"Genius. You have no idea what an intense moment, what a cool sensation is to be back in a public space after seeing INSIDE: I'm much stronger than the rest of the people, poor people with fears and dreams. I know now. I was there, on the other side."
Mihai

"I'm so glad we start having immersive theatre, too - Punchdrunk, Rimmini Protokoll, this style (closer to Punchdrunk, but with deeper political and social subtext)"
Annonimus

"The human mind it's so amazingly beautiful. Because a humans mind created the experience I lived here today. What i lived. I will never forget the "sanziene" (Romanian fairys). I will see differently the calendar when their day comes. Now I know where the old sayings come from. Now I know that you can laugh and be scared in the same time. In the same moment. Today I talked with The Death and with ghosts. Today, after INSIDE i felt more alive than ever. Alive, with feelings and emotions that i will remember for a loooooooooooooong time, THANK YOU!"
Oana T
May 18, 2014, 7.40 PM

"All the time you wonder what is the other one thinking. you won't find out until the end. A very special experience you HAVE to live! And special applause for the actors!"
Una

"It was such a great experience! Something I've never been through before! Congratulations on such an intense and enlightening show!"
Hannah

"Congratulations! probably the BEST show i ever saw!"
Cata, May 18, 2014

"This show felt  like a good Kafka novel. so surprising, so emotional. Bravo!!!"
anonymus

"It was beautiful like a dream you regret waking up from. "
E. L.

"I silently applauded you after every moment. For every performance. for every "voice".... You have to do it again, do it again, do it again, for more people to see it, and for those who saw it already to see it again... BRAVOOOO!!!"
Andreea Gramosteanu

" An experience, an adventure, theatre in a new dimension -- excellent show! i discovered a new face of the Peasant Museum, a charmed building, full of mystery and stories."
Cristina, May 19th 2024

"It was never more alive, more clear that the Romanian traditions, the folk, the myth, the legends, the stories, the objects are stronger than Hollywood scripts. And the winners are: INSIDE team! Congratulations and thank you!"
Delia Panait

"I cryed... My heart rushed... very hard, very hard....my palms got sweaty.... my knees started shaking... i drank cherry wine (very good!). My nose started running... all because of the emotions I was feeling!!!! I did not saw or heard as much as I felt. BRAVO! THANK YOU!"
Claudia

"I have never lived such an experience before, or such an theatrical experience. I laughed, I was scared, I got emotional, I was nervous, I was curious, and I felt sad it was over. Thank you!
Crina Zvoboda, May 21th 2014

Last time i wrote a bit about the people in the cast, this time, I will introduce you to the ones backstage. Inside of the INSIDE. So...

THE PLAYWRIGHTS:
1. Ella Greenhill. Playwright. She came from Liverpool to join the project. She is responsible for the play you saw in the first space. She was also one of the playwrights that teamed with us for the first edition of INSIDE, last year, in Madrid. And for Long Distance Affair. We can't have enough of her, and we hope she won't get bored with us.

2. Vera Ion. Playwright. When I arrived in Romania I sent her a very short email saying :
"1. Do you want to have coffee with me?
2. Do you want to join me in doing this project INSIDE (project description attached)?"
she answered even shorter:
" Yes. Yes."  
Thank you, Vera, how happy I am you said yes.

3. Peca Stefan. Playwright. for me, THE PLAYWRIGHT. the one I am always asking. For all my projects. Every time. The one.

THE DIRECTORS:
4. Radu Apostol (pictured above with Peca, and bellow with Tamilla). One of my oldest friends, one of my favorite directors from all over the world, never failing to amaze me.

5. Tamilla Woodard. Director, Co-Creator of the INSIDE concept, producer, props girl, my partner in PopUP Theatrics. my partner. my partner. my partner.

6. Me. 

CHOREOGRAPHER:
7. Andreea Duta. You saw her in the cast, as well. We really, really couldn't have done this project without her.

THE PRODUCERS/ MANAGERS:
from Doctor's Studio, all pictured bellow:

8. Marta Banescu. She also did the PR (amazing job, Marta!!!!!), the tickets, the contracts, and all the things nobody wants to do. She doesn't want me to publish any picture of her, so I will respect her wish. No, i'm not! Sorry, Marta, but I can't help it...

10. Isabela Neamtu.  Actress, producer, translator, and so much more

11. Daniel Popa. He is the doctor from Doctor's Studio.

From PopUP Theatrics:

12. Molly Morris. She forms PopUP Theatrics along with Tamilla and myself. You haven't seen her in Romania, but she is responsible fro the IndieGogo campaign that made possible (financially) this project in Bucharest.

