Theatre Research International Vol. 25 No. 2 pp. 121-128 Panorama and Stages in Development Theatre in Bulgaria: An Introductory Overview NICOLE VIGOUROUX-FREY a MONIQUE PRUNET From the end of the fourteenth century until (1871), the other original Bulgarian play written independence in 1878, Bulgaria was a province prior to the Russo-Turkish war, is a comic satire of the Ottoman Empire. Bulgarian theatre as an stigmatizing the elite's fashion for embracing all indigenous art form and industry, therefore, things French and disdaining solid Bulgarian appeared relatively late: its history only extends values. Both Ivanko and Civilization Misunder- back to the 1830s. stood axe considered as landmarks in the early In the early nineteenth century, in Bulgaria as phase of an authentic Bulgarian drama and, as elsewhere, theatre stood for vice and depravity, such, may still be revived from time to time. although its naive performances, in local schools and reading rooms, tended to end in patriotic hymns, synonymous of potential revo- lutionary activity, sometimes threatening civil National Independence order. The authorities, with the co-operation of The death of Voinikov in 1878 coincided with a compliant press, would try to cancel theatrical independence from Ottoman rule and new performances, considered as a foreign and pro- steps were taken in the development of fane art form, mainly embodied in plays by drama, with theatre being used as a medium Goldoni, Hugo, Moliere or Schiller. with which to explore nationhood and national Dobry Voinikov (born in Shumen in 1833) identity. Voinikov and his followers believed founded the first Bulgarian theatrical company that a popular and historical theatre gave every in Braila in Romania in 1865. Located outside of spectator the possibility to shape his/her own Bulgaria itself, the troupe could escape the jur- image, to comprehend the deeper meaning of isdiction of Turkish and Islamic law, as well as their human mission, and to acquire a sense of bypass the cultural hegemony of the Greek national duty and responsibility. Orthodox Church. Ivan Vazov (1850-1921), a poet and novelist, From these early days, drama in Bulgaria has stands out as the dominant influence in the stood as a rebel art form, an element in cultural period from independence to World War I. He revival and significant in moves toward political wrote several original plays, including fob independence. The education system also pro- Hunters (1903), a satire on contemporary career- vided a fertile soil for the emergence of drama. ism and ambition, but most of his plays, for Vassil Drumev (1840-1901), also born in example, Khushove (1894) and Under the Yoke Shumen, is the other acknowledged father of (1910), are historical and patriotic and were drama in Bulgaria. His biography, like Voino- adapted from his novels. Known as the 'people's kov's, emphasizes the provincial roots of the poet', he constantly expressed his anger at the Bulgarian theatre and its particular relationship mediocrity of the plays produced within Bulgaria with two key themes: national independence and and insisted on the need for new dramatic per- cultural revival. Ivanko, Assassin of Asen I tes- spectives, and of closing down a five-century long tifies to Drumev's interest in national history, chapter of domination and suffering. His quiet, while Voinikov's Civilization Misunderstood stubborn perseverance was soon to be rewarded Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IP address: 170.106.202.58, on 25 Sep 2021 at 03:48:25, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0307883300012931 122 Theatre Research International by the emergence of a nucleus of talented actors Bulgaria, a national dramaturgy had by the and directors, educated in Europe and Russia. early years of the twentieth century firmly and Two theatre companies, Foundation (founded in fully developed. Sofia at the Theatre Osnova in 1888) and Tears and Laughter (created by Vassil Rostov Nalburov in 1892 and directly inspired by the work of Vazov) led, in 1904, to the founding of the Bulgar- From the inter-war years to the swinging ian National Theatre. Under the directors fifties Pencho Slavejkov and Peyo Yavorov the company The combined influences of the German expres- moved into the heart of Sofia in 1907. sionist movement and Marxist aesthetics, years Characterized by artistic and intellectual of training in foreign countries (mostly in Russia unrest, the first two decades of the twentieth and Germany) paved the way for the introduc- century saw the sudden development of various tion of directors as the central figures in the underground trends which blossomed into dra- interpretation of text, emphasizing the necessity matic literature as an independent art form of directorial techniques in the staging of drama. throughout the country. Theatre had moved to Geo Milev (1895-1925) and Hrissan Tzankov the centre of the