News

The "I.L. Caragiale" National Theatre from Bucharest announces the premiere of Rehearsal for a Better World, a dramatization by Mihai Radu and Ionuț Sociu based on the novel of the same name by Mihai Radu, on March 18 and 19, 2023, at 7.30 pm, at the "Ion Caramitru" Hall. Constantly in the public eye, director Radu Afrim returns in the stages of NTB with a new challenge, this time opting for a dramatization of a novel that has aroused a wave of interest immediately after its publication in 2022, Mihai Radu's novel entitled "Rehearsal for a Better World". Attracted by the apparently non-dramatic literature, in which he sees "a huge scenic potential", Radu Afrim reconfirms this option and explains: "Certainly, I adopt the atmosphere of the prose/poems that I move into theatre. The spectators often discover it first in my performances, then they run to the book. It's a possible path. (...) I'm very interested in the writing. I feel its vibe." (Quoted from an interview by Ana Maria Sandu and Marius Chivu, Dilema Veche, no. 985/2023) A well-known satire journalist (his collaborations with the weekly newspaper "Cațavencii" and the TV show "Starea nației" are well known), Mihai Radu is also in his novels the same sarcasm and lucidity professional we find in his press articles. His latest novel, Rehearsal for a Better World, published by Polirom in July 2022, is the novel of a crisis. A generalized crisis, "a Matryoshka of crises", as the author declared in an interview, which are felt on a moral, political, ecological and civilizational level. A story about an ordinary Romanian family, set in today's Bucharest, but so defining for the entire Western civilization of the moment. The novel offers playful, but also dense and psychological material for "a show about many separations: the separation between spouses and lovers, between parents and children, between one generation and another, the separation from the past, from hopes, and, why not, the separation even from the future." All this with an overdose of contemporary humor. A story about each of us, which Radu Afrim brings to the stage in his own style, always surprising, reeking of "problems of the soul in its journey through the visible world". In his new show Radu Afrim focuses on life as seen by the young author Mihai Radu as a playground"... where there is death, sexuality, the nostalgia of adolescence and youth, hopes... in a play that is sometimes candid and naive, sometimes cruel and frightening". "Sitting at the table with Radu Afrim and the actors, each of us grabbing dialogues, descriptions, monologues from the novel... trying them on as if trying on clothes in a boutique, I lived this fantastic experience: to see how your words turn into gestures, looks, laughter, tears. You feel like a god, but a god that pisses himself in fear: "F..k, what if the world doesn't turn out the way I want it to?", says Mihai Radu about the birth of this show that you will be able to see on the NTB's Ion Caramitru Hall stage. We invite you to follow the tnb.ro website in order to purchase your tickets for the following performances, scheduled to take place in the "Ion Caramitru" Hall of NTB, on April 8, 12 and 21, 2023, at 7.30 pm. Tickets can be purchased at the NTB Box Office and online at tnb.ro.   Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu

For the UNITER Gala Awards 2023, the "I.L. Caragiale" National Theatre in Bucharest was nominated twice: - In the Best Supporting Actress category: Raluca Aprodu for the part of Dora Dulebov in "The Just Assassins" by Albert Camus, directed by Mihai Maniutiu - In the Debut category: Mariuca-Serena Bosnea for the part of Caterina Sergheievna Odintsov, Anna's sister in Brian Friel's "Fathers and Sons", dramatization based on Turgheniev's novel, directed by Vlad Massaci According to the statute of the Romanian Theatre Union, the UNITER Senate - Board of Directors awards the "Ion Caramitru" Excellence Award, the Lifetime Achievement Awards and the Special Awards at the UNITER Awards Gala. On the basis of the proposals received from the theatres and the proposals of the members of the UNITER Senate, the Senate decided at its meeting held on March 13, 2023 on the following awards: "Ion Caramitru" Excellence Award: the Interferences International Theatre Festival, organized by the Hungarian Theatre from ClujActress Lifetime Achievement Award: Ida Jarcsek-GazaActor Lifetime Achievement Award: Alexandru RepanAward for Lifetime Achievement in Directing: Lásló BocsárdiAward for lifetime achievement in set design: Carmencita Brojboiu"George Banu" Award for Lifetime Achievement in Theatre History and Criticism: Doru Mares  Special awardsSpecial award to the Romanian Television for 30 years of strategic partnershipSpecial award for outstanding contribution to the multicultural life of Timisoara: "Mihai Eminescu" National Theatre Timisoara, "Csiky Gergely" Hungarian State Theatre Timisoara, German State Theatre, "Merlin" Theatre for Children and Youth TimisoaraSpecial award for creativity and resilience in independent theatre: Aualeu Theatre Nominations for the UNITER Gala Awards 2023For the 31st edition of the UNITER Awards Gala, the nominations jury was composed of Doru Mares (theatre critic), Maria Miu (set designer), Victor Scoradet (theatre critic), Iris Spiridon (director) and Carmen Stanciu (theatreologist).The performances that have been considered by the jury are those that premiered between 1 January and 31 December 2022.  