News

Starting May 6th, 2021, NTB-TV, the first television channel in Romania dedicated exclusively to theatre, returns to the NTB Youtube channel with a new series of shows, under the title It Is Happening at NTB. The new series of TV productions for the online environment will include magazine-style shows, which will present reports, interviews, portraits of the great actors of the National Theatre, memories of great performances, details about how theatre costumes are created in our workshops, backstage sequences, statements by the actors and the audience. It Is Happening at NTB is a series produced, like the previous ones, NTB Stories and Three Auspicious Hours (produced during the period of isolation imposed by the pandemic), by the promotion department of the National Theatre, which has thus managed to maintain contact with the audience during the complicated period of the last year. On May 6th, therefore, from 8:00 p.m., we are waiting for you on NTB-TV (Youtube NTB), to participate, with us, in the rehearsals, activities and preparations that the National Theatre of Bucharest has made during the period in which the theatres were closed. But you will see that things "happen at TNB" even when the spaces are not open to the public, so that new shows can be premiered as soon as the audience can get tickets, NTB-TV subscribers will be the first to find out about all the news and activities of the artists of the National Theatre of Bucharest. A reason for joy, which we all need, especially as the moment of the reopening of the halls is drawing close. Subscribe to our Youtube channel and you will surely become one of the loyal viewers of NTB and ...TNB-TV. You are most welcome! Translated by Simona Nichiteanu

Starting with May 6th, 2021, at 8.00 p.m., NTB TV returns with a new format to the theatre’s YouTubechannel. The first television in Romania dedicated exclusively to theatre, offers you a new series of bimonthly shows, under the title It Is Happening at NTB, pictorial-type shows, which will present reports, interviews, portraits of great actors of the National Theatre, memories of great shows, details on how to create theatre costumes in our workshops, backstage shots, statements of the actors, but also of the audience. We invite you to subscribe to our Youtube channel and you will surely become one of NTB's and ... NTB-TV’sloyal viewers! Even if the gates of the National Theatreof Bucharest were closed to the audience for a long time, the activity for preparing the new productions awaiting their premiere in the next period took place without interruption, in the rehearsal rooms, in the workshops and on stage.  The news that we were all waiting for came, that of the reopening of the performance halls! Therefore, we can announce that, on the evening of May 15th, 2021, the National Theatre of Bucharest resumes its activity, simultaneously in 4 halls. At the Grand Hall, within the pilot programme initiated by the Ministry of Culture (with participation rules that will be communicated in the next period by a Government Decision and tickets purchased exclusively online) will be presented the highly successful show The Dinner Game. In the other halls you can see the shows Little Hell (Studio Hall), Titanic Orchestra (Painting Hall) and Let's Talk about Life! by Ana Sorina Corneanu (Black Box Hall) - which is also the first release to the audience of the winning play of the UNITER award Best Romanian play of the year - 2019, starring Florentina Ţilea and directed by the young Zsuzsánna Kovács. Next, until May 24th, other titles cherished by the audience were scheduled, such as The Mousetrap, The Beauty of Venice in September, Allegro, ma non troppo, The Memory of Water, God Dresses from the Thrift, Rumors, TheCuriousIncident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The Anonymous Venetian, Vivien Leigh: The Last Press Conference, Once Upon a Time in Romania, TwentyYears in Siberia, Incognito - one of the newest titles in the theatre's repertoire. On May 19th and 20th, 2021, the Painting Hall will host the first performances with the new show staged by Felix Alexa at NTB, Goodbye, Mr. Haffmann, a play written by French actor, director and playwright Jean-Philippe Daguerre, performed with great success on Parisian stages and crowned with no less than 4 Molière awards, in 2018. Cast: Alexandru Potocean, Richard Bovnoczki, Alexandra Sălceanu, Emilia Popescu, Andrei Finţi. At the Studio Hall, in an advanced stage of preparation, there is also the show Carnival Stuff by I.L. Caragiale, directed by Alexandru Dabija, with a spectacular cast and a surprising scenography (Liliana Cenean- costumes, Raluca Alexandrescu - scenery). Starting with Saturday, May 8th, 2021, the Guided Tours of the Theatre will be resumed, with 3 daily tours, on Saturdays and Sundays, every week (up to the participation of 10 people / tour). The halls, workshops and backstage of the National Theatre can be visited. Tickets are on sale both at the Theatre’sBox Office - for tours organized from the weekend of May 15-16, and online on the MyStage platform. For guided tours on May 8th and 9th, tickets can be purchased only online, on the MyStage platform!! (For additional information, phone: 021.314.71.71 - NTB Box Office). If you have purchased tickets for the shows in the current repertoire before March 8th this year, pay attention to the rescheduled shows, the start time may be changed, depending on the duration of the show, in order to comply with the current traffic schedule in Bucharest. We invite you to consult these details and the complete schedule of the performances on the theatre's website, at www.tnb.ro. We are waiting for you to return to the theatre!   Translated by Simona Nichiteanu

