class="">Motivation, structure and components of the 35th Romanian National Theatre Festival. „FNT 2025. TE PRIVEȘTE!”

Co-producers: The City Hall of Bucharest through ARCUB – the Cultural Center of Bucharest, and the Romanian Television Society. Partners: The Romanian Cultural Institute, the “I.L. Caragiale” National Theatre of Bucharest, and ITI – the Romanian Centre of the International Theatre Institute.
Traditional media partner: Radio Romania.

The curatorial team of the National Theatre Festival, composed of Raluca Cîrciumaru (theatre critic), Alina Epîngeac (theatre critic), and Ionuț Sociu (playwright and cultural journalist), presents the motivation, structure, and components of this year’s edition. For the first time, the RNTF includes an associated artist: director Radu Afrim.

The selection process included the viewing and analysis of more than 200 productions that premiered in the 2024–2025 theatre season, seen live in venues across the country or via recordings.

In recent years, the National Theatre Festival has emphasized a modular structure and a horizontal unfolding of interconnected layers. The presence of director Radu Afrim as associated artist complements this ongoing initiative to integrate a steady flow of new directions into the concept, enriching and creatively extending the modular framework. Without taking part in the actual selection of performances, the associated artist has the freedom to design and develop a module of his own, reflecting his artistic intentions and sensibilities.

The 35th edition of the National Theatre Festival (17–26 October 2025) is built around a call to action: FNT 2025. Te privește! The festival thus continues the shift in emphasis from merely presenting a selection to engaging in curatorship, a practice already established in the years before. Accordingly, the performances presented this year at FNT do not simply form a general panorama of the 2024–2025 season, but rather represent deliberate choices born out of an consistent dialogue within the curatorial team — a process guided by professional, aesthetic, and meta-theatrical criteria, all subsumed to an inclusive work process, relevant to the realities of today’s theatrical phenomenon.

Te privește! is a call to solidarity and civic responsibility in a moment of crisis (a pressure point for society, in its entirety), and a confirmation of the aesthetic-dialogical flow between artist and spectator. The theme acknowledges the organic artistic impulse to explore the stage as a platform from which urgent contemporary issues can be adressed, while equally relying on aesthetic coherence and consistency, and on the self-reflexive attitudes that accompany the creative process. Moreover, it seeks to recognize the active presence and essential role of the audience within the theatrical ecosystem.

We chose not to translate the motto Te privește! AS IT carries a wide spectrum of meanings in this context and encompasses multiple dimensions: the reflexivity of the gaze that mirrors reality through the artistic act, the taking on of resposibility and conscious engagement, the act of looking as an active bridge between stage and audience, the interdependent relationship of past–present–future with emphasis on the tradition–innovation binomial. Te privește! means equally: it concers you! and it looks at you/ it beholds you!  and even – in a poetic, archaic romanian – look at yourself/ behold thyself!

The objective gaze, with artistic value as its focal point, thus becomes dynamic and deliberate. The 35th edition of the National Theatre Festival takes the form of a prism that metaphorically breaks the stage lights into rays of meanings and urgent questionings: Who chooses? How do we change? What remains? The (im)possible worlds encountered in the selected productions share a unified temporal perspective: a continuous present that calls for contemporary revisitations and recontextualizations of historical events, symbolic characters, cult plays, recurring themes, and canonical authors. When seen from the socio-cultural perspective of a time of exponentially intensifying change, utopias turn into dystopias before our very eyes, and the pedestals of the statues crumble irreverently, but,  perhaps, necessarily.

This looking into the eyes, this courageous gaze becomes a gesture of solidarity around culture under the siege of indifference and powerlessness. We have been here for a long time, and we are here to stay — not only to tell stories post-factum, but also to lay the foundations of a reality for which each of us is responsible, now. Therefore, it concerns us all. And each of us individually.

Beyond the selection of productions, our focus was on shaping an extended curatorial concept that brings coherence to the entire structure of the festival. This includes:
● the continuation of the RNTF Educational module, curated by playwright Mihaela Michailov;
● the launch of a module dedicated to associated artist Radu Afrim;
● a range of additional events: staged readings, debates, colloquia, installations, exhibitions, book launches, radio theatre performances, etc.

In the cases of productions or institutions in which one of the curators is involved artistically, consultatively, or administratively, the evaluation and selection process is undertaken by the non-involved members of the curatorial team.