The nominations for the 2022 theatre year are as follows: Best performance"Antonin Artaud. The Cenci", after Shelley and Stendhal, directed by Silviu Purcarete, set design Dragos Buhagiar, "Vasile Alecsandri" National Theatre Iasi"Oedipus the King" by Sophocles, directed by Declan Donnellan, set design Nick Ormerod, “Marin Sorescu” National Theatre Craiova“Seaside Stories” by Marius Chivu, Lavinica Mitu, Dan Alexe, Simona Gosu, Tudor Ganea, Nicoleta Dabija, direction, script, sound universe by Radu Afrim, set design by Theodor Cristian Niculae, Constanta State Theatre  Best direction (“Lucian Pintilie” Award)Declan Donnellan for directing the performance “Oedipus the King” by Sophocles, “Marin Sorescu” National Theatre CraiovaSilviu Purcarete for directing the performance “Antonin Artaud. The Cenci”, after Shelley and Stendhal, "Vasile Alecsandri" National Theatre IasiAndri Zholdak for directing the performance “The Lady from the Sea” by Henrik Ibsen, “Marin Sorescu” National Theatre Craiova Best set designDragos Buhagiar for the set design of the performance “Antonin Artaud. The Cenci”, after Shelley and Stendhal, directed by Silviu Purcarete, "Vasile Alecsandri" National Theatre IasiOana Micu for the set design of the performance “Blasted” by Sarah Kane, directed by Bobi Pricop, “Andrei Muresanu” Theatre, Sfantu GheorgheDanilo Zholdak for the setting of the performance “The Lady from the Sea” by Henrik Ibsen, directed by Andri Zholdak, “Marin Sorescu” National Theatre Craiova Best Actor in a Leading RoleClaudiu Bleont for the part of Harpagon in the performance “The Miser” by Molière, direction, stage version, lighting design, musical illustration Felix Alexa, “Marin Sorescu” National Theatre CraiovaClaudiu Mihail for the leading part in “Oedipus the King” by Sophocles, directed by Declan Donnellan, “Marin Sorescu” National Theatre CraiovaVictor Rebengiuc for the leading part in the performance “Father” by Florian Zeller, directed by Cristi Juncu, Bulandra Theatre Bucharest Best Actress in a Leading RoleAda Lupu for the part Beatrice Cenci in the performance “Antonin Artaud. The Cenci”, after Shelley and Stendhal, directed by Silviu Purcarete, "Vasile Alecsandri" National Theatre IasiÉva Imre for the part Barbarian B in the performance “The Young Barbarians”, inspired by the lives of Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály, based on a text by Miklós Vecsei H. and the improvisations of the creative team, directed by Attila Vidnyánszky Jr., Hungarian State Theatre Cluj and the Citadel Theatre from Gyula, HungaryCostinela Ungureanu for the part Ellida Wangel in the performance “The Lady from the Sea” by Henrik Ibsen, directed by Andri Zholdak, “Marin Sorescu” National Theatre Craiova  Best Supporting ActorDan Pughineanu for the part Marlene, the host in the performance “The Threepenny Opera”, direction, choreography, costumes Razvan Mazilu, Excelsior Theatre BucharestTheodor Soptelea for the parts in the performance “Seaside Stories” by Marius Chivu, Lavinica Mitu, Dan Alexe, Simona Gosu, Tudor Ganea, Nicoleta Dabija, direction, script, sound universe by Radu Afrim, State Theatre ConstantaVlad Udrescu for the part Creon in the performance “Oedipus the King” by Sophocles, directed by Declan Donnellan, “Marin Sorescu” National Theatre Craiova  Best Supporting ActressRaluca Aprodu for the part Dora Dulebov in the performance “The Just Assassins” by Albert Camus, directed by Mihai Maniutiu, “I.L. Caragiale” National Theatre from Bucharest           Cendana Trifan for the part Daughter in the performance “Mother” by Marta Barceló, directed by Mariana Camarasan, “Radu Stanca” National Theatre SibiuNina Udrescu for the parts in the performance “Seaside Stories” by Marius Chivu, Lavinica Mitu, Dan Alexe, Simona Gosu, Tudor Ganea, Nicoleta Dabija, direction, script, sound universe by Radu Afrim, State Theatre Constanta  Theatre reviewAlina EpingeacClaudiu GrozaIrina Zlotea  Best Radio Drama Performance“Carnival”, radio script by Alexa Visarion, after I.L. Caragiale, a performance by Alexa Visarion, Romanian Broadcasting Society“The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” by Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann, radio dramatization and artistic direction Diana Mihailopol, Romanian Broadcasting Society“Horizon” by George Gordon Byron, John M. Hull, Liviu Oros, concept and direction by Victor Olahut, Cultura'n Sura  DébutIrina Artenii for the part in the performance “Rafina”, O2G Association, BucharestMariuca-Serena Bosnea for the part Caterina Sergheievna Odintov, Ana's sister in the performance “Fathers and Sons” by Brian Friel, dramatization after Turgheniev's novel, directed by Vlad Massaci, “I.L. Caragiale” National Theatre from BucharestTheodor Cristian Niculae for the set design of the performance “Seaside Stories” by Marius Chivu, Lavinica Mitu, Dan Alexe, Simona Gosu, Tudor Ganea, Nicoleta Dabija, direction, script, sound universe by Radu Afrim, Constanta State Theatre  Best Romanian dramatic text staged in absolute premiere*“Herbarium”, scenario and direction by Radu Afrim, after texts by Simona Popescu, Targu Mures National Theatre, “Liviu Rebreanu” Company“Medeea: Fury”, text and direction by Radu Popescu, Apropo Theatre Bucharest“The Sparrow”, text and direction by Leta Popescu, Dramatic Theatre “Fani Tardini” Galati Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

