Producer: “I.D. Sârbu” Theatre, Petroșani

Cast: Mihai Rădulea, Patricia Buraga, Dorin Ceagoreanu, Cosmin Brehuță, Izabela Badovics, Mihai Sima, Oana Liciu-Gogu, Irina Bodea-Radu, Mihai Alexandru, Robert Vladu, Daniel Cergă, Bogdan Tălmaciu, Simona Codreanu, Andrei Șchiopu

Directed by: Dumitru Acriș

Stage adaptation by: Angelina Roșca-Ichim

Choreography: Ștefan Lupu

Note: This performance is staged with the audience seated onstage.

Synopsis:

From a social perspective, the performance reflects a dominant phenomenon of modern Romanian life: the influence of corruption and political interests on justice. Puiu Faranga fits the contemporary archetype of the spoiled rich child, living a life of luxury and indulgence without any true occupation, passion, or aspiration. He is not punished for his crime but is treated leniently by the authorities due to his social status.

The production also highlights the stark contrast between the wealthy elite and the poor. Audiences are invited to reflect on the tragedy of Mădălina’s estrangement, ripped from her rural environment and brought to the city, subjected to a forced transformation. Her appearance, behavior, and identity are altered completely. She becomes a refined urban woman, part of high society, but loses her essence and happiness in the process.

On a psychological level, the performance delves into the mechanisms of the human subconscious, which can trigger irrational and violent behavior. Nearly all of the action unfolds within the sanitarium where Puiu Faranga undergoes a process of introspection and searches for the causes that led him to commit murder. He revisits his life, from childhood to the fatal moment, and analyzes his emotions, impulses, and internal conflicts. The audience is drawn into this process, encouraged to both understand and judge Puiu, while also confronting their own psychological complexity.

The Ciuleandra dance carries symbolic weight in the story. Its ever-quickening rhythm expresses a state of exaltation and madness, associated with the moment Puiu kills his wife. Folkloric elements offer an authentic and vibrant depiction of rural life, while also providing interpretive keys to the characters’ psychology and the meaning of certain scenes. – Dumitru Acriș