News

The Opening of the NTB Season – Forceful Debut, on Site and on Tour!

13 September 2017

After a summer rich in international encounters, during which the „I. L. Caragiale” National Theatre of Bucharest has participated, with standing ovation followed by most gratifying echoes, in the Forest International Festival of Thessaloniki with The Tempest by William Shakespeare, directed by Alexander Morfov, and with Magic National - concert-show directed by Ion Caramitru – in the Ohrid Summer Festival, further shows of the theatre are expected in the next period abroad, at first-rate cultural events.

The Idol and Ion Anapoda, a show which has made history on the NTB Stages and Placebo (D)Effect, collective creation directed by Ştefan Lupu, one of the top achievements of the 9G Programme at NTB, shall represent the Bucharest National Theatre at the third National Theatre Reunion of Chişinău, on the 21st and 22nd September 2017, both representations being scheduled to take place in the Grand Hall of the „Mihai Eminescu” National Theatre of Chişinău.

The opening of the new season of the National Theatre of Bucharest is marked by the resumption of a highly successful show, on the billboard for 7 seasons, The Dinner Game by Francis Veber and through a premiere signed by one of the most gifted directors of the new generation, Bobi Pricop. The play UFO, by Ivan Vyrypaev in a modern vision, with a promising cast (Ada Galeș, Istvan Teglaș, Ciprian Nicula, Mihai Călin, Raluca Aprodu, Medeea Marinescu, Ion Caramitru – in the order indicated by the author) becomes, on the stage of the Painting Hall, the surprising show of the encounter between technology and emotion, between art and digital programming, between the innovations rebuilding theatre and the truths that have always defined it.

The second premiere of the season is betting on a surprise cast. The Cherry Orchard by A.P. Chekhov brings back to the attention of the Romanian audience the Georgian director David Doiashvili, the premiere being scheduled for the end of this month – 28 and 29 September 2017. The show shall be performed on the grand stage of NTB, with the audience seated on the very stage! The show is also expected with utmost interest at the Tbilisi International Festival of Theatre, where it shall be performed within a tour, on 8th and 9th October 2017, both representations of the festival being already sold out, within only two hours since their being put up for sale!

Further titles are already – or shall go – into rehearsals, with their premieres to be held until the end of the year: Exit the King by Eugene Ionesco, directed by Andrei and Andreea Grosu, Orchestra Titanic by Hristo Boicev, directed by Felix Alexa, The Blizzard by Barbu Ştefănescu Delavrancea, directed by Alexandru Dabija.

Launched almost eight decades ago by Ion Marin Sadoveanu, The National Theatre Conferences have returned to the stage of the Black Box Hall as of 2006, giving the opportunity of hearing lectures of prominent personalities of Romanian culture on the most diverse and exciting topics. The first conference of this season, The Female Inferno and Brumaru’s Angels, shall take place in the Black Box Hall, on Sunday 24th September 2017, with the very poet Emil Brumaru as its guest, the author of one of the most original universes of Romanian poetry.

A series of shows of the 9G Programme at NTB, intended for the young theatre creators of Romania, can be witnessed on the occasion of the national festivals in the next period: The Girl Soldier, at the Short Theatre Festival of Oradea (28 September), ActOrchestra at the National Theatre Festival for Children and Youth “Child in Europe”, Timișoara (3 October) and the 200 Years Anniversary of the Oraviţa Theatre (5 October), The Girl Soldier - with 2 representations at the International Theatre Festival – FE(A)ST on the Boulevard in Bucharest (on 8 October, from 5.00 and 7.00 p.m.), After Hours at the National Comedy Festival of Galați (14 October), Europe Hotel and The Girl Soldier at the De-butan-T Festival of Sfântu Gheorghe - (30 and 31 October), and Love and Information shall be presented within the Festival I Plead for YOU(ng), Piatra Neamţ (12 November).

The current edition of the National Theatre Festival comprises one of the richest selections of shows from the NTB repertoire; not less than 4 productions of the past season shall be featured in the time frame 20 - 30 October 2017, in Bucharest: Old Clown Wanted by Matei Vişniec, directed by Ion Caramitru, No Man’s Land by Danis Tanović, adaptation, direction and musical illustration by Alexander Morfov, King Lear by William Shakespeare, direction and stage design by David Doiashvili, Shadows by Marilia Samper, direction, stage design, musical illustration and lighting design Vlad Cristache.