19th edition, March 15 - April 15, 2023 We would like to present the 19th edition of the National Campaign "Artists for Artists", UNITER's first program of the year 2023, organized together with theatres from Bucharest and from all over the country, from March 15 to April 15, 2023. Initiated in 2002, the National Campaign "Artists for Artists" is a stimulator of guild solidarity, a financial springboard for struggling artists and a signal to the public and the authorities about their situation and their dignity. We are re-launching this event after a 3-year break due to the SARS-COV2 pandemic and the reality of the war with Ukraine. With the help of state and independent theatres that have responded to our call and programmed performances under the sign of solidarity in theatre, UNITER is actively involved in the field of financial support for artists in delicate situations. Proceeds from ticket sales are donated to the Theatre Solidarity Fund (RO40RZBR0000060007801286 opened at Raiffeisen Bank, Amzei Square Agency) and represent financial support for the beneficiaries of the program. Here are the shows that will be performed during the above-mentioned period for the benefit of the Campaign. More details about the schedule of the performances and how to buy tickets can be found on www.uniter.ro and on the websites of the producing theatres. In Bucharest: March 17th: Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, Comedy Opera for Children March 18th: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? By Edward Albee, directed by Alexandru Mazgareanu, Odeon Theatre March 18th: The Railway Station, direction and screenplay Mihai Malaimare, Masca Theatre March 21st: Girls & Boys by Dennis Kelly, directed by Cristi Juncu, ACT Theatre March 21st: Cock by Mike Bartlett, directed by Tony Adam Horatiu, "Stela Popescu" Theatre (the performance is hosted by Excelsior Theatre, "Ion Lucian" Hall) March 25th: The Spanish Fly by Franz Arnold and Ernst Bach, directed by Andrei Munteanu, Jewish State Theatre March 26: Dinner with Friends de Donald Margulies, directed by Cristi Juncu, Bulandra Theatre April 1st: Marriage in Heaven by Mircea Eliade, dramatization by Andrei Craciun and Zsuzsánna Kovács, directed by Zsuzsánna Kovács, Romanian Playwrights Theatre April 2nd: Love Letters, by A.R. Gurney, directed by Mircea Cornisteanu, Teatrelli April 7th: Funny Money de Ray Cooney, directed by Horatiu Malaele, Comedy Theatre April 7th: Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare, directed by Nona Ciobanu, Mic Theatre April 8th: Figaro after "The Marriage of Figaro" by Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, directed by Mihai Lungeanu, Nottara Theatre   Across the country: March 1st and 2nd: Oxygen by Ivan Viripajev, directed by Pálffy Tibor, “Tamási Áron” Theatre, Sfantu Gheorghe March 11th: Youth without old age and life without death, after Petre Ispirescu, adaptation by Catalin Vasiliu, directed by Adrian Iclenzan, Dramatic Theatre “Fani Tardini” Galati / Premiere March 16th: Gliese 455, script and direction by Raul Coldea, “Andrei Muresanu” Theatre, Sfantu Gheorghe / Premiere March 16th: Artists' factory by Matei Lucaci Grunberg and Sever Barzan, directed by Matei Lucaci Grunberg, “Bacovia” Municipal Theatre, Bacau March 17th: The Miser by Molière, directed by, stage version, lighting design, musical illustration Felix Alexa, “Marin Sorescu” National Theatre, Craiova March 19th: Pacala by Andreea Radu, directed by Zeno Apostolache Kiss, “Ariel” Theatre for Children and Youth, Targu-Mures – Romanian section March 20th: János Vitéz by Petőfi Sándor, directed by Barabás Olga, “Ariel” Theatre for Children and Youth, Targu-Mures – Hungarian section March 25th: Palkó and Panna, directed by Laura Pünkosti, “Puck” Puppet Theatre, Cluj-Napoca – Hungarian department March 25th: Red Passion, after Mihail Sorbul, directed by Gelu Badea, “Tony Bulandra” Theatre, Targoviste March 26th: The Snow Maiden, directed by Traian Savinescu, “Puck” Puppet Theatre, Cluj-Napoca – Romanian section March 26th: Relatively Speaking by Alan Ayckbourn, directed by Iulian Enache, State Theatre, Constanta March 26th: The Son by Florian Zeller, directed by Bobi Pricop, “Regina Maria” Theatre, Oradea March 26th: Placebo, concept, choreography, light design Arcadie Rusu, Municipal Theatre Baia Mare March 26th: Tartuffe by Molière, directed by Madalin Hincu, “Matei Visniec” Municipal Theatre, Suceava March 27th: The Treasure Chest of the Seven Dwarfs, based on “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” by Brothers Grimm, directed by Béres László, Children and Youth Theatre “Merlin”, Timisoara March 27th: Mine Blindness by Csaba Székely, directed by Bogdan Saratean, “Radu Stanca” National Theatre, Sibiu March 28th: Momo, adapted after Michael Ende, directed by Diana Dragos, North Theatre Satu Mare – “Mihai Raicu” Company March 29th: The Beauty Queen of Leenane by Martin McDonagh, directed by Barabás Árpád, “Tomcsa Sándor” Theatre, Odorheiu Secuiesc March 30th: Ploughman and Death by Johannes von Tepl, dramatization and direction by Silviu Purcarete, “Vasile Alecsandri” National Theatre, Iasi March 31st: The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, directed by Eugen Gyemant, “Maria Filotti” Theatre, Braila / Premiere April 1st: A Lost Letter by I.L. Caragiale, directed by Alexandru Mazgareanu, Youth Theatre, Piatra Neamt April 3rd: Lázadni veletek akartam (I was going to rebel with you) by Attila Bódi, directed by Aba Sebestyén, Targu Mures National Theatre – “Tompa Miklos” Company April 5th: Bench for two by Aleksandr Ghelman, direction and scenography Boris Melinti, “Sica Alexandrescu” Theatre, Brasov April 8th: The Bald Soprano by Eugène Ionesco, directed by Cristian Ban, “Toma Caragiu” Theatre, Ploiesti April 10th: The Cherry Orchard by A.P. Cehov, directed by Volker Schmidt, German State Theatre, Timisoara April 11th: Take, Ianke and Cadar by Victor Ioan Popa, directed by Nicu Mihoc, National Theatre Targu Mures – “Liviu Rebreanu” Company   Also, the "I.L. Caragiale" National Theatre from Bucharest, the "Ion Creanga" Theatre and the "Mihai Eminescu" National Theatre from Timisoara