by Viorel Cacoveanu

Artistic director: Nicoleta Toia
Sets: Emilia Jivanov
Costumes: Maria Hateganu
Musical illustration: Eugen Ghiţulescu
Release date: April 4, 1989

As a "dramatic commentator on the present" (Mircea Ghițulescu, "A panorama of contemporary dramatic literature", Dacia Publishing House, 1984), Viorel Cacoveanu proposes a play about the facts of life, with an undisguised civic and educational purpose or, as the author himself states, a dialogue with history, with the certainties and accomplishments of the past, which over time have become excesses, errors and even crimes.

The central character, towards whom the thesis and moral arguments of the play converge, is Constantin Dabija, long considered responsible not for his own deeds and thoughts, but for those of his father (who, Constantin will also find out with amazement, is not his blood father), a general and dignitary under the previous regime. Therefore, condemned for a fault for which he cannot be held responsible, separated for a while from his family and carrying the burden of a construction site, confronted with the problems that narrow-minded people create for his son, witness to irritating bureaucratic complications, Dabija nevertheless proves a superior understanding and wisdom. From this results his serene attitude to life, his contempt for people like Șerban – „a cog in a gear” – or for the fearful and cowardly, like Axente. That is why he also refuses the idea of leaving for America definitively and the chance of an inheritance capable of changing his life. He will maintain his dignity and hope in any circumstances, he will not let himself be dominated by vindictive tendencies, he will always stand up against any abuse. In his moral profile there is no room for pretense, lies or compromise. "Despite the sufferings of a decade preserved in the collective memory as one of fierce confrontations, but also of summarily assumed errors and obsessions, Dabija will seek and defend his place in society, confident in the establishment of an era in which the only measure of man will be his deeds." (Dumitru Chirilă, "Familia", April 1989).

Distribution:

Constantin Dabija:  Ion Abrudan
Maria Dabija:  Alla Tautu
Mihai Dabija:  Doru Firte
Cornelia Barbu:  Marcel Popa
Dana Barbu:  Mariana Presecan
Dumitru Spataru:  Nicholas Thomas
Tiberiu Axente:  Eugen Tugulea
Eleonora Axente:  Mariana Neagu
Gratian Serban:  Dorin Presecan
Viviana Serban:  Ileana Iurciuc
Jean Popa:  Ion Ruscut
Alexandra Voroneanu:  Simona Constantinescu

Technical director: Elena Varlam
Prompter: Iuliana Chelu
Lighting: Vasile Blejan, Iosif Balogh
Sound: Valentin Bodonea