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The I.L. Caragiale National Theatre of Bucharest announces the premiere of “God dresses from the Thrift”, a play by Iulian Margu, brought on stage, in the Studio Hall, by the director Ion Caramitru.

The Romanian play in two acts, a satire enfolded by the rhythms of a waltz, “God dresses from the Thrift” is the unexpected story of a family crossing through decades, and that of a brand name piano, in the whirl of history.

Ion Caramitru, the General Manager of the National Theatre, confesses he was in the search of a challenging text like this one. “ I was the second hand to touch the text, much like in a thrift store, so to speak, the first hand being the one of Horaţiu Mălăiele, who probably wished to stage it in Râmnicu Vâlcea. I think God wanted it to land in my hands. It is a play with a puzzle like structure, or at least that was my point of view. The main story is dismantled in several  sections, repeated over different periods of time, and reassembled at the end of the play for the full understanding of the story. When it comes to style, it has both a raw humor and an educated one, and it has a lot of references, using a symbolism that breaks the boundaries of time and space.”

“The play is a short history of Romania, told in a modern way with the help of an enchanted piano – the author, Iulian Margu, reveals. This premiere is a great honor for me. The ultimate recognition of a playwright, as Tudor Popescu used to say, is to be staged by The National Theatre, alongside the universal classics.”

Because he prefers watching others and not being the center of attention, few people know that the playwright Iulian Margu was born in the province of Vâlcea, on January 15, 1958. He has been writing theatre and directing since the 80’s. While in highschool, he starts a youth theatre company.  He builds his career on two pillars, balancing with artistic grace betwen his two passions,  theatre and film. In 1991, he embarks on another successful adventure, his project Etalon TV.  Among his first plays, written at Tudor Popescu’s sug estion, we can list „The advantages the elevator has over the stairs”, „The rottenness of a golden tooth”, „Lullaby on rock music”, „Penalty kick”.  Some of his more recent works are: „The statue with the stincking feet” („A reliable poet”), staged by the „Anton Pann” Theatre in Râmnicu Vâlcea, „God dresses from the Thrift” (2012), “Purely good thoughts about Satan”, “The touristic map of Hell”, “An unexpected guest”, and  “The suicide guide”, his latest play – which has just seen the limelight this year on the stage of the Ariel Theatre  in Râmnicu Vâlcea, directed by the author. Most of them are satirical comedies, the author always being careful with the role the theater plays as a mirror of society, a mirror that not only reflects but also pushes you to interact.

The cast: Dorin Andone, Lari Giorgescu, Carmen Ungureanu, Teodora Mareş, Eduard Adam, Armand Calotă, Fulvia Folosea, Ioan Andrei Ionescu and the children Emma and Theodora Calotă. With the extraordinary appearance of Florina Cercel.

The success of the setting is also due to the light-design signed by Chris Jaeger, as well as to Maria Miu’s scenography that makes the most of the potential the Studio Hall’s stage has to offer.

Preview:  6 and 7 December 2014, at 19.30

The official premiere will take place on Friday, 12 and Saturday, 13 December, at 19.30.

Translated by Ana-Maria Albu

MTTLC, University of Bucharest