showed their willingness and openness to get involved in the National Campaign "Artists for Artists". Details about the performances and dates of the performances that will be performed under the sign of guild solidarity will be announced shortly. We thank the 39 theatre companies, artistic and technical staff for accepting to be Together again! And many thanks to the ticket-buying public, without whom this initiative would not be possible! If you want to help! The ways for financial donors to participate in the Artists for Artists fundraising campaign are: Sponsorships dedicated to the Campaign Donations on behalf of the Campaign The 2% of overall income form Purchase of tickets (medium or small donations) for the charity shows held from March 15 to April 15, 2023   Theatre Solidarity Fund: IBAN RO40RZBR0000060007801286 account at Raiffeisen Bank, Amzei Square Agency "The Romanian Theatre Union, both through its status and through the programs it runs, wishes that in the new year 2023 it will succeed in polarizing even more the attention and trust of its members and future members. UNITER will continue to be a pole of stability and balance in our community. Let's not forget that Theatre, in all its forms, and the Value of our work are those elements that unite us and keep us "Together" and that will survive regardless of time or generations. All that we wish for the new year can go beyond words if each of us changes our position of expectation into a positive constructive one, each of us can bring a little but essential contribution to the improvement of our programs. We have changes to make, but they have to be made organically starting with each one of us and we are convinced that this will have positive consequences for the community. Tolerance, respect and transparency are values that UNITER wants to promote in 2023. Come along with UNITER!” Dragos Buhagiar, president of UNITER UNITER March 1st, 2023   Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

Agathei Christie's Mousetrap, a masterpiece of the detective genre, premiered in London in 1952 being the longest-running show in the history of the theatre, playing for almost 66 years without interruption: it has already had more than 27,000 performances and the cast has included more than 400 actors over the years! Staged at the "I.L. Caragiale" National Theatre in December 2017, under the direction of Erwin Șimșensohn, with a double cast, Agatha Christie's play has reached its 100th performance, which will be celebrated on the evening of 14 February 2023. A captivating staging with an outstanding cast, witty dialogue, exquisite British humor, and a thrilling plot whose denouement seems to rewrite itself in each of our minds as new clues emerge. Every character becomes a suspect, and every twist and turn - a twist of fate, in this new production of one of the world's most famous plays. The spectators who will be present in the "Ion Caramitru" Hall of NTB at this anniversary performance will witness a unique experience, having the opportunity to see on stage, throughout the two parts of the show, all the actors, who will interpret, one by one, the scores of the characters. Hoping that viewers who have already seen "The Mousetrap" will not divulge the name of the killer, we are convinced that the irresistible classic thriller at NTB will captivate Romanian audiences for a long time to come.   Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

On Sunday, February 12, 2023, you are invited to the Media Hall to see an acting recital that aims to pay homage to the spiritual patron of the National Theatre of Bucharest, the great Ion Luca Caragiale. After having played Chekhov (he impressed with his dramatizations "The Clown", playing with Horațiu Mălăele, at the Bulandra Theatre, and "The Jester" - a recital performed at the Nottara Theatre, but also on other stages), actor Niculae Urs has now approached ...Caragiale. He researched with the meticulousness of an archaeologist not only plays, prose or his Berlin correspondence, but also rare editorial publications, until he felt that he himself "becomes" Caragiale. Why... A different Cragiale? The protagonist of this one-man show tells us: "A different Caragiale because he is not only the playwright, the novelist, the letter writer, the chronicler, the journalist, the blower, the director of the National Theatre, the politician, the orator, the school inspector, the history teacher, the brewer, the husband, the father, the "last occupant of the Phanariots", the "plagiarist", the self-exiled in Berlin... but all of them together: Caragiale - the spectacular man, as the late Ștefan Cazimir called him.” In his recital A different Caragiale, Niculae Urs proposes a mosaic portrait, difficult to capture and to fix in a specific pattern of the great playwright: a merciless spirit, at odds with romanticism but a friend of Eminescu, Delavrancea or Ibrăileanu... A unique one-man show in which Caragiale is present not only as an author, but also as a character of his own writings, embodied on stage by an actor who bears a striking resemblance to him.! Almost unknown texts, correspondence and memories about Nenea Iancu melt into the episodes of this comic-dramatic monologue that reconstructs the image of a Caragiale seen as a spectacle-man. On Sunday, February 12, at 7 pm, at the Media Hall we are waiting for you to discover A different Caragiale! And, of course, not before you go to the ticket office, or if you find it easier this way - online at tnb.ro.   Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

