Constanța State Theatre - October Festivals
It seems that youth blossoms in autumn, at least when it comes to theatre festivals aimed at this audience and these artists.
In October, the Constanta State Theatre was invited to several other important festivals in the country. In the first week of the month, the UNITER award-winning show "Seaside Stories", directed by Radu Afrim, was performed on the stage of the Sala Mari of the Luceafărul Theatre in Iași, as part of the International Theatre Festival for Young Audiences Iași 2023, in the presence of the director and writer Nicoleta Dabija, author of one of the texts included in the show. The theme of the 16th edition of the festival was the much-debated "female-male" relationship.
"Games in the Backyard" by Edna Mazya, directed by Diana Mititelu (UNITER Award for Debut 2021) was the show invited to Bucharest to participate in the Excelsior International Youth Theatre Festival, "X-Fest" 2023. The debut of this festival - also aimed at young audiences, a somewhat neglected category of audience in Romania - tackled the theme of "Limits/Limits", to which TSC's performance was perfectly adapted. The performance "Games in the backyard" took place on October 12, 20:00, on the stage of the Little Theatre, at the Atelier Hall. Immediately after the performance there was a debate on the important theme proposed to the audience: abuse, its psychological causes, its impact on the victim and ways to prevent it. The debate, moderated by Emil Tatu, a lawyer and TV producer from Constanta, took place in a dynamic but respectful way on such an acute subject that mirrors the pitfalls and shortcomings of today's society.
From Bucharest to Buzău, from one festival to another, in two days, but this time with the show "8 FATHERS" directed by Irisz Kovacs. For ten years now, "Young Theatre Week" has turned Buzoi autumn into the season of young artists. More than 70 creators have been invited, a selection of the most appreciated shows, including "8 Fathers". The show was performed right at the opening of the "Young Theatre Week" Festival Buzău 2023, on the stage of the "George Ciprian" Theatre.
As part of the most important festival in the country - the National Theatre Festival, held in Bucharest and organised by UNITER, the Constanta State Theatre team had a mini-marathon: three performances of "Seaside Stories" in two days. Although two performances were initially scheduled, the fact that tickets sold out within minutes of going on sale led to the scheduling of a third. Thus, a show lasting about three hours was performed on the stage of the "Ion Caramitru" Great Hall of the "I.L. Caragiale" National Theatre in Bucharest, on 24 October at 20:00, and on 25 October at 12:00 and 18:00, which meant, in equal measure, a great effort and a great satisfaction for the Constanta State Theatre troupe.
Although the TSC's tour of theatre festivals would have continued in November, legislative changes that prevented the organisation of such events in the last months of the year led to the cancellation of two scheduled trips.