Before becoming a director, university professor, dean and rector of UNATC, deputy director of the Comedy Theater and then director of the Little Theater in Bucharest, Gelu Colceag was an actor.

He began his career at the National Theater in Tirgu Mures, where, under the direction of director Dan Miku, he created Calaf, which those who saw him still remember today (later he himself staged, at the beginning of his career as a director, Turandot), continued this for a long time in Bulandra, where fruitful cooperation with Alexandru Tocilescu will begin. In 1982, he played Valera in the anthology show with Tartuffe, a show that took on more meanings by associating it with A cabal of fanatics according to Bulgakov. In 2023, Gelu Colceag translated Moliere’s famous play, adapted it, assuming some updating and some linguistic licenses, supplemented it with fragments from A cabal of fanatics (and he did it for a reason, because they clarify not only the turbulent history of the play, but also the idea of ​​a new play), transferred it to the stage of the Maly Theater, which, unfortunately, is not too generous today.

Coupled with a good cast and the important competition of set designer Stefan Karaghiu, who created a setting in which the main action is combined with what the theater-within-a-theatre formula offers, thus revealing something about the life of the band and how they and what happens in rehearsal , together with Liliana Senean, the costume designer, Gelu Kolceag has created a beautiful show at Teatrul Mic, in which humor is generously combined with the idea, making the audience think.

IN Tartuffe from Teatrul Mic we see not only the consequences of credulity, impersonation, stubborn rejection of evidence. Gelu Colceag’s show also focuses on other issues such as freedom of speech, relations with the authorities, censorship, the price paid for ensuring the protection of the crowned persons.

Due to the nature of my professional duties, until recently, I had to deal with Moliere year after year, where Tartuffe, the history of the play, the complex relationship of Jean-Baptiste Poquelin not only with the people of the Church, but also with King Louis XIV. He was also his protector – he gave permission to Moliere to play his second version Tartuffe (the first, from 1664, is considered finally lost) – but also the censor and beneficiary of the panegyrics at the end. What are in the show now at Teatrul Mic are cleverly condensed. The second ending, which pleased the king, is written by a courtier (the Duke of Orléans) who is himself part of the cast to ensure that the finale and temeneles are staged. as in the book so the king will have every reason to dance. And this dance, as imagined by Štefan Lupu, contains certain under investigation Found in the continuation of the chorus reciting with passion and involvement, feigned reverence.

However, to the same king, Moliere also showed a certain secret dissidence, materialized through a measured rejection of official aesthetics, through an interesting revolution of forms (I refer again to the book of Mihaela Mirzu, to which I have often referred), which will reach its climax. with the writing of the work Dom Juan. All this is manifested in the play, which also has the merit of appealing to a wide range of audiences.

as i said Tartuffe from Teatrul Mic conceived in the formula theater within a theater. Moliere’s troupe became actors royal orchestra shelter on Palais Royal they are reported by his envoy (Andrei Seuzan) that Louis XIV would like to see Tartuffe. What was skeptically called and impostor to please the Church and to emphasize the idea that a character who appears only in the third act is a false devotee. Moliere (Gabi Costin) orders a rehearsal, which will be held under a waiting sign. We will see at the end that under this al supervision. And if, as Moliere wrote, in the new play “Tartufe” (Vlad Logigan, kind, reserved, elliptical and at the same time explosively reveals the meanness of the character), in the third act there is also a young man, not at all unattractive, after we met with the blindness of Orgon (he was wonderfully played by Gaby Costin herself), with the stubborn stupidity of Lady Pernell (Michaela Radescu), with the cruel rebellion of Damis (Vlad Corbeanu), with the overflowing energy of Doreen (wonderful, yes, absolutely wonderful Ana Bianca Popescu), with play on both ends and features babbler Cleante (Alexandru Vojku), with the naivety and youthful rebellion of Marianna (Oana Laura Gabriela) and Valera (Rareš Florin Stojka), with intelligence and common sense Elmir (Alina Petriko), who we will see also cunning, King, the secret viewer (Stefan Lupu) , will appear only at the end. Theatrical trick. The ability to take advantage of everything means that both Orgon and Moliere depend on it. _ Read the entire article and comment on it on Contributors.ro