TOPIC:
by Ivan Radoev
Ivan Dashev Radoev (1927–1994) was a Bulgarian lyrical poet and playwright.
Radoev's plays have been translated into more than 12 languages and performed from Cuba to Mongolia. In 1992 he received the Special Award for lifetime achievement from the International Academy of Arts in France.
Radoev wrote about crippled emotions, failing relationships and the need for love. But ever present in the background was the clash between the need for personal freedom and the growing social pressure of the totalitarian state where ideology could not tolerate individualism.
The work was written in 1982 but forbidden as too provocative in the context of the way the ethnical issues were considered in Bulgaria those days. Leon Daniel staged it for the firs time at the Bulgarian Army Theatre in 1991.
Story In an outer neighbourhood in Sofia where new residential construction is growing rapidly among the eight- floor block of flats, by accident an old wooden house has remained intact.
Story In the evening a party of five elderly and lonely people get together there: a Bulgarian, a Jew, an Armenian, a Turk, a Russian woman.
They usually spend their time talking, playing backgammon, telling stories about their past, arguing over their ethnicity and anticipating the next letter from the municipality announcing that the house is going to be destroyed and its owner has to move to a flat on the 8 th floor.
Story In order to brighten up their life Yusuf makes up a story in which he helps a German called Herr Brown, who is sick, lonely and hides in a room. This overturns the old men’s life and conversations. Everyone decides to help the miserable German.
Why have we chosen this play? The play presents the question of respect. Led by the sense of national pride these five elderly people turn their daily discussions into an argument over what the common features of the different nations are.
The author chooses typical names of each nationality. The Bulgarian is called Kostadin, the Armenian – Artaki, the Turk – Yusuf, the Jew – Haim and the Russian woman – Tanichka.
The characters’ behaviour indirectly adds traits to each ethnicity; The Jew is suspicious and persistent; The Armenian constantly tells stories about his countless relatives as he repeats almost every word he says; The Turk uses proverbs summing up the wisdom of the nation; The Russian woman sticks to her aristocratic dignity and uses lots of diminutives as well as the emblematic Russian song “Очи чëрные”; The Bulgarian jokes and derides the others every time he can.
Why have we chosen this play? The play represents how constantly the ethnic prejudice are reborn among the people. All this raises the suspicions, the distrust, the fear, the disrespect.
Why have we chosen this play? The play teaches us how meaningless and absurd the ethnic “war” is. Arkan incessantly reminds that Ararat is an Armenian mountain and Yusuf replies inventively with the saying “Broken merchant, old accounts checks”. It turns out that the brandy by the name of this mount – Ararat (Armenian or Turkish) has a French label. The author intends to reveal the complicated tangle of life in the society where everyone has their own place, role and significance.
Why have we chosen this play? The play leaves behind the message about the value of respect for oneself and others in a world that is set to stoke prejudices and hatred and resuscitate them in its own tales. The play shows how the characters strive to see the world “more humane” and to build their own utopian world of Peace and Goodwill.
This presentation was created for “Different Cultures on European Stage” Project. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This presentation reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.