song
  • Dialogue between Acting for Stage and Screen
  • Alternative mechanisms for expression in Greek plays
  • Universal values in the Acting craft; Significance of Diversity in Creative Processes

External Practice

Screen

My professional acting career started in 1986 in Belgrade, ex-Yugoslavia, now Serbia. Some of the principal roles in Feature Films and on Television for which I have been renown are: Silia in The Last Lap in Monza, Ruza in Three Tickets for Hollywood, Maca in The Night is Dark, Natasha in Absolute Hearing, Bjanki in the TV series The Blossoming of the Linden Three,  Mikica in the TV series Home Sweet Home, The Princess Olivera Lazarevic in TV film The Path Strewn with Roses…

Recent acting work

  • 2022 – Role of Divna, Feature Film Vuk Bobice, Emotion Production, Belgrade
  • 2021 – President of the Jury Awards for the International TV festival FEDIS, Belgrade
  • 2021 – Role of Kosara, TV series Dodji Juce, Serbian Television Prva TV
  • 2021 – Role of Stana, TV series Necista Krv, This and That Production, Belgrade
  • 2020 – Role of Biljana, TV series Black Wedding, Firefly Production, Belgrade
  • 2020 – Role of Jovana, TV series Ubice moga oca, National Serbian Television 1
  • 2020 – Role of Mrs Stepic, TV series Urgentni centar, Prva TV & Emotion Production
  • 2019 - Role of Elka, TV series The Traitors, Channel 4, UK
  • 2019 - Role of Daliborka, TV series The League of Gentlemen, BBC2, UK
  • 2018 – Role of Helena, Feature Film The Return, Arte Production, Serbia

I have also done significant amount of work for Radio. My unique memory is the role of Pepsi, for BBC Radio 4 drama Solo behind the Iron Curtain, in which I co-starred with Hollywood actor Robert Vaughn.

Theatre 

Performing at The National Theatre of Serbia, Yugoslav Drama Theatre, Belgrade Drama Theatre and internationally, I was fortunate to experience different genres through my roles, such as Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, Marilyn Monroe in the musical Nick Cave, Sheila in the musical Hair, Isabel in The Invitation to the Castle,  Sasha Lebedeva in Ivanov,  Vendle in Spring Awakening, Sybil in The Portrait of Dorian Grey.

The most valuable artistic experience for me was at the Taganka Theatre in Moscow, while working with the world famous director Yuri Petrovich Lybimov and the Russian cast, on the play Electra.  My favoured artistic collaborations in the UK have been with the directors Lucy Bailey, Steven Wasson, Corinne Soum, playwrights April de Angelis, Goran Stefanovski, actresses and director Lia Wiliams.

I co-wrote, co-produced, co-directed and played a leading role in a two-hander play inspired by Dario Fo The Whore in the Madhouse, at Belgrade Cult Theatre and I am currently developing new writing with the novelist Vojislav Radojkovic on the play, The absence of needless words.

Register of Interest

Nothing to declare