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Air, adapted after Airswimming, by Charlotte Jones, with documentary texts by Roxana Piticari and Liliana Oprea, directed by Leta Popescu, set design by Bogdan Spătaru, choreography by Mihai Mihalcea, video collage by Irina Caraulă (Alaska), lighting design by Vlad Lăzărescu, sound design by Andrei Raicu, Teatrul Metropolis București

Alaska by Elise Wilk, translated by Mária Albert, directed by Aba Sebestyén, set design by Beáta Sós, costumes by Judit Dobre-Kóthay, choreography by Tünde Baczó, music by Tibor Cári, co-production Teatrul Național Târgu-Mureș – Compania „Tompa Miklós” and Yorick Studio

We Bombed in New Haven by Joseph Heller, translated by Ramona Tripa, directed by László Bocsárdi, set design by József Bartha, costumes by Anna-Aletta Lokodi, music by Magor Bocsárdi, choreography by Noémi Bezsán, Teatrul Național Cluj-Napoca

Canine, dramaturgy and stage adaptation by Diana Nechit, Andrei C. Șerban, directed by Botond Nagy, set design by Raul Cioabă, costumes by Ioana Ungureanu, music and sound design by Claudiu Urse, lighting design by Cristian Niculescu, Teatrul Național Târgu-Mureș – Compania „Liviu Rebreanu”

Don Quixote by James Fenton, after the novel by Miguel de Cervantes, translated by George State, directed by Alexandru Dabija, costumes by Maria Miu, Teatrul ACT București

It’s Only the End of the World by Jean-Luc Lagarce, directed by Eugen Jebeleanu, set design by Oana Micu, original music and video by Ovidiu Zimcea, lighting design by Cristian Niculescu, choreography by Malena Silberschmidt, Teatrul Național „Radu Stanca” Sibiu – Secția Germană

Animal Farm, stage adaptation by Andrei Huțuleac after George Orwell’s novellla, directed by Andrei Huțuleac, set design Maria Nicola, choreography Ștefan Lupu, sound design Marin Grigore, songs Oana Pușcatu, lighting design Lucian Moga, Teatrul Mic, București

The Tempest by William Shakespeare, Romanian translation Ádám Nádasdy, dramaturgy Anna Veress, directed by Viktor Bodó, music Klaus von Heydenander, set design Hanna Erős, costumes Bori Zatykó, lighting design Sándor Baumgartner, Teatrul „Tamási Áron” Sfântu Gheorghe

Good Bye, Lenin! by Wolfgang Becker and Bernd Lichtenberg, translation Elise Wilk, directed by Eugen Jebeleanu, stage adaptation Bernd Lichtenberg, set design Velica Panduru, costumes Carmen Secăreanu, lighting design Cristi Niculescu, video design Iustin Șurpănelu, Teatrul Metropolis București

At Dawn, the Light Is Harsher by Mihaela Michailov, directed by Radu Apostol, set and production Gabi Albu, movement Florin Fieroiu, music Sebastian Androne-Nakanishi, lighting design Radu Apostol, video Elena Găgeanu, research team Mihai Burcea, Adina Marincea, Mihaela Michailov, translation from French Mirella Patureau, translation from Yiddish Andrei Munteanu, Centrul de Teatru Educațional Replika București

Incendies by Wajdi Mouawad, translated by Zeno Fodor, directed by Alexandru Mâzgăreanu, set design Andreea Săndulescu, costumes Alexandra Boerescu, original music Alexandru Suciu, lighting design Daniel Klinger, Teatrul de Stat Constanța

Jonah by Marin Sorescu, directed by Silviu Purcărete, literary translation from Romanian into Japanese by Mayo Nishiike and Florin Grancea, dramaturgy Durian Sukegawa, original music Vasile Șirli, set and lighting design Dragoș Buhagiar, co-production Teatrul Național „Radu Stanca” Sibiu and Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, Japan

Janovics, inspired by the life of Jenő Janovics, based on a text by Miklós Vecsei H. and Nikolett Németh, and improvisations by the creative team, dramaturgy Nikolett Németh, directed by Attila Vidnyánszky jr., set design Csaba Csíki, costumes Zsuzsanna Cs. Kiss, music Dávid Mester, choreography István Berecz, Teatrul Maghiar de Stat Cluj-Napoca

