The 34th edition of the National Romanian Theatre Festival started today, 18th of October up until 27th of October 2024, and this year is constructed under the umbrella DRAMATURGIES OF THE POSSIBLE. This edition continues the shift of emphasis from the idea of selection to the idea of curatorship. Therefore, the performances that will be presented in Bucharest do not constitute a simple showcase of the 2023-2024 Romanian theatre season, they do rather represent the options resulting from the curatorial criteria of Mihaela Michailov, Călin Ciobotari and Ionuț Sociu.
This year, ODEON Theatre is participating with two performances in the official selection, the BITTER LEXICON by Sebastian-Vlad Popa and Laur Cavachi, directed by Silviu Purcărete (October 20, 6:00 PM, Majestic Hall) and THE FRAGILE FEELING OF HOPE, based on texts published in Gen, revistă, scripted and directed by Carmen Lidia Vidu (October 26, 5:00 PM, Majestic Hall) and is hosting two other productions, THE FALSE MAID by Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de Marivaux, artistic direction by Alexandru Mâzgăreanu, produced by the “Maria Filotti” Theatre in Brăila (October 23, 6:00 PM, Majestic Hall) and THE VICTIMS OF DEBT by Eugène Ionesco, directed by Radu Iacoban, produced by the “Mihai Eminescu” National Theatre in Timișoara (October 24, 7:00 PM, Majestic Hall).
Both ODEON productions selected in this edition will be presented with surtitles in English and Romanian, thus being accessible to people with hearing impairments.
BITTER LEXICON, the most recent premiere of the ODEON Theatre, is presented in the section SILVIU PURCĂRETE – 50 years of creation, a category through which UNITER and FNT mark 50 years of the director’s theatrical creation, 50 years of artistic activity recognised in the country and the world. You can find more information about this program here.
THE FRAGILE FEELING OF HOPE, is included in the NRTF educational section. The 2024 edition brings young people to the theatres of Bucharest, to performances that focus on sensitive issues of their age, as well as on literary works they have to study during their school years. Each matinee performance in the Educational NRTF will be presented in collaboration with a Bucharest kindergarten, school, high school or university, and will be followed by a discussion with the young audiences and a condensed workshop on the following day, organised at the respective kindergarten/school/high school/university.
More about this section you can find here.
The current edition of NRTF is under the banner of Dramaturgies of the Possible and is curated by Mihaela Michailov, Călin Ciobotari and Ionuț Sociu. The 31 selected performances from the country – some of the most representative contemporary Romanian theatrical creations – are joined by related events, such as three performative and visual installations, five reading performances on new texts from contemporary dramaturgy, twelve independent theatre performances, ten educational performances, five conferences and debates, professionalisation workshops, modules dedicated to established artists, book launches, radio theatre performances, but also a rich partner event – the Bucharest Scenography Biennale. The audience also benefits from five foreign performances by important European producers. The performances and events of NRTF 2024 take place in 36 spaces in Bucharest. The festival has 60 institutional partners in the current edition. 50 Romanian professionals from the world of theatre were invited, as well as 100 from abroad.
More information about the whole structure you can find here.
This strategic cultural project produced by the UNITER Association – the Romanian Theatre Union is financed by the Ministry of Culture. Co-producers are the BUCHAREST CITY HALL through ARCUB – the Cultural Center of the Municipality of Bucharest, the Culture Directorate of the Municipality of Bucharest and the Romanian Television Society. This year too, the Romanian Cultural Institute and the “I.L. Caragiale” National Theatre in Bucharest, joined as partners, as well as a traditional media partner, Radio Romania.
