Graduated from the Faculty of Arts of Prešov University in the double major in aesthetics–Slovak language and literature, and from the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava in theatre direction and dramaturgy. While still a student, she directed productions (e.g. The Living Corpse, Viktor or Power to the Children) that participated in Slovak and international theatre festivals (the Czech Republic, Russia, France, Portugal). In 2009, she spent a specialized study stay at Rose Bruford College in London focused primarily on physical theatre. After graduation, Rázusová worked as a director for several Slovak professional theatres (ASTORKA Korzo ’90 Theatre, Andrej Bagar Theatre in Nitra, Alexander Duchnovič Theatre in Prešov, Slovak National Theatre, Jozef Gregor Tajovský Theatre in Zvolen). Since 2013, she has been the artistic director of the Prešov National Theatre which she co-founded with dramaturg Michaela Zakuťanská. The concept of the Prešov National Theatre was appreciated by Slovak theatre critics when it was nominated for the Dosky Award in the Discovery of the Season category in 2014.
Description of her work:
Júlia Rázusová’s directorial method is typical for its inclination to physical and experimental theatre. She has introduced a distinctive directorial approach dominated by a clearly stated artistic opinion. Her concepts in direction and dramaturgy are often based on the movement expression of open-minded and creative actors who need a great deal of imagination to “play” with the stage, with the costumes and, last but not least, with their own bodies. She thus transcends the boundaries of classical theatre thinking.
Classical, modern and devised dramatic texts she chooses to be staged in bricks-and-mortar as well as alternative theatre spaces share very similar features – there is always a substantial and strong story, and a topical social theme. Rázusová is the author of two shorter drama texts prepared in collaboration with the Slovak National Theatre. The first is the ninth fragment of The Ten Commandments project titled Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbour’s Wife, and the second Teach Us How To Count Our Days with which she contributed to the Morals 2000+ project. Since her studies at the Academy of Performing Arts, Rázusová has worked in tandem with playwright and dramaturg Michaela Zakuťanská and musician Lucia Chuťková.
List of directed productions:
2009 / Academy of Performing Arts / Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy: The Living Corpse
2010 / Academy of Performing Arts / Lukáš Brutovský, Michaela Zakuťanská: Quattro Formaggi
2010 / Studio 12 / Barbados
2010 / Studio 12 / Michaela Zakuťanská: The World Had Tempted Me
2011 / Academy of Performing Arts / Roger Vitrac: Victor or Power to the Children
2011 / ASTORKA Korzo ’90 Theatre / Sławomir Mrożek: The Party
2012 / Andrej Bagar Theatre, Nitra / Dorota Masłowska: A Couple of Poor, Polish-speaking Romanians
2012 / Bratislava Puppet Theatre / Tomáš Janovic: Wooden Daddy
2013 / Jozef Gregor Tajovský Theatre, Zvolen / a team of authors: Six Authors in Search for Characters
2013 / Prešov National Theatre, Prešov / Michaela Zakuťanská: Single Radicals
2014 / Alexander Duchnovič Theatre, Prešov / Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy, Michaela Zakuťanská: Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery
2014 / Drama Department of the Slovak National Theatre / a team of authors: The Ten Commandments
2015 / Bratislava Puppet Theatre / Astrid Lindgren, Peter Pavlac: Mio, my Mio
2015 / Prešov National Theatre, Prešov / Michaela Zakuťanská: Good Place to Die
2016 / State Theatre Košice / Edward Albee: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf
2016 / Drama Department of the Slovak National Theatre / Zuzana Dzurindová, Júlia Rázusová, Kamil Žiška: Morals 2000+
2016 / On the Platform / Júlia Rázusová and a team On the Platform: Heil Scholarship!
2016 / DJGT, Zvolen / Anna Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
2017 / PND, Prešov / Michaela Zakuťanská: The Day When Gott Died
2017 / City Theatre, Žilina / Nejc Gazvoda, Rok Biček, Janez Lapajne, Michaela Zakuťanská: Class Enemy
Awards:
2010 / The Istropolitana Festival Award for an extraordinary work of art in the production The Living Corpse
2012 / The Student Jury Prize at the 2012 Nová dráma/New Drama festival for the production A Couple of Poor Polish-speaking Romanians
2012 / 3rd Prix Bohemia Radio at the 2012 Festival of Radio Art for the radio play The World Had Tempted Me
2014 / Stano Radič Award at the Kremnica Gags festival for the production Single Radicals
2017 / nominated for the Dosky Award in the Best Direction of the Season category for the direction of The Diary of Anne Frank
Foreign language skills: English, French, Russian
Contact: jrazusova@gmail.com
Videos from productions:
The World Had Tempted Me, 2010
archive of the Studio 12, Bratislava
The video can be found at the following link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcSahLHNe5E
The Diary of a Young Girl, 2016
archive of the Joze Gregor Tajovský Theatre, Zvolen
The video can be found at the following link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=vspuCzVImQo
Day when Gott died, 2017
archive of the Prešov National Theatre
The video can be found at the following link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNC-iGTZnCI
Dvaja úbohí Rumuni hovoriaci po poľsky / A Couple of Poor, Polish-speaking Romanians, 2012