Two major productions of the "Mihai Eminescu" National Theatre from Chisinau, at NTB! The Trap and Leaves of Longing, open the 9th edition of the Romanian Theatre Tour in Bucharest, Iasi and Chisinau, 2023 The National Theatre from Bucharest is hosting again this year, in January, two of the most recent and most appealing premieres of the Mihai Eminescu National Theatre (TNME) from Chisinau, presented as part of a new edition of the project "Romanian Theatre in Bucharest, Iasi and Chisinau". With one performance each, the "Mihai Eminescu" National Theatre (TNME) from Chisinau presents: Saturday, January 21, 2023, at 7 p.m., Studio Hall - The Trap after The Flight by Mikhail Bulgakov. Sunday, January 22, 2023, at 7 p.m., Studio Hall - Leaves of longing after Ion Druță. The Trap, written and directed by Petru Hadârcă, is a performance about a great Russian author and an eternal theme: tyranny and human destiny. "The idea of the performance arose in the context of some discussions about the Russian culture and the responsibility of the authors and the impact of the works created on the mentalities and the formation of social opinion, discussions generated by the war in Ukraine. I believe that not banning, but on the contrary, reading, re-reading, accompanied by cold analysis, discussion and reflection on the details, would help us understand what is happening today and perhaps we would understand why we have once again come to a confrontation between two worlds, between two such different models of organizing life and society. For an exercise of this kind I have chosen the fate and work of Mikhail Bulgakov. After the 1917 revolution, Mikhail Bulgakov remained in Soviet Russia. It was not his choice: because he was ill with typhus and unconscious, he was unable to flee abroad, where his brothers and sisters had gone. When he recovered, he regretted missing this opportunity and tried to adapt, to integrate into the life proposed by the Bolshevik regime. After several attempts to obtain a passport to go abroad and several publication bans, Bulgakov writes letters to the Soviet leadership asking for permission to leave the country. To his astonishment he was contacted by telephone by Stalin himself. Bulgakov did not have the courage to repeat the request over the phone. He was seduced by Stalin's offer to become the dramatist of the Moscow Art Theatre. This time it was a conscious choice. What were the consequences for the personal destiny of the intellectual Bulgakov, how did this affect his texts and to what extent does it provide us with a key to answer the questions that hover over us a hundred years later - we try to launch a discussion through this stage version, entitled "The Trap" after the play "The Flight" by Mikhail Bulgakov." The Trap launched the 101st season of the "Mihai Eminescu" National Theatre, "which is equivalent to an artistic & intellectual Manifest of Petru Hadârcă, the director of the show & the director of the theatre", noted writer Emilian Galaicu-Păun. "What do you mean, to put up a Russian writer when Russia has just unleashed a war in Ukraine?!" I recall that Mikhail Bulgakov is a native of Kiev, and the most important thing is that the Russian-speaking author of The Flight was also one of the victims of the Soviet regime (which he portrayed in The Heart of a Dog), even if he did not end his days in the gulag (...) Now, the choice of a text by Bulgakov, produced on the stage of the Chisinau National Theatre, is our director's response to the Ukrainian war theatre." (Emilian Galaicu-Păun) The set design of the show is signed by Adrian Suruceanu together with the costume painter Stela Verebceanu, and the choreography is by Cătălina Budu. Why should we not miss this performance? According to the young journalist Corina Moisei-Dabija, The Trap is "a brave, formidable performance, which requires a wide-ranging opening and historical perception. You have to see the play "Capcana", because it is an interweaving of symbols, ideas, figures in a dramatic and comical narrative, at times, of the highest order. It's the kind of impressive and remarkable theatrical experience, sad and joyous, in perfect antithesis." The play Leaves of longing, after Ion Druță, directed by Alexandru Cozub, was nominated and awarded at the UNITEM 2022 Awards Gala, where it was considered the Best Dramatic Performance, and Corina Rotaru, as Domnica - the Most Valuable Debut. Also, two important nominations highlighted the performances of actors Rusanda Radvan, as Rusanda, nominated for Best Actress and Dan Melnic, as Trofimaș, for Best Supporting Actor. Ion Druță, the author from whose work this staging was inspired, is, according to Mrs. Monica Babuc - former Minister of Culture, Vice-President of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, a strong pillar for the understanding of the Romanian spirit in these lands. "If we want to get as close as possible to understanding the phenomenon of "Basarabian Romanians", we should read Druță like the Old and New Testaments together." Presented at the recent Meeting of Romanian Theatres in Chisinau, the performance Leaves of longing is, in the opinion of journalist Vasile Botnaru "the apotheotic performance of the 2022 edition of the Romanian Theatres Meeting, built by director Alexandru Cozub a la Gaudi, with a parade of mini-plays, autonomous, conclusive like episodes of a Netflix series, loaded with the most diverse methods of translating the message of the writer Druță, of the period but still offering an X-ray of the mythical land of the Basarabians who are searching for their identity." "The director Sandu Cozub and the team of actors, helped by the scenography (Iurie Matei), costumes (Stela Verebceanu), soundtrack (Alexandru Târșu), have lovingly told us