Play by Antonio Gala
Translation: Alina Cambir
First in the country

Artistic director: Anca Bradu
Scenography: Vioara Bara
Premiere date: February 10, 1994

The debate that playwright Antonio Gala proposes in the modern tragedy "Birds' Graveyard" demonstrates that, just as there is an indestructible link between man's desire for freedom and his fear of it, much-coveted freedom, understood from an individual perspective, can easily become a danger, even a new tyranny.

A closed, suffocating space, devoid of light and perspective. This is the house of the Aguayos family – a family where hatred, contempt and suspicion reign, where the very idea of freedom and flight is annulled by the existence in the setting of a collection of stuffed birds by an omnipresent and dictatorial old man, mercilessly crushing any spark of will or personality in those around him. The sons – Deogracias and Nicodemo, already almost old themselves, are two weak beings, puppets with a questionable sense of ethics, helpless and irresponsible. Their wives are also weak, resigned creatures, living in illusions, but at least once in their lives, they know the extraordinary taste of freedom: in the end, Emilia will kill Miguel, the old man's illegitimate son, witness to all the antics that have taken place in the house, proving to herself that she is capable of action, even a horrible one; Martina, at fifteen, before being raped by the old man, gives herself to the first stranger who comes her way.

The celebration of Deogracias' sad silver wedding with Emilia becomes the occasion for a plot against this tyrannical "pater familias", like a tireless genius of evil. The song "Happy Birthday" coincides with the pouring of poison into the old man's glass, but he plays a trick on everyone by dying before drinking, leaving them without a deed, only with the oppressive sin of intention. The news of the old man's death triggers a kind of revolution in the Aguayos house and everything is engulfed in a purifying fire in which the infamous collection of stuffed birds also burns. Having emerged from the old man's dictatorship, the residents of the house are faced with a new existential difficulty: "I have come out of one tyranny, I am not willing to enter another; the tyranny of freedom is worse." (Emilia). From the grave, the old man deals one last blow to the family members, disinheriting his sons and leaving everything to Miguel and Laria. This one, like a living, graceful, delicate bird, will leave, but will she find her place in the outside world? Is this world clean enough? Or is Laria herself spotless? However, she will give birth to a child, perpetuating the miracle of life and leaving room for hope, however frail and uncertain.

Distribution:

Emilia:  Mariana Vasile
Martina:  Mariana Neagu
Thanks:  Ion Tomorrow
Nicodemus:  Ion Abrudan
Michael:  Dorin Presecan
Laria:  Elvira Platon Rîmbu, Lioara Bradu

The original music of the show was performed by the Oradea State Philharmonic Orchestra, under the direction of conductor Romeo Rîmbu.
The performer of the aria for cello and guitar: Maria Trendler.

Technical director: Eugenia Popa
Prompter: Florence Szabo
Lighting: Vasile Blejan, Iosif Balogh, Laviniu Goron
Sound: Sorin Domide