A Romanian Diary #HereWeDreamOfChange, script and direction Carmen Lidia Vidu, visuals Mara Oglakci, styling Olivia Stoica / Pinkbull Vintage, Teatrul Masca București

The Lesson by Eugène Ionesco, translation Vlad Russo and Vlad Zografi, directed by Bobi Pricop, set design Oana Micu, music and stage movement Eduard Gabia, Teatrul Național „Marin Sorescu” Craiova

Lina by Alexandra Felseghi, directed by Adina Lazăr, set design Bianca Veșteman, Sabina Veșteman, sound design Adrian Piciorea, Teatrul „Andrei Mureșanu” Sfântu-Gheorghe

Long Day’s Journey into Night, a stage adaptation by Roman Doljanski after Eugene O’Neill, translation Raluca Rădulescu, directed by Timofei Kuliabin, set design Oleg Golovko, music Timofei Pastukhov, lighting design Ilia Pașnin, Teatrul Național „Radu Stanca” Sibiu

Pride and Prejudice * (* sort of), by Isobel McArthur, based on the novel “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen, directed by Alexandru Mâzgăreanu, lighting design by Alexandru Mâzgăreanu, set design by Andreea Săndulescu, costumes by Alexandra Boerescu, original music and musical arrangement by Alexandru Suciu, musical preparation by Maria Alexievici, stage movement by Mariana Gavriciuc, Teatrul Excelsior București

Mary Stuart, adaptation by Robert Icke after Friedrich Schiller, translated by Irina Velcescu, directed by Andrei Şerban, associate director Daniela Dima, stage version by Daniela Dima, set design by Helmut Stürmer, costumes by Corina Grămoşteanu, music by Alexei Țurcan, video design by Andrei Cozlac, lighting design by Cristian Niculescu, Teatrul Național „I.L. Caragiale” din București

Messiah, by Martin Sherman, translated into Romanian by Lorena Luchian, Alexandru Panait, and Andrei Măjeri, directed by Andrei Măjeri, scenography by Irina Chirilă, stage movement by Daniel Dragomir, lighting design by Andrei Ignat and Andrei Măjeri, musical preparation by Antonela Barnat, Teatrul Evreiesc de Stat București

Death at the Revue Theatre, directed, conceptualized and written by Gabriel Sandu, choreography by Andrea Gavriliu, set design, video graphics, lighting design by Miruna Croitoru, costumes by Miruna Croitoru and the Fashion Department of UNArte, props by Ana Udreanu and Sanda Mitache, dramaturgy by Teodora Savu, video editing by Cristina Popa, music and sound ambiance by Andrei Dinescu and Viorel Andrinoiu, Teatrul „Stela Popescu” București

Nijinski. Agony and Ecstasy, choreographed and conceptualized by Răzvan Mazilu, lighting design by Arcadie Rusu, scenography, costumes, and video projections by Yasmin Asan, music by Alexandru Suciu, Teatrul ODEON București

Blood Wedding, by Federico García Lorca, directed by Hunor Horvath, film direction by Adrian Sitaru, scenography by Elöd Golicza, costumes by Zsofia Gabor, choreography by Árpád Könczei, original music by Andrei Dinescu, lighting design by Cristian Niculescu, video design by Dan Basu, Teatrul Național „Radu Stanca” Sibiu – Secția Germană

The Treasure City, dramaturgy by Petro Ionescu, directed by David Schwartz, scenography by Mihai Păcurar, choreography by Dominik M. Iabloncic, music and sound design by Mara Solomon, sound design and lighting design by Cătălin Filip and Alex Maftei, Reactor de creație și experiment Cluj

The Passions of the Beautiful Sex in the Golden Age (as we see them on TV), original text and dramaturgy by Selma Dragoș, artistic direction and dramaturgy by Elena Morar, set and lighting design by Ileana Zirra, costumes and video design by Miruna Croitoru, choreography by Teodora Velescu, music and lyrics by Cristina Juncu, Teatrul Nottara București

Prophet Ilya, by Tadeusz Słobodzianek, translated by Luiza Săvescu and Passionaria Stoicescu, directed by Botond Nagy, scenography by Irina Moscu, dramaturgy by Diana Nechit, original music and sound design by Claudiu Urse, lighting design and video design by Cristian Niculescu, Teatrul Național „I.L. Caragiale” din București

