100 years since the birth of Nace Simončič, father of Radovedni Taček

A celebration in memory of the puppeteer

8. junij 2018 ob 20.43 • Ljubljana - MMC RTV SLO

Nace Simončič received many awards, including the Prešeren Fund Award in 1964 and the Viktor Award for Radovedni Taček, who spent a total of 13 years on the programmes of RTV Slovenia. Foto: Discogs

"He was a vagabond on theatre stages, hidden behind curtains, screens and puppets – deep scars were on his face, scars made by life. But he was nevertheless glowing with grace and with the warmth of his voice, which made him different from other people," wrote the dramaturge and theatrologist Mojca Kreft, at the occasion of the 100th anniversary of his birth.

A sculpture by sculptor Anže Jurkovšek was revealed in his native Litija and a celebration in his memory will be held tonight in the cultural centre in Litija. The 7th Taček Festival is closing today and is organised in memory of the TV character Taček and Simončič, who operated it.

Andreja Štuhec, director of the Litija Library, which organised the Festival, said that this year's festival is closely connected to Simončič. The Festival offers performances and a Taček literary-art contest.

According to Štuhec, the sculpture strives to preserve the memory of Simončič, '"as being young at heart." She also added that Simončič "retained his soul of a child and was not ashamed of it. And what is more, he lived it and shared it with us all."

Legendary Žogica Marogica, Kljukec etc.
Simončič, born in 1918, was a carpenter by profession. In 1943 he joined the National Liberation Struggle and became a member of the Bela Krajina cultural group in 1944. After the war, he worked at the Ljubljana National Theatre, after which he dedicated his life to puppets. Simončič was a permanent member of the Ljubljana Puppet Theatre between 1954 and 1963. He died in 2001.

Žogica Marogica, Kljukec, Pavliha, the legendary Gašperček from the Čarobne gosli performance and other characters bear the hallmark of his talent. They remain in the memory of many generations. He formed more than 100 roles in total.

Simončič wrote scenarios for around 15 puppet performances and he often directed them. Directing the Sapramiška tale was his greatest success, having been staged more than 100 times. Together with Jože Pengov he took part in the first programmes featuring puppetry on Slovenian TV. Between 1963 and 1971 he led a TV puppet studio.

13 years of Radovedni Taček on TV
Simončič wrote and directed 50 programmes featuring Kljukec as the main character. He created several puppet characters for TV series. In 1960s, he appeared in numerous radio programmes for children. Nace Simončič received many awards, including the Prešeren Fund Award in 1964 and the Viktor Award for Radovedni Taček, who spent a total of 13 years on the programmes of RTV Slovenia.