Theater review: aa‚¬A“Seven cursesaa‚¬A¦ asked, made and boundaa‚¬A, Romanian folklore in a nutshell

“Seven curses… asked, made and bound”, D’AYA Theater Company’s most recent play which premiered on September 20, encompasses the spirit of Romanian long-forgotten traditions and beliefs in a one-hour spectacle that seems too pass too quickly in the eyes of the urban audience.

Abrupt dances, haunting music and, catchy lines are all part of the art pill that the play supplies in its intricate mix of modern theater, choreography and traditional music. The spectacle (entitled “7 blesteme… cerute, facute si legate” in Romanian) is inspired by seven curses and spells existent in the Romanian folklore from seven areas, as Chris Simion, the play’s director and writer, explains. Thus, the play is divided in seven parts, representing some of the most important events for an individual, according to tradition: the snake’s curse at the child’s birth, spells for finding the loved one on St. Andrew’s night, the destiny’s fairies’ dance, the godparents’ curse at the wedding, the plague’s shirt, the dances at the wake and funeral services and the cuckoo birds summoning rain in times of drought.

To anyone who has not had too much to deal with rural Romania, the play will be mesmerizing. Those familiar with such traditions might also have a curiosity for the more interactive and humorous approach that Simion offers through this show. In the role of the old Gherghina, impersonating the wise elder of the village who holds the knowledge of all past traditions, is Adriana Trandafir. The actress, also known for the role in “Dragostea dureaza 3 ani”, where she played a high-class divorcee, proves her acting range once more, singing, screaming, and expressing long-forgotten traditions with her whole body. Joining the actress are the younger, but still as charming, Irina Duta and George Corodeanu. The dances performed by Cristina Uta, first soloist at the Salzburg Opera, and Cristian Tarcea are another highlight of the show, through the ancestral power that the two manage to convey in the forgotten language of Romanian folklore.

The play will be staged regularly by Underclould Theater at Centrul National al Dansului (The National Dance Center – in the Bucharest National Theater building, on the fourth floor, reachable through the same access as Laptaria lui Enache and La Motoare Terrace). More information will be updated on www.daya.ro, momentarily available only in Romanian.

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Images courtesy of D’AYA.

Corina Dumitrescu