Sisyphus is the mythological hero who was punished by the gods for his insightfulness and condemned to carry a rock on his back up to the top of a cliff only to have it roll back down, time and time again. His name has become synonymous with the absurdity of human existence as a closed circle of constantly recurring actions as if of unknown meaning. With the comic hint imported by absurdity “I, Sisyphus” lends image, sound and movement to that myth as a constant return of one to one’s self. Defined as a puppet solo performance for adults, the performance creates an impressive blend of object and physical theater. It affirms the talented team made up of stage director Veselka Kucheva, set designer Marieta Golomehova and actor Hristo Takov as the new faces of Bulgarian puppet theatre and its borderline forms.
Veselka Kuncheva graduated from the National Academy for Theatre and Film Art as a puppet and drama theatre director and has worked at various puppet theatre stages across Bulgaria. In 2003, her performance “Little Zaches, Great Zinnober” (Puppet Theatre – Plovdiv) won her the Ikar Award for best puppet art. Her performance “Pinocchio: No Kids Allowed” (Sofia Puppet Theatre) won her the Best Director award at the Golden Spark International Festival in Kragujevac, Serbia. There, she staged the performance “Marko Kralevich” that won the major festival awards, such as Grand Prix for best performance and directing distinction. Over the recent years Veselka Kuncheva, together with the set designer Marieta Golomehova, has developed a specific style based on parable plots presented as plastic and object theatre combined with rhythm and music. That won her recognition when her performance “Immurement” won the 2013 Ikar Award of the Union of Bulgarian Actors for best puppet art and music and was selected in the “Showcase” programme of ITF “Varna Summer” 2013.
Nominated for 2014 Ikar Award of the Union of Bulgarian Actors for best puppet art.
At Pierot 2013 the performance was awarded prizes for experimental and new forms, best actor for Hristo Takov, best set design for Marieta Golomehova, best original music for Hristo Namliev and the prize of young theatre critics.