In the theatre’s exhibition spaces, the visual arts loving audience shall be invited to two comprehensive exhibitions, produced within the programme NTB Paratheatrical - Visual Arts: on 19 September 2017, at 6.00 p.m., in the Rotunda of the Small Hall lobby, the Yearly Salon of the Graphic Department of the Romanian Artists Guild shall be opened, under the title Applied Art, and on 20 September, 6.00 p.m., the Media foyer (Intercontinental wing) shall host the opening of the graphic exhibition of the artist Georgeta Năpăruş – Letters and Characters, with novel works from the Grigorescu Family collection.

The National Theatre of Bucharest promises thus a new season to its audience, under the sign of artistic excellence, with a powerful debut, on site and on tour!

We invite you to stay tuned!

Tickets: at the NTB box office, as well as online, on www.mystage.ro.

Translated by Simona Nichiteanu

YEN by Anna Jordan, 9G premiere at NTB 19 April 2026

The “I.L. Caragiale” National Theater in Bucharest announces a new premiere as part of the 9G Program at NTB, dedicated to young independent artists: “Yen” by Anna Jordan, directed by Ciprian Chiricheș, with set design by Maria Constantin, and starring Teodora Antal, Diana Pomparău, Sevi Stan, and Mario Monțescu. The premiere will take place on Sunday, April 19, 2026, at 7:00 p.m., in the Sala Mică Hall The play Yen tells the story—at times brutal, at times deeply tender—of two brothers surviving almost entirely on their own in a suburb, with a mother unable to provide them with the care a child needs. Together, amid arguments and violence, the two teenagers try to discover what affection—and first love—feels like and how to express it, in the absence of a parental role model. Thus, first love becomes a tough test, full of innocence and missteps. How much of our social skills are innate, and how much are acquired through our environment and the education we receive? It is a long-debated dilemma that remains relevant today, which author Anna Jordan explores with harshness and directness, yet with care and sensitivity toward her characters. Yen is about growing up, about family, and, above all, about the fundamental human need to love and be loved. „What won me over from the very first reading was the sincerity with which life—and, in particular, hope—is portrayed. In real life, things aren’t like in fairy tales, where Prince Charming appears out of nowhere and sets everything right. In reality, we often long for something we cannot have, and then that feeling becomes even stronger; this sentiment is very well conveyed by the author. The production that we put together with the team is based on desire and hope. I hope it’s contagious and that the audience leaves, just as I like to leave the theater—changed, pensive, with my thoughts on my loved ones.” Ciprian Chiricheș, the director of the production Anna Jordan is a renowned British playwright, director, and screenwriter. She graduated from the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Arts (LAMDA) with a degree in acting and is a professor of acting. For her play “Yen,” she won the prestigious Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting (2013) Cast: Sevastian Stan, Mario Monțescu, Teodora Antal, Diana Pomparău. Regie Ciprian Chiricheș, set design Maria Constantin, sound design Teodor Zamfir and llighting design Cristian Ciopată. This performance is not recommended for children under 14. Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu

Magda Catone is the Mother-in-law in Little Hell 04 April 2026

Starting on April 4, 2026, renowned National Theater actress Magda Catone will play the role of the Mother-in-Law in Mircea Stefanescu's comedy Little Hell, taking over from Rodica Popescu-Bitanescu, the actress who has brought this delightful role in Romanian drama to life in recent seasons, continuing the series of anthological performances, from Natasa Alexandra, Silvia Dumitrescu-Timica to Ileana Stana Ionescu. At the "I.L. Caragiale" National Theater, the play Little Hell has had over 300 performances since its premiere in 2013! The next performances will take place on April 4, 8, and May 2, 2026! Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu

A new premiere at the National Theater of Bucharest: “The Bride's Time and Her Gown” – a continuation of the world of Oltenia created by Gavril Pătru 02 April 2026