stories from the village of Valea Răzeșilor - indigenous realities after the Second World War, says poet and publicist Irina Nechit. Why did the performance move us so much? Because it brought back details about the grandparents, the great-grandparents, about us as we were as children. Because it showed us how much we have become estranged from the land where we were born. Because it told us how easily we gave up on ourselves and scattered into the world, sent our young away from us, and scattered our souls. The play also tells us that there are bits and pieces of us left, and that it's good to hold on to them so we don't lose ourselves altogether in nothingness. We miss ourselves - that's what I felt watching the show." In the numerous casts of these performances you will find a number of beloved actors of the National Theatre from Chisinau, including Alexandru Leanca, Emil Gaju, Ghenadie Galca, Diana Decuseara, Margareta Pântea, Angela Ciobanu, Ana Tkacenko, Doriana Zubcu-Mărginean, Draga-Dumitrița Drumi, Iurie Focșa, Anatol Durbală, Dan Melnic, Alexandru Pleșca, Nicu Suveică. The two one-off performances, on January 21 and 22, 2023, will take place on the stage of the Studio Hall of the "I.L. Caragiale" National Theatre from Bucharest. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased at the NTB Box Office or online at www.tnb.ro.   Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

At the end of 2022, the "I.L. Caragiale" National Theatre in Bucharest, originally known as the "The Great Theatre", marks 170 years since its foundation and - a significant coincidence! - also 170 years since the birth of its spiritual patron, the great playwright Ion Luca Caragiale. At the same time, the country's first stage is celebrating its 50th season in its current location in University Square, in a building that was reborn in new clothes between 2011 and 2015, marking a new era in its existence, that of "a new theatre for a new audience"... On December 31, 1852, the lights were turned on for the first time in the Great Theatre (which became the National Theatre in 1876, on the eve of the War of Independence, when Alexandru Odobescu put on the front of the building, with letters cast in bronze, "the name that will endure alongside the Academy and the University as long as the Romanian people will endure". The newspaper "Vestitorul Românesc" of 3 of January, 1853 recorded the inaugural event as follows: "... at 8 o'clock in the evening, the solemn opening of the new theatre followed. Two days before, people had been running to the theatre's cash desk, hurrying to get tickets for that evening. The inauguration was made by the performance of Zoe or the Borrowed Lover (Scribe's vaudeville - n.n.) by the Romanian actors and several arias and a trio from different operas performed by the most prominent artists of the Italian company under the direction of Mr. Papa Nicola. (...) From 7 o'clock on, the hall was full of people. The elegant and rich outfits of the ladies of the loges reflected their splendor in the ocean of lights of the hall, presenting to the eyes a magical and enchanting sight." This anniversary year, 2022, during which the "I.L. Caragiale"  National Theatre has had a record number of premieres (14), 17 new exhibitions have been opened within the NTB - Paratheatral - Visual Arts program, the 8th edition of the 9G Program has been launched, the TNB's first own Podcast has been broadcasted (on December 1st), 3 workshops have been held under the aegis of the "Ion Sava" Centre for Theatre Creation and Research and the list of activities does not stop here - ends with the last performances on December 30th, when all the halls and stages will be featuring a performance: Francis Veber's The Dinner game at the Ion Caramitru Hall, Mircea Ștefănescu's Little Hell at the Studio Hall, Aaron Posner's Stupid Fucking Bird at the Pictura Hall, Sam Sheppard's Fool for Love at the Atelier Hall. Starting on December 30, 2022, spectators will be able to see, in the foyer of the Ion Caramitru Hall, a micro-exhibition created by the NTB Museum - "From the Grand Theatre to the National Theatre - 170 years of history" - evoking moments from the history of the institution through old posters and rare exhibits from the Museum's patrimony. Until the end of January 2023, some objects from the old building of the Great Theatre, saved from the ruins left after the German bombing of Bucharest on August 24, 1944, when the theatre was destroyed, will be exhibited. The exhibition opens on Friday, December 30, 2022, at 11.00, when the first free guided tour of the day is scheduled. Because, also on these last days of the year, the public interested in visiting the NTB building will be offered, as an anniversary gift, free guided tours: starting at 11 am, 1 pm, 3 pm and 5 pm on Friday, December 30, 2022 and from 11 am and 1 pm on December 31, 2022. The new halls, workshops and backstage of the National Theatre will be open to the public. As usual, the meeting place will be in the foyer of the Ion Caramitru Hall, in front of the ticket agency. We recommend a prior phone reservation by calling 021 314.71.71 - TNB Ticket Agency or 0744 633 188 (Mr Ionuț Corpaci). On the tower of the main stage, on the evening of December 30, 2022, a succession of images evoking this "arch over time" will be screened to symbolically mark the 170 years of existence of the National Theatre. We wish our viewers to enjoy the magic of Christmas to the fullest, and may the New Year 2023 bring them the fulfilment of their hopes and make their dreams come true!   Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

