text taken from bookhub.ro / author: Bianca Ioana Lavinia Cazan (12th grade, CN "BP Hasdeu" Buzau)

The evening I saw the show D'ale carnavalului, directed by Vlad Trifaș, was one of those theatrical experiences that completely takes you out of your daily routine. Far from a simple retelling of the classic text, Trifaș manages to reinvent it, bringing it into the present through subtle but meaningful means.

Vlad Trifaș joins the ranks of directors who understood that theater must not only preserve, but also reflect the reality of the moment. Thus, Caragiale becomes a mirror of today's world, in which morals, hypocrisies, and social contradictions are found almost unchanged.

The set design surprises with its details and authenticity: the two-level setting, dominated by the inscription "Nae Girimea's Hairdresser", faithfully reproduces the atmosphere of the slum, but subtly modernizes it through intense colors, industrial lights and elements that refer to the contemporary urban periphery. The scenic space seems alive, full of life, improvisation and irony. In this almost suffocating setting, the characters move alertly, as if in a carousel of intrigues and love farces.

One of the most interesting moments of the show seemed to me to be the interpretation of the character Iordache, played in transvestite. The director's choice brings a new perspective on his character, transforming him into a symbol of the ambiguity and role-playing that defines Caragiale's universe.

The audience reacted enthusiastically, laughing at every joke, but also sighing slightly when the parody got too close to reality. There was a genuine connection between the audience and the stage, the kind of lively and sincere attention that cannot be forced.

Personally, I left the theater with the feeling of having witnessed a living Caragiale, reinvented, but at the same time faithful to his ironic spirit. The show's strong point is, without a doubt, the director's ability to modernize without destroying the essence.

Overall, Vlad Trifaș's performance is proof that classical theater can be reinvented. Through elaborate scenography, coherent interpretation, and a modern directorial vision, Trifaș offers a Caragiale that is close to today's audience, as current and relevant as it was a century ago.