country's cultural life and three (1890-1971) were both influenced by Max Rein- names dominate the period: Anton Strashimirov hardt. Appointed director of the National (1872-1937), Petko Todorov (1879-1916) and Theatre (1924-44), Tzankov tried to synthesize Peyo Yavorov (1878-1914). Todorov was mainly music, dance, poetry after Wagner's ideal model. a novelist, but he also invented a ballad-like In 1925, Nicolai Ossipovich Massalitinov genre combining folk myths with realistic char- settled at the National Theatre where he acters. Javorov, combining various artistic remained in power for four decades (until talents, became artistic director of the National 1977). He introduced the techniques of Stani- Theatre in 1907, and remains celebrated as the slavsky's Moscow Art Theatre, and established author of At the Foot of Vitosha Mountain (1911), the principle of a training school for actors, thus a major dark play of protest against violence. co-operating with local actors. As a con- If Ibsen, Chekhov, Strindberg and Hauptmann sequence, new levels of performance were were representative of foreign influences in achieved. Figure 1. Theatre Osnova, Sofia. Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IP address: 170.106.202.58, on 25 Sep 2021 at 03:48:25, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0307883300012931 Panorama and Stages in Development 123 The mid-1920s marked the beginning of a Burgas or Varna was mainly asserted as revolu- troubled era in Bulgaria, and led to a series of tionary and political. catastrophes in theatre. It started in 1923 with Gyorgy Dimitrov (1882-1949), secretary of the the destruction by fire of the National Theatre Workers' Trade Union, founded the Bulgarian Building. An abortive uprising against the regime Artists' Union in 1919 advocating, on the basis (also in 1923) introduced the blacklisting of many of social democratic principles, better relation- theatre professionals, a situation aggravated in ship between the state and the individual, and 1925 by an assassination attempt against the paving the way for the development of experi- Bulgarian Tsar and followed by a massive purge mental theatres such as the Theatre Studio of hundreds of intellectuals, among them Geo (Teatar Studia, Isaac Daniel, 1894-1942) and Milev, the avant-garde modernist poet and direc- the Experimental Theatre (Opiten Teatar, tor of the National Theatre. Stephen Sarchadjiev, 1912-65), promoting art- In 1929 the National Theatre was, however, istic development through workers' associa- rebuilt, on its former site, to the highest and tions and theatres in the 1930s. Politically most modern specifications and with a capacity committed, the company of the Blue Shirts of 1150. The theatre saw significant productions (Sineite Blouzi) appeared in Sofia in 1930. by the directors Massalitinov, Danovsky, Tzan- The Bulgarian Socialist Revolution (9 Septem- kov, and Fol and companies that included the ber 1944) encouraged professional artists to actors Rostov, Yovkov, Stoyanov and Tenev. think and to perform in revolutionary modes. Actors and directors joined forces in the creation Directors and playwrights initiated work in of a new training school for actors. In this con- close collaboration, shaping new perspectives text Todor Pavlov worked to lay the foundation in modern drama. At the National Theatre The of Bulgaria's socialist theatre. Fight Goes On (1944) by Krum Kuliavkov, direc- The theatre building was renovated in the ted by N. Massalitinov, was the first of many 1970s and, at that time, was rededicated to team-productions—including We Are Not Ivan Vazov. At the beginning of World War Angels by N. Yordanov, directed by A. Shopov, Two, theatre in Bulgaria remained characterized The Poet and the Mountain by I. Teofilov, by the emphasis on directorial technique. The directed by L. Daniel, The Prosecutor by development of dramatic art in Sofia, Pleven, G. Djagarov, directed by E. Halachev, Romeo Figure 2. Theatre Osnova, Sofia. Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IP address: 170.106.202.58, on 25 Sep 2021 at 03:48:25, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0307883300012931 124 Theatre Research International was firmly on national plays and their repres- entation of the revolution, including propagan- dist pieces from the Soviet repertoire. Imbued with social and moral concern, they proved emotionally effective. The need for actors, directors, critics and puppeteers was growing fast, and the Bulgarian State Theatre Academy (VITIS) was founded in 1946 to meet them. The National Youth Theatre, directed by Liliana Todorova and Gueorgui Rostov, was created in 1945. It was to fulfil a double role: to educate and to develop story-telling. State goodwill and concern for culture expanded throughout the 1950s. Associated with the development of local theatre (Plovdiv, Plevae, Ruse), Tacho Tanev initiated a new approach of Gorky's work.