At the end of 2022, the "I.L. Caragiale" National Theatre in Bucharest, originally known as the "The Great Theatre", marks 170 years since its foundation and 170 years since the birth of its spiritual patron, the great playwright Ion Luca Caragiale (January 30, 1852 - June 9, 1912). On December 18, 2022, at 12.00 am, in the foyer of the "Ion Caramitru" Hall of the National Theatre in Bucharest, will take place the conference Caragiale in theatre and everywhere, held by writer, critic and literary historian Ion Bogdan Lefter. In this context, it is time to highlight Oana Pellea's project, actress of the "I.L. Caragiale" National Theatre, dedicating to Caragiale, an original video essay, in the third chapter of the series "Words between me and you. Meetings with Oana Pellea", a series designed especially for the online environment, combining elements of theatre, animation and documentary film. In this project, the well-known actress and her team from the Goong Association undertake a courageous and original approach to recover some of the key authors of Romanian literature. The series can be watched exclusively on the online cultural platform Virtual Stage, as these video-essays are specially designed for the online environment, with the support of Raiffeisen Art Project. Each episode combines a documentary level, which makes use of a lot of unpublished information, recovered from archives, research in manuscripts and epistolary material from museums or private foundations, under the coordination of the theatreologist Anca Ioniță. The collected information is then combined in the original dramatization proposed by Oana Pellea, combined with video design effects and the original animation or comic strip formula of set designer Vladimir Turturică, resulting in a new, ingenious dramatic language, a hybrid between theatre, animation and documentary. In the video essay dedicated to I.L. Caragiale, the originality of his writing is highlighted by his most famous characters, embodied through surprising metamorphoses by Oana Pellea - as you can see online:  https://art.raiffeisen.ro/teatru/cuvintele-dintre-mine-si-tine-capitolul-3-ion-luca-caragiale/ "I have met Caragiale's characters twice so far," says Oana Pellea on this occasion. But I must confess that this meeting, within this project, is the most important and joyful encounter with him. Caragiale is a Universe. I can't choose a character. I am hopelessly in love with Caragiale's spirit and I adore all the characters in this essay ... as I do all the others by Nenea Iancu. Yes, Mr. Caragiale!... I admit it!... I'm in love with you!", writes Oana Pellea, on the page dedicated to Caragiale of the project "Words between me and you." Also in 2022, the National Theatre of Bucharest announces the 104th anniversary from the birth of the master Radu Beligan, who was the general director of TNB from 1969 to 1990. On the evening of December 14, 2022, the association that bears his name, founded by his daughter Ana Maria Beligan, awarded the 2022 Prize for Acting. An elite award, as appreciated by Oana Pellea, Honorary President of the Radu Beligan Association, was awarded this year to the actress Florina Gleznea, who you can also see on the stage of the Studio Hall of the National Theatre, in the show The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds. The celebration took place "in a wonderful setting at the Museum of Romanian Literature in the presence of the wonderful lady of the stage Simona Bondoc and a select audience. "I was honored to hand over the beautiful trophy to an actress whose talent I believe in!" - says the actress of the National Theatre of Bucharest, Oana Pellea. Besides talent, she has intelligence, determination, discipline and charm! She is one of the emblematic actresses of independent theatre! I wish her as much luck as she has talent and hard work (and she does)! Congratulations Florina Gleznea!".   Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

“Zorro, a Hermit on the Sidewalk”, for the first time at TNB, with Ioan Andrei Ionescu The "I.L.Caragiale" National Theatre announces the premiere of a new show as part of the "Open Doors for All" program, Zorro by Margaret Mazzantini, a text translated and presented in National Premiere. A one-man show by actor Ioan Andrei Ionescu, directed by Toma Dănilă, the new production at Pictura Hall will premiere on December 11, 2022, at 8 pm. The audience is invited to the preview of the show on December 4th to discover, in the setting signed by Mara Nicola, one of the most moving contemporary stories about the unpredictable, multi-faceted way in which fate can play tricks on us and life can change without warning. How a good man can become both victim and executioner at the same time, when everything in his life goes haywire and he can no longer rely on anything that used to be ordinary, safe... Come and discover a moving dramatic monologue that will remind you how fragile and exposed to chance we are. "I invite you to do an exercise of imagination together," proposes Toma Danila, the director of the play. Let's walk together into the story of Zorro, the faceless man we can meet on the street corner or at the traffic light in a busy intersection, the faceless man who blends into the landscape, the man we avoid because he could spoil our normality, he could hijack our daily routine. I invite you to find out his story, and perhaps, afterwards, we will take a closer look at those we used to call "street people" or "homeless". Maybe we'll just call them "People". An actor with multiple interpretative skills, Ioan Andrei Ionescu continues to surprise his audience by tackling a variety of characters and by dissecting, in depth, the particularities