Text taken from bookhub.ro / author: Oana Cosma

In 1973, even for the French, homosexual concubinage was a taboo subject. Jean Poiret, author The cage of the mad he knew this when he took over the idea from 1966 of a British man and developed it in an original way in his own play; he himself played one of the two homosexuals (Georges, the director of the cabaret shows with transvestites at the nightclub he owned with his partner for more than a decade). Even today, in 2023, the subject is not approached openly, lightly, not even in communities where homosexuals exist. Accepting sexual minorities represents a great challenge for many of us, but members of this minority also struggle with their own prejudices: the shame of being part of a "blamed" minority, the doubt that torments some of them their whole lives: are they really homosexual or not?; the precariousness and uncertainty of a stable daily life generate real dramas among them. Jean Poiret, as a man of the theater, a consummate artist, did not set out to play the moralizing wolf, but simply to bring a sensitive subject before the audience, in a constructive, funny, comical manner. I think the result surprised even Poiret himself: The cage of fools It is performed in many countries, over and over again, perhaps because, being so well written, it allows the lines to be adapted according to the specifics of the country or place where it is performed, as well as the names and features of some of the characters.

In December 2022, Daniel Vulcu proposes a new staging of this play in Oradea, at Queen Marie Theatre. It's hard to find a ticket for the following representatives and it's no wonder: the tasty lines, the well-chosen songs and the impeccable acting of Richard Balint they make you laugh out loud, they put you in a good mood and, at the end, you feel the need to see the show again. Georges/ Razvan Vicoveanu, and Jeannot/Richard Balint, are challenged to face a limit situation, in a very short time. The arrival of the parents of Georges' son's fiancée creates a chain of dramatic, hilarious situations, the two partners struggling with their own limits, but also with the prejudices and stereotypes of a society incapable of accepting the departure from the patterns validated by the experience of previous generations. The intolerance of Georges' son's future in-laws represents, in fact, the inability to accept differences, atypical reactions, exuberance, originality and even extravagance. Răzvan Vicoveanu, through his balanced acting, emphasizes, highlights the complexity of the character played admirably by Richard Balint, a sensitive transvestite, in the midst of a midlife crisis, concerned about his professional future (he realizes that he will not be able to do cabaret roles for a long time). George Dometi succeeds in a surprising composition role: Iura (obviously an adaptation to the societal patterns of the early 21st century) is an exuberant, lively, optimistic Moldovan homosexual who, through his blunders, exasperates Georges and Jeannot, but, on the other hand, indirectly contributes to getting out of the limit situation. Richard Balint, George Dometi and Eugen Neag, who plays Mercedes, the pretender to the position held by Jeannot, do admirably in heels, in dresses, makeup, wigs and jewelry, which denotes talent and endless hours of rehearsals. The moments when Richard Balint changes his outfits, goes from one dress to another and from the masculine suit, which he can hardly stand, to the feminine outfit specific to a mother wishing to meet her future children, are delicious.

The overall picture is coherent, thanks to Daniel Vulcu's directorial conception, helped by the sets made by Răzvan Chendrean. The stage sometimes seemed a little too small for the cabaret moments (some of the girls seemed insecure in places, perhaps also due to the slightly inappropriately placed spotlights), and the well-chosen soundtrack unfortunately did not benefit from a suitable installation. But these small shortcomings can be remedied. The show will certainly be played to full houses for a long time to come, thanks to experienced actors, an inspired director and a topical subject (beyond the fact that they are homosexuals, the problem is how to accept your own identity in a world full of prejudices and stereotypes).