In the week of May 17 - May 23, 2021, performances are rescheduled from the week of March 8 - 14, 2021, in which the activity of the theatre was suspended. These will take place according to the following schedule: The Mousetrap from March 14th, 2021, at 7.00 p.m., is rescheduled on May 22nd, 2021, at 6.30 p.m. Attention! The start time of the show is changed! Rumors from March 14th, 2021, at 7.00 p.m., is rescheduled on May 23rd, 2021, at 7.00 p.m. The Girl Soldier from March 14th, 2021 at 6.00 p.m. is rescheduled on May 22nd, 2021 at 7.00 p.m.Attention! The start time of the show is changed! The purchased tickets remain valid for these dates, or you can recover their value from the NTB Ticket Office by presenting the ticket in physical format or from mystage.ro for those purchased online. Thank you for your understanding!   Translated by Simona Nichiteanu 

Motto: "Caragiale - a world in motion"What a world! What a world! What a world!(A Lost Letter, Act IV, Scene 4) UNITER announces the organization of the pre-selection for the HOP! Young Actor’s Gala, 24th edition.The 2021 HOP Young Actor’s Gala continues with the theme: Choreographic Theatre. The DanceActor as a Phenomenon of Contemporary Theatre and will also take place under the wand of the well-known choreographer and dancer Gigi Căciuleanu.This year as well, the pre-selection will take place based on the video recordings sent by the competitors. We address all the actors who graduated from college (bachelor's degree), up to 33 years old. For both sections, Individual and Group, the pre-selection will be carried out as follows:- Presentation of a moment of movement and text prepared by the competitor (maximum 10 minutes in the Individual section and maximum 15 minutes in the Group section).In the construction of the moment, the competitors will treat the text by means of choreographic theatre, in a mixed form - free combination of verbal and non-verbal forms.Maximum composition of a group - 7 people.In the construction of the presented moments, we will follow the original treatment through text and movement (in equal ratio, 50/50 between words and movement) of some pages of free choice from the work of Ion Luca Caragiale: Plays, Sketches, various texts (articles, poems etc. ). Guidelines:• Monologues and / or Dialogues set in motion (Verb - Word / Verb - Action)• Verbal and situational humour taken towards the Danced Act ...• Dynamic relationships between characters (Why not reinvented? Why not even coming from different texts?)Refinement of gestures that populate both the actual texts of the plays, moments and sketches, as well as very precise captions or indications of attitudes and play appearing as filigree, between the lines, with the same “choreographic force” as the text itself.A revisited Caragiale, over space and time, now that Ionescu's absurdity is not only familiar to us, but has even become a classic.Moments of humour or humour about love and hate, about stupidity and intelligence sketched not only in word or gesture, but also in elaborate movement.Those admitted will present the moment prepared, live, at the 2021 HOP Gala.Candidates must send to the email address doina@uniter.ro the video recording of the prepared moment (landscape format), a resume, a copy of the graduation diploma (or certificate issued by the faculty), a photo (portrait, 300 dpi resolution), the title and the logistical and technical information for the presented exercise. The deadline for submitting registration materials is July 15th, 2021.UNITER Translated by Simona Nichiteanu 

Part of the project Israeli Drama Marathon on Romanian Stages, the National Theatreof Bucharest presents on Thursday evening, April 15th, 2021, with broadcast between 20.00 and 24.00, the show The Nouveau Criminals, directed by Ion Caramitru on the text of the Israeli writer Edna Mazia. Produced in partnership with the "I.L. Caragiale" National Theatreof Bucharest, the State Jewish Theatre, the "Toma Caragiu" Theatreof Ploieşti and the "L.S. Bulandra" theatreof Bucharest, the project is initiated and coordinated by director Erwin Șimșensohn, director of the Constanța State Theatre, on the occasion of the National Day of Israel. The Israeli Drama Marathon on Romanian Stages is an online program, hosted on the Facebook page of the organizing theatre (www.facebook.com/teatruldestatconstanta) and takes place from Wednesday, April 14th, to Saturday, April 17th, bringing together performances designed to highlight , through some eloquent examples, the value and consistency of Israeli drama in the Romanian theatrical landscape. The NTB show, The Nouveau Criminals can also be watched, during the above mentioned time frame on our youtube page, at:   Youtube NTB   Thank you and we look forward to welcoming you to the online theatre! Translated by Simona Nichiteanu 

