class="">Radu Iacoban: „«Cats’ House» is an endeavor of honesty in an intimate space ».

Radu Iacoban, cards on the table, about “Cats’ House”, the most recent staging of a play written by playwright Radu Iacoban, at Teatrul Foarte Mic and now, part of the National Theatre Festival!

An interview by Andrei Crăciun

Is this the first time you are selected, as a director, for the NTF programme? What is your history with the NTF?

Radu Iacoban: My history is thatI performed at the festival several times over the past years. My dearest experiences were our presentations of „Pounding Nails in the Floor with my Forehead “ which I did at Green Hours together with Tudor Istodor and of „20/20“, a performance by Gianina Cărbunariu.

Why do you think this performance/ „Cats’ House”- was selected? What’s it got special? Did you think of this when writing it? Did you expect this?

„Cats’ House“ is an honest endeavor in an intimate space, at the venue of Teatrul Foarte Mic –  starring three super- actresses. Emilia (n.r. / Emilia Dobrin), Andreea (n.r. / Andreea Grămoşteanu) and Ilinca (n.r. / Manolache),it’s them who deserved the  selection. And the space conceived by Mihaela Ularu (n.r. /the set-designer of the show). Without them I don’t know if we’d have been selected. And if I had expected it…not really. But at the end of the rehearsal time, we all had a clean conscience, knowing the performance was a good one. The selection is an honor and it helps the production.

Emilia Dobrin and Ilinca Manolache, in „Cats’ House “. Credit: Andrei Runcanu

What was your first reaction when you found out the performance has been selected for the NFT? 

I was super- happy. I told Ana (n.r. / Ana Ularu, Radu Iacoban’s girlfriend), I told the girls (n.r. / the actresses) and, right after that, of course, the theatre management.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF “CATS’ HOUSE”

What would you like people to think about „Cat’s House” in fifty years from now?

That the story still stands, at it will stand for the next hundred years.

What does this selection mean to you? 

It means a good point in my CV. When fellow theatre people appreciate your work, it’s wonderful!

What’s the next step for playwright and director Radu Iacoban? And for the actor Radu Iacoban? 

For the director and playwright- wow, this sounds like something! / there are two steps next. One at the National Theatre Bucharest- as part of the 9G project / called „After Hours“ and then „Emancipation“, at the Comedy Theatre- in the frame of the project „Comedia Tine la Tineri/ Comedy Cares for the Young“. I hope the two shows will have a good impact and will be rewarding to those who trusted me and offered me this opportunity. The actor will be part of the cast of “Love and Understanding”, to be staged at Teatrul Foarte Mic.

At your beginnings, how did you look at the NFT? And now? How about now?

I look at the NFT as an important cultural event. Bitter when I’m not part of it, joyful when I’m involved.

Do you watch the performances invited to the NFT? What do you like watching? Performances from Bucharest or from theatres outside the capital? Is there a hierarchy?

I see productions from other cities. This is the advantage of the NFT. Every time I’m thrilled to see how full the venues are.

Radu Iacoban, are you a cat owner? If yes, what are their names? Did you bring them to see „Cats’ House”? Do you plan to…? 

I don’t have cats. But I like them.

What’s the strongest point of the playwright Radu Iacoban? Why you? Which of the three sides of your personality do you prefer? The director? The playwright? The actor? Whom do you get along with best?

Honesty. I wish my performances to reach out to the spectator in the most honest way possible. And diversity. I’m never preoccupied by the same thing. I don’t choose between the three of them and I try to be as professional as possible, from the point of view of the activity I’m involved in at a certain moment. If I’ve been lucky to exercise rather the first two of them, it means it was time for that. And that it’s important what I imagine when I propose these stories. Important to the audiences, as well as to the theatre community. And this makes me happy.

August 26^th 2015