The Romanian Season
In May 2010, Firehouse Creative Productions launched for the first time in London a Romanian Season of new writing. Featuring two theatre productions, book and play readings of works by previous Royal Court International Residents, an ongoing art installation and music, the season’s aim was to showcase the best of emerging Romanian talent in a bid to broaden UK perspectives on Romania’s new generation.
In association with The New Diorama Theatre, with support from The Romanian Cultural Institute.
ROMANIAN SEASON EVENTS:
ELEVATOR, by Gabriel Pintilei, directed by Rachel Parish
4th – 22nd May: Tue- Sat 7.30pm, Sat mat 3.30pm
£12 (£10 comps); previews Tue 4th and Wed 5th: £8; Tue 11th and 18th: all £10
Press night on Thurs 6 May 7pm followed by post show talk with the writer, cast and creatives
Gripping two-hander about teenagers trapped in the lift of an abandoned building.
Best New Play at the Romanian Dramaturgy Festival in 2007.
Gabriel Pintilei is an award winning actor, director, choreographer, playwright and screenwriter from Romania, who currently conducts most of his activities at the Odeon Theatre in Bucharest. The film version of Elevator is touring venues worldwide (more info at: www.keepmovieng.com).
Rachel Parish is Artistic Director of Firehouse. Work includes The Silents (The Albany: “a whirlwind of enthusiasm and delight”, broadwaybaby.com, I Confess (with tangled feet: “recaptures the heart of theatre” ThreeWeeks), Denis Kelley’s Love and Money (Sc.6) (The Young Vic) and Machine Diary and Grimethorpe Race (Arcola Theatre).
BONES FOR PRINCE (Original title Bones for Otto), by Lia Bugnar, directed by Christian Hogas
Fr 7th, 14th, 21st May 8.45pm: £5 or free for Elevator ticket holders
An opera singer, a mother and a dog walk the fine line between hope and despair in acclaimed actor and director Lia Bugnar’s play, directed by Attic Arts resident Christian Hogas.
Winner the Fringe-Project Award at the 2004 Dublin Fringe Festival.
THE SUNSHINE PLAY, by Stefan Peca – Staged play reading directed by Peter Stickney
Sat 8th May: 4.45pm: £4 or free for Elevator ticket holders
A girl and two boys on the roof of a Bucharest night club offer a fascinating window into Romanian life. “Verdict: Delightful love-triangle variation.” (Fringe Report, Dublin)
Awarded the London Fringe Report for Best Play – Relationship Drama.
Stefan Peca is considered one of the most powerful voices in Romanian contemporary playwriting. His award-winning work has been presented in Romania, the United States, and extensively across Europe.
Peter Stickney is Creative Producer of Firehouse. He has worked extensively with venues and theatre companies throughout the UK including: Theatre Royal Bath, Young Vic, Arcola, Southwark Playhouse, BAC, Tangram, Theatre 503, Eastern Angles and the Hampstead Theatre. He has been short-listed for this year’s James Menzies-Kitchin Young Director Award, celebrating outstanding young theatre directors.
GALA FUNDRAISING NIGHT: Elevator, followed by singer songwriter Monooka, Romanian tipples and culinary delights
Thurs 13th May 8.45pm: £18.00 (incl Elevator)
An original mix of pop, folk, jazz and traditional Romanian songs from Monooka. Past performances include the Battersea Barge-on-Thames, Cafe Royal in Piccadilly, Proud Gallery, Pangea Project, Cellar Door and Spice of Life.
PUPPETRY WORKSHOPS for families led by Monica Madas
Sat 15th and 22nd May 11am – 12.30pm: £8 children, £12 adults
Puppet making and manipulation for children 3+ and their parents, with live music – all materials supplied. Inquiries: monicamadas@yahoo.co.uk / 07875180698.
Monica Madas is an experienced puppeteer who has collaborated with the Arcadia Puppet Theatre in Transylvania, Little Angel Theatre and the Central School of Speech and Drama in London.
THE “ROMANIA” COMPLEX, by Mihaela Michailov – Staged play reading directed by Natasha Nixon
Sat 15th May 4.45pm: £4 or free for Elevator ticket holders
The lives of pioneer Georgica, his family and his best friend overlap with the revolt of a generation in this award-winning play.
Written by Mihaela Michailov, an “exceptional dramatist with a remarkable evolution” (Royal Court selection board).
Natasha Nixon has trained with StoneCrabs. Credits include Supermarket (Soho Theatre), Pre-occupation and Public Eye (The Albany), ass. dir. on Cock (Royal Court), Vanya (The Gate) and Pictures from an Exhibition (The Young Vic/Sadlers Wells).
LIKE DROPS OF BLOOD ON THE ELEVATOR FLOOR, by Maria Manolescu – Book reading directed by Sophie Motley
Thurs 20th May 8.45pm: £4 or free for Elevator ticket holders
The second novel from an award-winning writer, about a middle-aged flower shop assistant from Bucharest whose son has committed suicide.
Sophie Motley is Resident Assistant Director at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. Directing credits include The Party, Corners (Anu Productions) The Water Harvest (Prime Cut), Autobahn (DYT) and The Gleaming Dark (Old Vic). Assistant Director at Chichester Festival Theatre, The Gate and Pentabus. Forthcoming: Philip Ridley’s Vincent River in Belfast for Prime Cut Productions.
LOVE THYSELF, by Maria Manolescu – Staged play reading directed by Nathan Curry
Sat 22nd May: 4.45pm: £4 or free for Elevator ticket holders
A winter and a spring day in the lives of elderly rough sleepers Ioan and Maria, who find the body of a 30-year old man on the snowy streets of Bucharest.
Maria Manolescu won Best New Playwright in the Romanian new writing competition dramAcum and her plays have been produced at The National Theatre of Iasi and The Very Small Theatre in Bucharest. In 2007, she attended the International Residency programme at the Royal Court Theatre, where she developed the play I’m Not Jesus Christ.
Nathan Curry is Artistic Director of award winning ensemble tangled feet and Associate Director at The Bush Theatre. Credits: Home, I Confess, Game, Emily’s Kitchen, Lost Property and Catching Dust (Winner: Best Direction Lost Theatre Festival), all for tangled feet; Weapons of Happiness (Finborough Theatre), Ya Get Me (Old Vic Education Department) and The Actual House by Nicholas Wright (Nabokov/Southwark Playhouse).
An ONGOING ART INSTALLATION will run in the corridor of the theatre throughout the season, 4th – 22nd May, created by Architectural Association award-winning student Ioana Iliesiu.
Free, access Tue-Fr 6.30pm – post show; Sat 11am – post show.
All texts except The Sunshine Play have been translated by Cristina Catalina. Actor and Firehouse Creative Producer Cristina Catalina regularly translates plays from Romanian into English, End of the Line for Magnet productions/Cork Midsummer Festival (2008), and for The Royal Court International Residency (2007-present).
BOX OFFICE:
Online: http://www.newdiorama.com/
By Telephone: +44 (0)844 2090 344
In Person: The Ticket Office at The New Diorama Theatre is open from 6.30pm Tuesday to Saturday.
VENUE
The New Diorama Theatre, 15-16 Triton St, London NW1 3BF
Nearest tube: Warren Street, Great Portland Street
VIEW MAP ON STREETMAP.CO.UK not googlemaps please
For press information and tickets please contact producer Cristina Catalina at firehousecreativeproductions@gmail.com.
