Theatre Bridges – Connecting Cultures and Stories
The Varna Summer International Theatre Festival launches the Theatre Bridges programme with performances from Southeastern Europe that explore profound existential, social, and historical themes through contemporary scenic approaches. The programme aims to bring the Bulgarian stage closer to the achievements of the theatre in the region and promote cross-border creative collaborations. The programme is carried out together with World Theatre in Sofia platform and is realised through the project Theatre Bridges in Southeastern Europe of the Via Fest Foundation, funded by the Presentation of Contemporary European Productions in the CCI Sector to the Bulgarian Audience programme under the National Culture Fund through the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility.
The programme kicks off on 7th June at 8:30 PM at the Second Stage of the Varna Drama Theatre with the performance The Ploughman and Death by renowned Romanian director Silviu Purcarete. The production arrives in Varna following its resounding success at the World Theatre in Sofia platform, also produced by the Via Fest Foundation, as well as the International Theatre Festival in Varna. The performance is one of Romania’s most awarded productions in recent years. In a captivating symbiosis of new technologies and live stage presence, it brings to life the medieval work of the same name by German author Johannes von Tepl which is known to be one of the first printed books in Europe. The original text unfolds as a vivid dialogue between the Ploughman, whose wife Margareta has recently passed away, and Death. Silviu Purcarete transforms it into an intense inner monologue with a hypnotic atmosphere and theatrical imagery.
The programme continues on 8th June at 6:00 PM at the City Art Gallery, where, following its presentation at the World Theatre in Sofia platform, the performance 96 % will be shown in Varna. This international production by the National Theatre of Northern Greece in Thessaloniki, in collaboration with the prestigious Schaubühne Theatre in Berlin and La Joven Theatre in Madrid, is directed by Greek director Prodromos Tsinikoris, who has already made a mark on prominent European stages. In an engaging and moving way, the performance tells the tragic story of Thessaloniki’s Jewish community during World War II, tracing the legacy it has left in the present.
The remaining two productions in the programme feature works by Bulgarian directors staged at theatres in Southeastern Europe. On 9th June at 8:00 PM on the Main Stage of the Varna Drama Theatre, the performance Pillar of Salt directed by Javor Gardev, based on a play by renowned Montenegrin playwright Aleksandar Radunović, will be presented. The premiere of production marked the 140th anniversary of the Royal Theatre “Zetski Dom” in Cetinje last year. The title refers to the biblical story of Lot’s wife, who, despite an angel’s warning, looked back at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah during her family’s escape and turned into a pillar of salt. Presented as an absurdist black comedy, the play addresses the horror of world-shaking conflicts faced by new generations. The performance is also included in the World Theatre in Sofia programme, part of the #StageWithoutBorders initiative, and will be presented on June 11 at the Sfumato Theatre Laboratory in the Bulgarian capital.
Exclusively in Sofia, again at the Sfumato Theatre Laboratory, the Theatre Bridges programme will conclude on 24th June at 7:00 PM with the When We Dead Awaken by Henrik Ibsen, directed by Stiliyan Petrov, a production of the National Theatre Nova Gorica, Slovenia. Based on a family story, the performance explores the enduring human hope for a second chance when all seems lost.
Tickets for the performances in Varna can be purchased at the ticket offices of the Theatre and Music Production Centre – Varna and the Festival and Congress Centre, as well as online at fccvarna.bg. Tickets for the performances in Sofia are available at the ticket office of the Sfumato Theatre Laboratory and online at theatre.art.bg.
Photo from the production 96 % Photographer Mike Rafail