Messi he ended up on the Romanian theater stage – in fact, on two – on the stage of the National Theatre Radu Stanka from Sibiu and from Bucharest Theater– autumn 2022. About a year after the premiere of the film based on the script of the American actor, screenwriter and playwright Franz Krantz.

A film mentioned by some commentators God of Carnage, created in 2011 by director Roman Polanski, inspired by Yasmina Reza’s play of the same name, was well received by critics overseas. The similarity with the above text is to some extent justified, since the script that became the play (that is, unless it was the other way around, as is often the case lately) can be compared to the older one. The face of fire by Marius von Mayenburg and with the play Columbine Stefan Karam and PP Paparelli. I don’t know what was presented here, except for the play that Horia Suru put on at the Municipal Theater of Baia Mare.

The words, as they say, “good”, even more so, I think, also deserve the performance of the directors Andrii and Andrii Grosa in the minimalist scenography signed by Volodymyr Turturika. It is a scenography consisting of a table, four chairs and a dome, the purpose of which I suspect is to suggest the space inside the church where the meeting between the two families takes place. One is lonelier than the other. Hence the Christian message of the text. Subtle, human, completely propagandistic.

Richard and Linda, on the one hand, Jacob and Gail, on the other, are the loneliest people in the world. They became like this after Hayden, the son of the first couple, staged a real massacre at the school where he was a student, and Evan, the son of the other couple, was among the many victims.

Both families agreed on a meeting for a long time. They put forward countless conditions to each other. They needed time to think they were ready for what seemed to be finality. Jacob and Gail did not sue Richard and Linda. As well as the parents of other victims. Both curbed their passion, or tried to, if not, pretended to curb their passion. Crying was very often mixed with indignation and hatred. How can you not be human anymore.

Probably, each of the four has repeatedly imagined how the reunion will take place. Some have prepared possible questions, others – possible answers. Both of them thought about Hayden’s origin. Were there warning signs? Had Richard and Linden spotted them? Has Hayden been a clinical case before? If so, did his parents see a doctor? How did the doctor in question act? Did Richard and Linda know that Hayden was secretly preparing a bomb and obtaining weapons?

One way or another, we find in Messi answers to all these questions. But the key to the mystery and the essence of the tragedies of the two families are concentrated in the stories of Gail and Linda. Which means real acting lessons from Mihaela Trofimov and Ophelia Popii, respectively.

I said that two families meet after some time after the tragedy. But time did not heal their pain. All four enter the space where they are going to discuss, not only cautiously, but also with obvious fear. It is a credit to both the director (Andrei and Andrea Grosu) and the four actors (Richard Bovnotsky, Ofelia Popii, Marius Turdeanu and Mihaela Trofimov) that they programmed this film with amazing precision and exemplary grace. Leading. Leaving skillfully calculated room for growth. On the faces of the four you can read pain, suffering, nervous tension, fatigue, laziness, many sleepless nights. Four of them are dressed in simple modest costumes. A clear indicator not only that they are simple people, but also that the tragedy that grinds them down has made them indifferent to themselves. Strangers. A nest in one’s own body.

Richard and Linda are mostly on the defensive, outbursts and humanity, and, believably, Jacob and Gail are ready to attack. Jacob, who until a certain point seemed to have the best control over his nerves, suddenly loses his mind. Jump on Richard’s neck. The scene is beautifully played by Marius Turdianu and Richard Bovnotsky. It lasts no more than a second longer than it should. No, nothing in this show is done with the intention of artificially eliciting sympathy from the audience. Their tears. Both directors trusted both the text and the four actors. The two stories about Hayden and Evan are told with excitement by the actresses. Complementary and contrasting emotion. Probably, it is two confessions that cause forgiveness. The first step to finding fragile peace of mind. Reconciliation with the world, with oneself and with God. – Read the entire article and comment on Contributors.ro