Mary Stuart – A Performance by Andrei Șerban On October 15, 2025, the I.L. Caragiale National Theater in Bucharest (TNB) has the honor of presenting a special performance in Kielce: Mary Stuart, in the exceptional vision of world-renowned director Andrei Șerban. The performance, based on Robert Icke's text adapted from Friedrich Schiller, brings to the fore one of the most famous and tragic conflicts in royal history: the struggle for the throne and, implicitly, the struggle for life, between Queen Elizabeth I of England and her cousin, Mary Stuart of Scotland (played by Ofelia Popii and Raluca Aprodu at random, roles assigned at the beginning of each performance). Under the baton of Andrei Șerban, known for his innovation and directorial force on prestigious stages around the world (including Broadway and La MaMa, New York), this production is not just a history lesson, but a profound exploration of power, destiny, and sacrifice. The event takes place at the opening of the Kielce International Theatre Festival and as part of the Romanian edition of the "Gra z Kantorem" program. Tickets can be purchased on the Stefan Żeromski Theatre website: teatrzeromskiego.bilety24.pl „Grz z Kantorem” /„Playing with Kantor” is an artistic research project organized by the Tadeusz Kantor Cricoteka Documentation Center in Krakow, initiated in 2018, and since 2023 it has taken the form of a festival. It explores the reception of Tadeusz Kantor's work and presents it as a living source of inspiration for new generations of experimental artists around the world. "Playing with Kantor" demonstrates the tangible impact of Cricot 2 on the contemporary form of theater and visual arts. This year's edition focuses on the performing arts in Romania and is organized by Cricoteka together with the Romanian Cultural Institute in Warsaw. The performance in Kielce is supported by the Romanian Ministry of Culture. On October 15, audiences in Poland—and beyond—will have a unique opportunity to see the power and elegance of the Bucharest National Theater team on stage in Kielce.   Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

Tickets for the performances of the 35th edition of the National Theater Festival will go on sale on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at 12:00 p.m., simultaneously on the sales platforms of each host theater, as well as at their ticket offices. For easy access, we recommend that you select the desired performances from the daily program posted on the fnt.ro website and, by clicking the Buy Tickets button, you will be redirected to the ticket purchase page for the desired performance. The Buy Tickets button will be active starting Wednesday, October 1, at 12:00 p.m. For two of the FNT performances – "It's Only the End of the World," directed by Eugen Jebeleanu, and "At Dawn, the Light Is Harsher," directed by Radu Apostol – admission is free, subject to availability, based on registration on the performance pages. Follow us on www.fnt.ro and on the Facebook page of the National Theater Festival to stay up to date with all the details regarding the program of performances and related events. * The 35th edition of the National Theater Festival, produced by UNITER – the Romanian Theater Union, will take place in Bucharest between October 17 and 26, 2025. FNT is a strategic cultural project funded by the Ministry of Culture. The co-producer is the Bucharest City Hall through ARCUB – the Cultural Center of Bucharest. The curatorial team of the National Theater Festival consists of Raluca Circiumaru (theater critic), Alina Epingeac (theater critic), and Ionut Sociu (playwright and cultural journalist), with Radu Afrim as associate director. The theme of the current edition is a call to action: FNT 2025. It concerns you!, and the image is a creation by set designer Irina Moscu. We look forward to seeing you at NTF!  Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

The 35th edition of the National Theater Festival, produced by UNITER - The Romanian Theatre Union, will take place in Bucharest between October 17 and 26, 2025. The curatorial team of the National Theatre Festival, formed by Raluca Circiumaru (theater critic), Alina Epingeac (theater critic) and Ionut Sociu (playwright and cultural journalist), presents the argument, structure and components of the current edition. For the first time, the FNT has an associated artist: director Radu Afrim. The selection process included watching and analyzing over 200 performances that premiered in the 2024-2025 theatrical season, seen both live, following the country tours, and in digital format. Two of the TNB's productions are part of the official selection of the FNT: Mary Stuart, adapted by Robert Icke after Friedrich Schiller, directed by Andrei Serban, and Prophet Ilya by Tadeusz Słobodzianek, directed by Botond Nagy. Congratulations to the artistic and technical teams involved in the realization of these remarkable performances! More details here.     Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu