October 21 | 16:00 – National Theatre “I.L. Caragiale” Bucharest, Media Hall
FREE ADMISSION subject to seat availability
Cătălina falls in love with an unattainable Luceafăr — the Evening Star from Mihai Eminescu’s famous poem — projecting onto him the promise of a “cosmic marriage” that would rescue her from earthly constraints. In counterpoint, her mother seeks the security of a marriage with Cătălin — a prosperous, pragmatic, pleasure-seeking young man — and discreetly steers the story toward a “reasonable” ending. Between the fascination with the absolute and the comfort of social convention, Cătălina navigates a labyrinth of desires, family pressures, and romantic illusions.
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By: Alex Gorghe
Cast: Anamaria Pîslaru, David Drugaru, Dragoș Stoica, Mara Bugarin, Sorin Dinculescu, Voicu Aaniței
Directed by: Gabi Sandu
Co-Producers: Masca Theatre, Bucharest, UNITER & The Romanian National Theatre Festival 2025
Duration: 1h
Age recommendation: 14+
The performative reading will be followed by a discussion with the audience moderated by Mihaela Michailov
The reading is part of the Romanian Playwriting Competition A space for Romanian dramaturgy within the National Theatre Festival program of the festival
The three Romanian projects selected by Mihaela Michailov (playwright, performing arts critic, and curator of the staged reading program at FNT), Raluca Cîrciumaru (playwright, theatre critic, and Head of Communication at Masca Theatre), Catinca Drăgănescu (director, playwright, and manager of Masca Theatre), Leta Popescu (director, playwright, and Artistic Director of “Fani Tardini” Theatre, Galați), Radu Horghidan (actor, playwright, and co-initiator of Proiect 9. Contemporary Romanian Theatre, Galați), and Bobi Pricop (director, artistic director of „Regina Maria” Theatre, Oradea, and coordinator of the FNT staged reading module) will be presented as performative readings during this year’s edition of the Romanian National Theatre Festival.
Sought after were comedic and political satire texts that highlight the comic and satirical potential of contemporary realities, exploring current forms of humor and dramatic scripts centered on radical perspectives and representations of pressing social or political issues.
In the 2025–2026 season, the plays will be produced by the three partner theatres: Masca Theatre, Bucharest, „Fani Tardini” Theatre, Galați and „Regina Maria” Theatre, Oradea.