that make each character he plays a special human type. From a rich artistic record, we recall, selectively, the part in "Anonymous Venetian" - a show that he has successfully performed for almost a decade with his partner, Ilinca Goia, the role of Lopahin in "The Cherry Orchard" or his recent and remarkable creation in "Machinal. The Musical", Mr. Zero, an acting performance of great virtuosity! Of the more than 20 different characters he has played over the years on the NTB stages alone, Ioan Andrei Ionescu considers Zorro to be his most demanding and moving part. The author of this touching story, Margaret Mazzantini is a famous Italian writer and actress who has given up the stage in favour of writing. For her novel "Don't Move" (2002) she received the Strega Prize and the Grinzane Cavour Prize, Italy's most prestigious literary awards. Translated into 35 languages, the book immediately became an international bestseller, selling more than two million copies, and was screened by Sergio Castellitto, starring Penelope Cruz. She wrote the stage monologue "Zorro, a hermit on the sidewalk" in 2004 for her husband, actor and director Sergio Castellitto. "Zorro helped me to uncover a fear we all have. Because within each of us, unacknowledged, masked, there is this extreme possibility: the sudden loss of the threads, the ballast that holds us anchored to the ordinary world. How many of us, on a night when our souls were gulping, sheltering under a portico, with the shutters up, have not felt towards that body, towards that pile of rags under which a body hides, the possibility of being ourselves in its place? Homeless people are wanderers who have escaped from our homes, who have the smell of our closets, the smell of what they don't have, but also of what we lack." The performance given by the actor of the National Theatre in Bucharest, Ioan Andrei Ionescu, will convince you that the bet with life is worth winning every day, with sincerity and empathy towards those around us. You are invited to the theatre, Zorro is here, and everywhere, there is more than you would expect...  “Zorro, a Hermit on the Sidewalk” by Margaret Mazzantini, with Ioan Andrei Ionescu, on December 4 and 11, 2022, at the Pictura Hall!   Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

The "I.L. Caragiale" National Theatre in Bucharest announces the premiere of The Welkin, by Lucy Kirkwood, which will take place on December 10, 2022, at 7.30 pm, at the Atelier Hall. The play directed by Gelu Colceag tells a suspenseful story about a conviction in 18th century Britain, which the author turns into a relevant and acute commentary on today's society, on prejudice, inequality, discrimination and the struggle for power. Although a firm admirer of Sidney Lumet's film, Lucy Kirkwood rejects out of hand any resemblance to the famous 12 Angry Men, even though her play also deals with the guilt of one person around whom 12 others gather - all women, called matrons at the time (respectable, married women, mothers and skilled midwives). In an era when women were defined only by their role as mothers or wives, when Sally Poppy is sentenced to be hanged, a "jury of matrons" is convened in a small British town. The guilty verdict has been pronounced, but it is up to the matrons whether her sentence will be death or deportation - if the accused is found to be pregnant. This was the only instance in which women had the right to decide. The writer's interest is to penetrate the intimate life of each of them, with unexpected details and womanhood secrets, desires, frustrations and ambitions. The Welkin portrays these mysteries with psychological finesse, seeing "how complicated it is to feel empathy for the other and how the patriarchal system tries to suppress empathy. Because it's easier to label and put people into categories, and that way difficult decisions can be made more easily," Kirkwood stated for The Play Podcast in 2021. "The Welkin" is a play of magnificent breadth, depth and complexity" (Financial Times). And perhaps even more than that, "this is the unwritten story of the maternal experience, delivered with a refreshing candor, as of sisters cheering each other on, and that is extraordinary (Telegraph), the play "constantly pushes the boundaries, cheekily raising its gaze towards the sky" (exeuntmagazine.com). "Above all, this is about the stories. Stories that gradually reveal themselves to us, with some personal revelations woven into the texture of these women's histories, with a profound contemporary relevance. This play is, beyond the significance of the subject matter, often funny, and towards the end, extremely moving" (whatsonstage.com). "The Welkin" is a show that has the energy of a thriller, the tension of a courtroom drama, the irreverent humor of a smart black comedy, and the profound power of vulnerability. The show's 16 characters, 13 of whom are played by actresses (!), perform on the set by Ștefan Caragiu and wearing costumes by Liliana Cenean. Cast: Aylin Cadîr / Alexandra Sălceanu, Tania Popa, Ilinca Goia, Mirela Oprișor, Erika Băieşu, Medeea Marinescu, Raluca Petra / Magda Catone, Ana Ciontea, Rodica Ionescu, Carmen Ungureanu, Brânduşa Mircea, Victoria Dicu, Lamia Beligan, Marius Rizea, Mihai Calotă, Daniel Hara / Mihai Munteniţă, Marcela Mateescu. The sound design by Călin Grigoriu, the scenic dance by Roxana Colceag and the neat light design by Bogdan Golumbeanu and Laurențiu Iordache contribute to the production. The next performance will take place on December 29, 2022 at 7.30 pm. Tickets are available at the NTB Box Office and online on www.tnb.ro.   Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu