"Unconventional" will soon start in Bistrita

This is the only Romanian festival that truly wants to synchronise the multi-art trends that have solidified over the years in other countries. “Altfest” is different, something else altogether.

This year between 19 and 24 September, Bistrita will host several theatrical events and festivals that will improve the old links between various branches of art.

The director of the festival will be Mihai Iancu, and the artistic manager – Alina Moldovan. Tuesday, September 19, the festival will be officially opened and results will be presented for the ECO-ART workshop and the shows “Nunta insangerata” (The dance ensemble “3 scaune” Haromszek, Sf Gheorghe), “Poveste de iarna” (ALTFEST, ICCA Bucharest & The Contemporania Foundation) and “The legend of King Ladislaus” (Swan’s Song Theatre, Budapest).

Wednesday, at the Critics Festival there will be a debate with Theatre-Dance as a theme and we will see the shows “Cum se face” (Inexistent Theatre), “Inviere” (Targu-Mures National Theatre & the Alba Iulia Theatre), “Istoria tiganilor” (Rodopi Drama Theatre & New Forms Theatre, Sofia).

Thursday, a debate focussing on Theatre &/Vs Literature (Romanian Literature Museum & Popular Creation Centre), audio presentations from the Show Music Festival, “Figaro and the others” (Class Theatre, Moscova), “Domnul si Doamna Oval” (Inexistent Theatre), “Republica Mioritica Romana,” “Four Seasons for Women ” (New Forms Theatre, Sofia).

Friday there will be a debate on Theatre – Image, the audio presentation “Description of the image” (Mestske Divadelno, Zilina, Slovakia), “Cetatea Soarelui” (Teatrul ACT), “Oscar Wilde and the Changing Prince” (Blue Theatre, Belgrade), “Alcohol, bitter… love” (Green Hours Jazz Café, Bucharest).

Saturday, the cultural managers present the ALTERNATIVE information channel and the shows “By the way did you call the firemen?” (The State Theatre in Arad), “Infanta. Mod de intrebuintare.” (Ariel Theatre in Targu-Mures), “Oameni, lei, vulturi si potarnichi” (Formalny Theatre, St. Petersburg), “Pe muchie de suriu” (The State Theatre in Arad).

At last, Sunday, the last day, will be dedicated to the round table “The line between alternative theatre and performance,” the presentation for the “Theatre and the Society” workshop, the shows “O zi de vara” (The OFF-OFF Theatre Company), “Black Milk” (TRANZIT Foundation, Cluj) and “Umezeala” (Scena Plastyczna Kul, Lublin, Poland).

Let us hope that this kind of festival will benefit the artists involved. Be they actors, plastic artists, playwrights, directors, musicians, they can all find inspiration and means of expressing themselves in other arts. I have not told you yet of the spaces.

Bistrita has no theatre and so the plays will be performed in a discotheque, (Malibu), The Art Gallery, a cellar, the stage of the Culture House, the Ethnography County Museum, the hotel’s restaurant, a bar, etc.. A provocative festival that will erase some of the barriers between arts.