Historical, entirely unhistorical comedy in four acts by Friedrich Dürrenmatt
Translation: Aurel Buteanu and H. Radian

Directed by: Sanda Manu
Scenography: Traian Nițescu
Premiere date: September 30, 1967

In „Romulus the Great”, Friedrich Dürrenmatt intentionally falsifies history: the last emperor of Rome, Romulus, is not the child emperor known to history, but a skeptical philosopher, who consciously dismantles the empire. While the ancient world is dying around him, he finds a purpose in raising chickens, which he names after the last Roman emperors (the hen named after Odoacer – the Visigothic conqueror – is the most productive in eggs). For years he plays the fool and no one in his entourage realizes that this extravagance is, in fact, a method. Historical events and figures are modernized and trivialized in a manner reminiscent of GB Shaw and contributes to the dismantling of the commonplaces of historical thought and literature. According to them, the collapse of an empire necessarily takes on tragic connotations. On the contrary, in the Swiss playwright's play, this event even has comic valences, with subtle ironies directed at history and its personalities. As the author himself mentions, "The tragedy of the play lies in the comedy of its end: the retirement of Romulus by Odoacer", a lucid leader who understands that with the takeover of the conquered territories, the problems of the defeated empire will also be taken over and that his new power will also be crushed and condemned. Theodoric already appears on the horizon of history.

Distribution:

Romulus Augustus:  George Musceleanu
Julia:  Maud Mary
Rhea:  Gina Nicolale
Zeno the Isaurian:  John the Baptist
Aemilian:   Nicolae Barosan
Mares:  Vladimir Jurascu, Ben Dumitrescu
Tullius Rotundus:  Ion Tomorrow
Spurius Titus Mamma:  John Martin
Achilles:  Jean Sandulescu
Pyramus:  Nicholas Thomas
Apollyon:  Marcel Segărceanu
Caesar Rupf:  Octavian Uleu
Philax:  Constantin Simionescu
Odoacer:  Eugen Tugulea
Theodoric:  George Pintilescu, Ben Dumitrescu
Phosphorides:  Valentin Avrigeanu
Sulfur:  Ion Abrudan
The chef:  Grig Schiţcu

Technical director: Elena Varlam
Prompter: Agy Segărceanu
Sound: Dumitru Olea