class="">Mihai Măniuţiu: „The ensemble of the National Theatre Cluj is among the three most valuable ensembles in Romania”

The National in Cluj presents four of its productions at the 25^th edition of the NFT. The general manager of the institution, Mihai Măniuţiu, who directed two of the titles in the festival program, in two different theatres, has given a few brief answers.

An interview by Maria Sârbu

Maria SâRBU: As a director, you are present at the NTF 2015 with the performances  „The Lesson”, produced by the „Radu Stanca” National Theatre Sibiu and „Vertigo”, produced by the  „Aureliu Manea” Theatre in Turda. You staged „The Lesson” twice before, in 1991 at the National Theatre Cluj-Napoca, and in 1993 at the Théâtre de l’Ancre – Charleroi, Belgium. What fascinated you at this play by Eugène Ionesco?

Mihai MĂNIUŢIU: I don’t know a better play about dictatorship, brainwashing and the complex of the voluntary victim.

What determined you to direct „The Lesson” at the National in Sibiu?

The fact that I had the opportunity to work with the best actor to play the professor, Constantin Chiriac. At the same time, the high level of the ensemble and the technical crew.

What is „Vertigo”, the performance you created based on your own script at the theatre in Turda?

„Vertigo” is a confession. About suffering, love and the glissade of a beloved one (my mother) into the fogs of the Alzheimer empire.

At the NTF 2015, the National Theatre in Cluj- Napoca participates with four productions: „Apolodor”, „The Emigrants”, „Mein Kampf” and „UbuSlammer!”, that bear the signatures of very different style directors/ Ada Milea, Tudor Lucanu, Alexandru Dabija and, respectively, Gábor Tompa. You had a beautiful harvest last season. What’s the reaction of the spectators? Are they equally interested by these stagings?

The venues in Cluj are packed with spectators. They become more and more faithful to the National in Cluj.

You have a rich repertoire and every season you add new performances. How long does a production of the National Theatre Cluj last?

At least two years. Some of them have made it to four years. And some to ten.

When you became the manager of the theatre, you initiated the “International Meetings in Cluj”, This year you are having a 5^th edition. What is this event?

It’s a way of the National Theatre Cluj to extend the dialogue between stage and audiences on national and international level.  

How would you describe the years since you became general manager of the theatre? How was the ensemble before, when you were working with them as a director? And how are they now?

You should ask the directors who worked or who want to work in Cluj. From my point of view, the ensemble is in top 3 in this country.

What new titles are you preparing for this new season?

„Our Class” by Słobodzianek, „Linoleum” by the  Presniakov Brothers „Romeo and Juliet” by Shakespeare, „Animal Farm” after Orwell and many other surprise titles…

What projects do you have, as a theatre maker, in Cluj as well as in other theatres?

In Cluj, I’m a theatre manager, administrator and producer, not a director. I hope to be able to do a George Tabori play at the National Theatre Iaşi, a comedy at the theatre in Braşov and to make a comeback to Bucharest, at the Nottara theatre.

You are a director, a writer, university professor and the manager of a cultural institution. How do you manage all of them?

By separating them in an extremely strict manner.

Still, what do the 37 years of theatre making (because 37 years have passed since you graduated from the „I.L. Caragiale” Theatre and Film Institute) mean?

That I’m still alive and I didn’t dislike this condition and I still don’t.

 October 2^nd 2015