27 March marks World Theatre Day, the annual worldwide celebration of theatre. The council of the International Theatre Institute selected stage, screen and television actress Helen Mirren to write the World Theatre Day Message for 2021. Helen Mirren is a one of the best known and most respected actresses with an international career that spans stage, screen and television and has won many awards for her powerful and versatile performances, including the Academy Award in 2007 for her performance in 'The Queen'. World Theatre Day Message 2021 by Helen Mirren“This has been such a very difficult time for live performance and many artists, technicians and craftsmen and women have struggled in a profession that is already fraught with insecurity.Maybe that always present insecurity has made them more able to survive this pandemic with wit and courage.Their imagination has already translated itself, in these new circumstances, into inventive, entertaining and moving ways to communicate, thanks of course in large part to the internet.Human beings have told each other stories for as long as they have been on the planet. The beautiful culture of theatre will live for as long as we stay here.The creative urge of writers, designers, dancers, singers, actors, musicians, directors, will never be suffocated and in the very near future will flourish again with a new energy and a new understanding of the world we all share.I can’t wait!” Ion Caramitru: Theatre as seen from the prompter’s boothThroughout the universal history of theatre, events have occurred that have sent it into a slumber: epidemics, pandemics, wars, governments of a particular bigotry, dictators.Come to think of it, most of the time these syncopations did not bring it to its knees, but strengthened it, gave it more reasons to survive and then to reappear more alive and stronger.A prisoner of the conjuncture, the theatre escapes from its escort and finds its freedom in respect for the word and love for the audience.Where should theatre be sought when it is forbidden? What happens to it when it is abandoned? Who preserves it for better times? Is it not the beneficiaries of the acting school, the living wearers of the standard characters? Is it not the actors? Is it not their hope of being watched? Hunted or flattered? Reservists or protesters?Enter the empty stage and open the prompter’s booth. The text is there. The prompter is waiting. The incendiary speech. All that is missing is a spark and the will to end the indifference.Theatre offers lessons in diction, attitude, respect for the spoken word, civility.In fact, what I am trying to say here is a call for calm, for study, for patience.Have faith in us, theatre people who, together with a loyal audience, ensure the permanence of an island of freedom, a secular shrine of self-knowledge.Happy Birthday, in good health!                                                 Ion CaramitruPresident of UNITER / Romanian ITI Centre   Translated by Simona Nichiteanu

This year, the National Theatre in Bucharest celebrates World Theatre Day: online. And, if we do not play Theatre, on stage, we can at least talk about it… Two lectures, given by formidable personalities of the Theatre, will accompany our journey through the vast territories of art, spirit and knowledge. The conference of master Radu Beligan, entitled My Teachers and that of director Alexandru Tocilescu - About Theatre and Its Matters will remind us that Theatre is immortal, and the state of curiosity of the explorer through these corners of human knowledge, never goes on vacation. "The great success of my long life is that I have kept my student status until today. This philosophy of life would also be beneficial on the scale of social life. For the great battle in the society in which we live is not between good and evil, but between intelligence and stupidity. And the forces of stupidity are insane and crowd daily on the TV screens. Tristan Bernard used to say: ignorance makes progress ". Radu Beligan More than 13 years have elapsed since that day on March 8th, when the great actor returned to the great stage of the Bucharest National, at an encounter with friends and the audience, talking about his 70-year career and being applauded for minutes by over 1,000 colleagues, acquaintances, and admirers. Theatre also teaches us about love, faith and other values ​​that we must carry with us over time. We invite you to remember those moments, if you were in the hall, or to enjoy the opportunity that this recording from the NTB collection - Conferences of the National Theatreoffers you. Watch here   The late director Alexandru Tocilescu will once again be with those who cherished him for his talent and his unforgettable creations, among which we mention the performances made on the stages of this Theatre: "A Lost Letter" by IL Caragiale, "The Love Suicides" by Chikamatsu Monzaemon, "Red Comedy" (within the NTB programme "The Trial of Communism through Theatre") and "Edward III" by William Shakespeare. Plus a single NTB conference, which he gave on Theatre Day (March 27th), in 2011. On this occasion, the famous director approached, in his unmistakable style, a topic suitable for the event. "The subject of the conference would be an attempt to clarify aspects of resistance through culture in the sphere of Theatre: how and if this existed!", declares the director who staged in full censorship an extraordinary "Hamlet" with an anti-communist approach. On this occasion, Alexandru Tocilescu did not give up his constant concern with the investigation of recent history. After a decade since that day, of his conference at the Bucharest National, we invite you to be his viewers on YouTube NTB. A remembrance with a special load. Watch here   On the same date, and still a conference of the National Theatre opens a series of views presented to the Italian audience. Accademia di Romania in Rome, in collaboration with the "Ion Luca Caragiale" National Theatre launches on Saturday, March 27th, 2021 the project The Conferences of the National Theatreof Bucharest. Matthew Vişniec - Theatre and journalism. Mutual influences / Teatro e giornalismo. Influenze reciproche is the conference chosen by the organizers to celebrate this Theatre Day. In recent years, the playwright Matei Vişniec has come to the attention of the public and creators of the Peninsula, where the strength of the dramatic text, the topicality of the themes and the unusual character of his poetic style are highlighted by translations and enactments on many stages of many Italian cities. The conference is an exceptional cultural opportunity and an extraordinary chance to learn about the story of journalist Matei Vişniec and the playwright Matei Vişniec and how they coexist and influence each other. All five conferences selected by the Accademia di Romania in Rome for this first series will be available in Romanian and subtitled in Italian. Romanians and Italians, theatre lovers from all over the world are invited on the Facebook page Accademia di Romania in Rome, as well as on the YouTube channel of the Bucharest National Theatre - where this year's World Theatre Day brings together 3 exceptional conferences!   Translated by Simona Nichiteanu

