"WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH THE CELLO?"
by Matei Vişniec
Creatives:
Translated by Ognian Stamboliev
Directed by Nikolay Polyakov
Set & Costume Design by Marina Raichinova
Choreographed by Anna Pampulova
Cast:
VALENTIN TANEV, SNEZHINA PETROVA, MARIN YANEV, Prof. ANATOLI KRASTEV
Waiting. The sacred theme of any absurd drama.
Many wise people believe that the human life cycle has three stages: birth, waiting, death. Waiting in all its endless variants—work, inactivity, long-distance or short-distance running or jogging in place, travelling or dreaming about travelling, sickness or health, either in the comfort of nature or in an enclosed space (barred at times)—invariably arrives at its final endpoint. And this is neither pessimistic, nor optimistic. This is simply our encounter with time; time flies inexorably forward, paying no heed to our approval or discontent.
Art is perhaps the most worthwhile emanation of waiting. Maybe it is. But then again, art is the privilege of a chosen few that stir up hatred at a subconscious level among the waiting majority.
Though irresolvable, the conflict is funny at times.
Enjoy Matei Vişniec and his version of waiting.
Nikolay Polyakov
On a gloomy rainy day a man with a newspaper, an old man with a cane, a woman with a veil sit, waiting for an unspecified something, maybe a train or something else, in the waiting room of a train station. In a corner, a man with a cello is playing softly a bit annoying piece of music. Initially the three don’t mind the music. Then they begin to ask themselves as to how he plays without scores, which piece he performs, is he paid to repeat the same tune. At first they feel slightly exasperated; then grow apparently disgruntled and then completely intolerant of the other, of the artist or simply of a man living a lifestyle in its own right, different and completely unfathomable. All that remains is the cello and the question what to do with it. Now that the problem with the man was solved, what about the object?
In-house dramatist: Svetlana Pancheva
Assistant director: Meglena Dimitrova
Poster and leaflet designer: Yanina Petrova
Photos by Bozhidar Markov
Premieres on 2, 3, 4, 6 October 2020
Unsuitable for those aged 12 and under.