The “I.L. Caragiale” National Theater in Bucharest will present, starting April 3, 2026, the premiere of “The Bride's Time and Her Gown″ (The Wedding) by Gavril Pătru, a new chapter in the theatrical universeinaugurated by the success of “Ghosts and Dandelions.” The second part of the upcoming “Oltenia trilogy,” the play continues the story of the characters from a contemporary Oltenian village, in a recognizable blend of humor, drama, and authenticity. Created by Gavril Pătru—who serves as writer, director, and actor—the new play offers a glimpse into a world where tradition and inner conflict coexist, and laughter and tension intertwine naturally. This time, the action revolves around a wedding—a seemingly festive setting that becomes the backdrop for an avalanche of tragicomic events. Amidst the musicians, stuffed cabbage rolls, and zaibăr, uncomfortable truths surface, appearances crumble, and hidden dramas are revealed. Nothing is what it seems, and the masks fall one by one, in a universe where even those who do not speak end up saying it all. Dynamic “like the rush of a sârba” and, at the same time, profound “like a doina,” the new play by Gavril Pătru offers an intense theatrical experience, where laughter and emotion converge in a story about family, identity, and truth. “The Bride’s Watch and Shirt” preserves the distinctive language and atmosphere of the Oltenia region that established Gavril Pătru’s reputation, shaping a vivid world, full of color and expressive power. The play can be viewed independently, yet it stands in direct dialogue with “Ghosts and Dandelions” developing the same destinies and delving deeper into the themes already explored. The cast features actors from the National Theater of Bucharest, in a lineup that supports the show’s brisk pace and energy: Costina Cheyrouze, Raluca Petra, Ileana Olteanu, Petre Ancuța / Ciprian Nicula, Gavril Pătru, Alexandra Sălceanu / Teodora Calagiu, Maia Morgenstern / Victoria Dicu, Silviu Biriș. On April 2 and 3, 2026, at 8:30 p.m., in the lobby of the Pictura Hall, immediately following the preview performances of the play, there will be a book launch for “Ceasu’ și cămașa miresii” (The Bride's Time and Her Gown) by Gavril Pătru, a special event that complements the theatrical universe of the play of the same name. The book brings to life the same recognizable world created by Gavril Pătru: a vibrant Oltenian village, full of humor, tension, and poetry, where the characters’ destinies intertwine between tradition and contemporary reality. The audience will have the opportunity to meet the author, discover the behind-the-scenes of the creative process, and get autographs. The official premiere of the production will take place on April 18 and 19, 2026, at the Pictura Hall; the production is already scheduled in the NTB’s current repertoire for April 8 and 9 and May 9, 2026. Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu

Premiere at NTB: A play about the hypocrisy of today's world 13 March 2026

Starting March 13, 2026, you are invited to a new production, Of People, Doctors, and Rhinoceroses by Claudiu Goga after Arthur Schnitzler, at the Studio Hall of the I.L. Caragiale National Theater in Bucharest. A hot topic, even though the author, considered one of the most important representatives of Austrian modernism, imagined it in 1912, a time when many of the issues addressed in the play were more than sensitive, if not taboo. At Dr. Bernhardi's clinic, a teenager is fighting sepsis following a botched abortion. The priest is denied access to the dying girl's room for her last rites. The inevitable death occurs. The incident quickly becomes a topic of national debate: can a Jewish doctor forbid a Catholic priest from comforting a Christian on her deathbed? Based on Arthur Schnitzler's idea, director Claudiu Goga invites you to discover the astonishing story in which Dr. Bernhardi is drawn. A roller coaster of absurd situations, tensions, and contradictions in a world of political intrigue and careerism, where truth becomes a derisory fact amid obscure games of power and personal interests. Both a political play and a love story, written in the style of a detective novel, "Of People, Doctors, and Rhinoceroses" speaks with lucidity and humor about the hypocrisy of today's world. A world in which people claim to fight in the name of principles and values, in the name of political ideologies and religious beliefs, in the name of truth and in the name of humanity. In reality, these are all pretexts. People fight only for their personal interests. Why? The answer is simple: people are people. In the role of Dr. Elias Bernhardi: Mihai Calin, joined by actors George Ivascu, Mirela Oprisor, Medeea Marinescu, Ofelia Popii, Alexandru Potocean, Ioan Andrei Ionescu, Richard Bovnoczki, Dana Dogaru, Ada Gales, Ionut Toader, and Tomi Cristin. Director Claudiu Goga had allies in bringing his vision to life: Corina Gramosteanu for set design and Nina Brumuasila for costumes. Video design was by Andrei Cozlac and Silviu Apostol. Music and stage movement were by Florin Fieroiu. The following performances will take place on: March 14, March 15, March 18, March 19 (official premiere), April 1, at 7 p.m. Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu

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