The "I.L. Caragiale" National Theatre announces the suspension, for the next 14 days, of all performances and events scheduled in its halls, starting with March 8th, 2021, at 00:00, in accordance with Decision no. 8 of 07.03.2021 of the Bucharest Municipality Committee for Emergency Situations (CMBSU): “Art. 1 It is ascertained that at the level of Bucharest Municipality, the cumulative incidence rate calculated at 14 days, on 05.03.2021 was 3.05 / 1000 inhabitants, reason for which, starting with 08.03.2021 at 00:00, the following measures are taken for a period of 14 days, to be re-evaluated at the end of it: Point 8. It is forbidden to organize and carry out activity with public in cinemas, performance institutions and / or concerts, including those of the drive-in type (…) " . The NTB performances from the week of 8-14 March, 2021 suspended due to CMBSU provisions will be rescheduled in the first week after the lifting of the restrictions, the spectators benefiting from all the rights conferred by the access ticket on the date of rescheduling the respective show. For the spectators who cannot use the ticket on the date of the show rescheduling, the refund of the equivalent value of the purchased tickets will be made at the NTB Box Office starting with Monday, March 15th, 2021. Opening hours: Monday to Friday between 11.00-18.00. Spectators who have purchased tickets online will receive a notification with instructions from MyStage, at the email address from which they purchased the tickets. In the case of shows / events hosted by NTB during the period above, information on their rescheduling will be provided by the respective organizers. Thank you for your understanding!

The IL Caragiale National Theatre announces the resumption, starting with Monday, February 8th, 2021, of the Theatre Guided Tours, with 3 daily tours, 7 days out of 7! The new halls, workshops and backstage of the National Theatre can be visited. In order to comply with the provisions in force imposed by the pandemic, the number of participants in each tour is limited to 6 people. The new schedule of these tours is as follows: Monday - tours start at 12.00, 2.00 p.m. and 4.00 p.m. From Tuesday to Sunday - tours start at 2.00 p.m., 4.00 p.m. and 6.00 p.m. Tickets are on sale at both the TheatreBox Office (located in the Grand Hall lobby, with entrance in front of NTB), as well as online, on the MyStage platform. The price of a ticket is 10 lei, and the duration of a visit will be 45 minutes. The meeting place will be the Grand Hall lobby, in front of the Box Office. Please show up a quarter of an hour before your chosen time to visit the theatre, even if you have purchased tickets online. Participation is made within the 6 available places. For more information, phone: 021 314.71.71 - NTB Box Office. Based on a prior telephone request between 10.00 - 14.00 at no. 0744 633 188 (Mr. Ionuț Corpaci), a guided tour in English can be scheduled.   Translated by Simona Nichiteanu 

We inform you that at the beginning of each week, the building of the I.L. Caragiale National Theatre will undergo a disinfection of performance halls, booths, rehearsal rooms and actor regrouping halls, an action that is performed with a specific device, cold mist generator, which uses for treatment Bionet A 15, a substance with bactericidal, fungicidal and virucidal action, approved by the Ministry of Health and registered in the Biocides Register. We mention that this disinfection action is done according to Order no. 3142/1495/2020 of August 31st, 2020 on measures to prevent contamination with the new Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and to ensure safe activities in the field of culture. Translated by Simona Nichiteanu