British English-Speaking Theatre Slovenia: Violeta Tomic

Violeta Tomic is one of Slovenia's most high-profile and innovative actresses. She trained at the Ljubljana Academy of Stage, Radio and Motion Picture Arts, winning the prestigious Sever Prize for her performance of Hyacinth in Scandal in the Valley of St Florian, and since then has gained a wealth of experience in every performance field.

After graduation Violeta appeared with the Theatre of the Scipion Nasice Sisters, playing in Hinkeman, Baal, and Baptism under Mt. Triglav. She then performed for 5 years with the Ljubljana Town Theatre creating roles including Elsa Weber in Days and Nights In Between, Gerarda in La Discreta Enamorada, and Dara in The Minister's Wife.

In the 1989/90 season Violeta was awarded a second Sever Prize for her performances as Esther in Victor (Or the Celebration of Youth), Nesca in Matthew the Manservant Is Getting Married, and as Juliette in Mephistopheles.

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Since then Violeta’s numerous theatre credits have included Giannina in The Fan, Alison Allan in On the Ski Slopes (on the Piste’) by John Godber, Clea in Black Comedy by Peter Shaffer, Barbara in Income Tax, Cyclamen in Geordie and the Pinecone, Gaby in The Man Without Courage, Helen Pretnar in Mad Women, Beatrice in Servant to two Gentleman, Tone Partljic in Politics, My Affliction, and Clara Eynsford Hill in Pygmalion. These last four plays were directed by Boris Kobal.

Violeta’s performance as Isolde in Tristram and Isolde at the Chamber Theatre received great critical acclaim, and in 1995 she garnered the Golden Bird Award for her performance as Hannah in Whatever Happened at the town of Goda.

In 1997 Violeta made her directorial debut with the musical Bing Bang Bong, the Clown – A friend to the World, which was staged for the Days of Canker in Sarajevo. This was judged by UNICEF to be the best humanitarian performance. Following the show's success it was broadcast by TV Slovenija.

Other directorial credits include Girls Night Out, and Bread and Butter, at the St James’s Theatre, Ljubljana.

In 2004 Violeta formed her own theatre company, Kud Agli (The Autonomous Theatre of Lilly Art) Her first production was a mono-comedy, Hotel Babilon by Miro Gavran, which Violeta has performed across Slovenia and in which she played eleven different roles. In 2005 Violeta was honoured to be the first Slovene actor to be awarded the Gold Medal for Best Actor in Monodrama and Mime for her performance in this play at the Zemun Festival, Belgrade.

For 2 years Violeta hosted the popular quiz show The Weakest Link on TV Slovenija.

Always looking for fresh challenges, in September 2005 Violeta participated in Slovenia's first professional Murder Mystery presented by BEST at the Grand Hotel Toplice and is a regular cast member (performing in Slovene and English).

In 2007 Violeta created the role of Mati in Zivljenje v Senci Bananovca, directed by Cezaris Grauzinis, at the Festivalu Ex Ponto in Croatia.

In June 2008 Violeta won first prize in Macedonia for her performance in her mono-comedy Hotel Babilon.