Love at first sight and everything that happens in the first moments of that sight were the reason for the creation of the play "Hotel", which came to the Novi Sad Theatre Festival from Bulgaria, more precisely from the State Puppet Theatre in Stara Zagora.
Bulgarian puppeteers demonstrated various abilities, from acrobatics, puppetry, dance, ballet, singing to magic, and it was the magic tricks that were the most interesting during the discussion after the show. The children wanted to know how they were created. Of course, they had many questions and with one they asked for advice for their first or some future acting steps. The Bulgarian artists said that they should constantly learn and try without fear of making mistakes.
We learned from the director of the Staro Zagorje Theatre, Darin Petkov, that this is the first time that children have seen this play, because it is performed for an adult audience in Bulgaria. Mr Petkov pointed out that he was touched by the sincere reaction of the youngest audience and sincerely appreciated the sparkle in their eyes.
Lyubomir Zhelev, author of the text and director of the play, said that he was inspired for the play by surrealist painters - primarily Dali and Remedios Varo. He admitted that out of the entire cast of the play, which also includes Ana Valerija Gostanjan and Bilyana Raynova, he is the one who fell in love at first sight the most times and that he contributed the most to the creation of the material for this play.
What kind of stories do you like to tell children in Bulgaria and adults who managed to keep the child in them?
I like to tell stories about magic, love and faith in a better, more magical world, stories in which the world can stop for a second, but even then everything is ok. You just need to have the will.
What does it look like to tell such stories in the time we live in, which is not so kind to us?
It is difficult, but for me this is a personal story. It is the story of my first love, which was not successful, but I got through it and found another.
How do you find people to work with in the theatre? Are they always the same people, or do you find new ones every time?
I have a few people I like to work with, we studied together at the National Academy, but I'm always looking for new people as well. First I like to look them straight in the eye and it is important for me to have a normal, real conversation with them. Then I watch them on stage and judge whether they are for the show.
The play Hotel can be a metaphor for our hidden secrets, which we have locked up and buried inside...
Exactly. The hotel has many rooms, and in each one there are different secrets - our emotions and energy are stored, which is then occasionally poured out and only when you decide to unlock it. Only with honestly you can win over the audience.
Is it possible for an actor to hide something from the outside world?
No. If you hide it, people will feel it. So - don't hide it.
What did you feel tonight in contact with the audience, for the first time your audience were such young people?
There was a different energy, their eyes were clean and clear, and they asked wonderful questions, direct. Adults ask too many questions, maybe they should feel first, process and only then ask.
Have people completely lost that ability to feel?
They have...
Is there any hope for us in that sense?
There is. At least, I have it. Charlie Chaplin said that you have to feel more and not think too much. Think less, feel more.
Snežana Miletić