The Wandering, by Doru Vatavului, directed by Irisz Kovacs, scenography by Oláh Réka, music by Alexandra Chira and Adrian Piciorea, ProTeatru Zalău

The Reenactment, by Catinca Drăgănescu, concept by Catinca Drăgănescu and Ciprian Făcăeru, directed by Catinca Drăgănescu, physical scenography, VR/AR & lighting design by Ciprian Făcăeru, costumes and scenography consultancy by Lia Dogaru, VR/AR software development: Augmented Space Agency (Dan Făcăeru and Sabin Serban), original music composition and sound design by Cristian Vieriu (interior 8), Teatrul Național „Marin Sorescu” Craiova

The Queen of the Night, text and direction by Leta Popescu, scenography by Bogdan Spătaru, stage movement by Elena Anghel, music by Csaba Boros, lyrics by Oana Mogoș, Teatrul Dramatic „Fani Tardini” Galați

Lungs, by Duncan Macmillan, translated by Mircea Sorin Rusu, directed by Cristian Ban, scenography by Irina Chirilă, lighting design by Alex Dancu, Teatrul Clasic „Ioan Slavici” Arad

Richard III, by William Shakespeare, adaptation after Vecsei H. Miklós, dramaturgy by Bessenyei Gedő István, directed by István Albu, set and costumes by Erika Márton, choreography by Franciska Szabó, Teatrul de Nord Satu Mare – Trupa „Harag György”

Three Sisters
By A.P. Chekhov, translated by Raluca Rădulescu, directed by Theodor Cristian Popescu, scenographic concept by Velica Panduru, costumes by Sabina Reus, music and sound design by Andrei Raicu, lighting & sound design by Cristian Niculescu, stage movement by Flavia Giurgiu, Teatrul Tineretului Piatra Neamț

An Enemy of the People, by Henrik Ibsen, adaptation by Thomas Ostermeier and Florian Borchmeyer, translation and direction by Radu Iacoban, scenography by Tudor Prodan, sound design by Aida Šošić, lighting design by Lucian Moga, Teatrul „Regina Maria” Oradea – „Trupa Iosif Vulcan”

An Angel Comes to Babylon, by Friedrich Dürrenmatt, translated by Árpád Fáy, dramaturgy by Réka Dálnoky, directed by László Bocsárdi, set by József Bartha, costumes by Szőke Izsák, video by András Rancz, lighting design by Tamás Bányai, music by László Bakk-Dávid, choreography by Attila Bordás, Teatrul „Tamási Áron” Sfântu Gheorghe

Focus: RADU AFRIM

House among the Flats, text, direction, and sound universe by Radu Afrim, translated by László Sándor, set by Anna Kupás, costumes by Orsolya Moldován, choreography by Blanche Macaveiu, video design by Samu Trucza, sound design by Vince Oláh, lighting design by Radu Afrim and István Ádám, Teatrul Național Târgu-Mureș – Compania „Tompa Miklós”

Teatro Lúcido at the Edge Of Infinity, written and directed by Radu Afrim, after the texts Visiting a Man’s House in His Wife’s Absence by Adriana Bittel, The Dostoevsky Variable by Bogdan Răileanu, and Tits by Doina Ruști, scenography by Irina Moscu, choreography by Flavia Giurgiu, lighting design by Cristian Niculescu, Teatrul de Stat Constanța

Day of Joy, by Arne Lygre, direction, sound universe, and lighting design by Radu Afrim, scenography by Anna Kupás, choreography by Alice Veliche, Teatrul Național „Vasile Alecsandri” Iași

Invited Shows at RRNTF 35

The Glass Garden, after Tatiana Țîbuleac, dramatization by Mariana Onceanu, directed by Petru Hadârcă, scenography by Adrian Suruceanu, costume painting by Stela Verebceanu, original music and sound universe by Valentin Strișcov, stage movement by Oleg Mardari, video projection by Radu Zaporojan, Teatrul Național „Mihai Eminescu” Chișinău, Republica Moldova

The Viscount, by Eugène Ionesco, direction and set design by Slava Sambriș, Teatrul Republican „Luceafărul”, Chișinău, Republica Moldova