Comedy in three acts by Victor Eftimiu

Artistic direction and scenography: Eugen Harizomenov
Premiere date: May 30, 1996

Set around the local elections for the position of mayor in a small provincial town, the action of the comedy "The Man Who Saw Death" captures characteristic aspects of the life of Romanian society in the interwar period, revealing the false honorability of prominent citizens, the farce of the elections, but also the symbolic way in which the personal trajectories of individuals intersect and mutually influence each other.

Alexandru Filimon, a settled man with a family, becomes a local hero against his will by saving a suicidal vagrant from drowning. He takes advantage of the sensationalism of the incident and enters the good world to which he would not have had access until then. Thawed, opportunistic, but also full of charm and humor, he conquers or disorients everyone around him. He does not lack moralizing ambition, his poetic side: "I am the man who saw death, and I have known the price of life. You do not know how beautiful life is! You waste it on nothingness, you pass by it, you poison it with prejudices and foolish ambitions, you chase after money, after situations, you lie in wait for each other and you forge your own prison cells... I wanted to bring you something from the wind of distances, the unchaining..."„

Who will become responsible for the vagabond's fate? Alexandru Filimon, under the impetus of his first generous impulse. In a way, however, the vagabond also becomes responsible for the fate of his savior, propelling him to the position of mayor...

Distribution:

Alexander Filimon:  Petre Panait
Raluca Filimon:  Simona Constantinescu 
Alice Filimon:  Loredana Iuga
Mr. Leon:  Nicolae Barosan
George:  Ion Ruscut
The Tramp:  Daniel Vulcu

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