13. Maria Nicola. Actress, Set designer, Costume designer. Friend. 

14. Sebastian Marina. We wanted him as an actor. Very much. But his schedule didn't worked out. So he was one of the translators. Thank you so much for being with us, Seba!!!

15. Mirela Jienescu. Stage Manager. She managed the impossible task of never letting the actors (the shows) to be late.

16. Andrei Mihai. Our Best Boy. He helped us so much I really can't count.

17. Jonathan Wise. He did our beautiful poster. And let me go for months with our daughter Elena, to do this project in Romania. Thank you, love! For everything!

Thank you, everybody! THANK YOU!!!!!

‘Coca-Cola Pepsi-Cola’ or even closer to the feeling ‘Incalcita Descalcita’

Haunting souls signs. Up the stairs, while passing, I heard a little girl’s voice crying, it’s the girl the old lady in the weaving workshop brought to..i don’t know, then this old lady drops her fork and we can hear that as if she dropped it next to us.

I have napkins all over, in the pitcher, on the radiator, behind a door’s grill.

I love it.

Today Oscar and Mathilda came to see us. We are starting in 20 minutes. Sunny. Today I am two hurting knees. Fastumgel doesn’t work. I see the second part of the second scene, at last! I have toma’s voice. ‘We have been seen!’ Great! So funny! And coming from between life and death, this scene is what I need! Perfect light. The weavery. Is the old lady not coming today?

Ooo..the length of my post. Should have made a drawing instead!

For me, This INSIDE project was a lot about returning home. About working again with the people I love most, so as cheesy as it is, this post will be about them. Prepare for a long post, but you can skip the writing and just look at the pictures. Today, it'a all about the people you get to see/ hear when you come to the show. Tomorrow, I will write about those behind the scenes. So in the order of appearance ...

1. My sister, Oana, the host of the show. I've never worked with her before, and i missed out so much - she has such a light, it can burn sometimes. You can see her bellow, charming 2 audience members, in a very, very, (oh, so very) intimate performance.

2. Isabela, i have worked with her so much, and I have never been disappointed. Here, as Voice she is creating two characters ( The Mom and The Death), as Guide she is creating another 9, 10 - who knows? Oh, she is also one of the producers of the show, and the Vodaphone magician. Thank you, Isa!!!!

3.Andreea - she shares characters with Isa. you will see/hear her in the last 3 performances. And probably, many times after. Pay attention!

4. Laur and Sabrina - the actors in my space - I am so in love with this two is outrageous, but have you seen them? they are unstoppable, never getting tired, never missing an ounce of enthusiasm. dancing on the stairs, jumping off the window, flying, playing. playing.

5. Toma. Performing in the elevator, on the roof, in the toilet. Never complaining, even he is sometimes called "The Diva". Well, he is my favorite "diva" of all times.

6. Katia and Andreea. Andreea is responsible for all the movement in the show. and she had to replace one actor in a day. and she is brilliant. Katia is just brilliant. 

7. Viorel. You never get to see him, but he is always in your ear. In your mind. He is a fairy voice. Also the phone master - anyone with a problem comes to him. And the second space master - running everything, helping everyone. if you don't see him around after this show, it's because we will pack him in one of PopUp oversized suitcases and take him with us.

8. Cosmin. The STAR. When i was casting for the show, I thought there is no chance he has time for this. But i called anyways, and he said yes, transforming my day into a magical one, and my INSIDE rehearsal / performing period in a much happier one. Because this is what Cosmin does best. He brings joy to all around him.

9. Maria. First one to come, last one to go. She came to the project as an actress, but then she also did costumes. And set design. and so much more.

10. Rolando. What a pain. Being late, asking uncomfortable questions, making jokes that scare me, creating wonders with his body, all alone in his space, inhabiting ones mind. What an addictive pain.

11. Alexandra. She was the last one to join the project, and yet she has the best stories about it. She is bringing the spectators back to reality. She has no break at all. When she asked "what about when I have to pee" we told her to integrate it (going to the bathroom) in the performance. Please tell us is she did :). 
I love you, Alexandra, thank you for being with us.
Well, I love you all, my brilliant, amazing, wonderful cast, thank you for being part of INSIDE.

Second day of shows INSIDE... an "ovation" almost at midnight! A single "ovation" after performing 11 times! Beautiful!
A doua zi de spectacol INSIDE... un ”aplaud”, aproape de miezul nopții! Un singur ”aplaud”, după ”de 11 ori”! Frumos!

Please answer! Please! I know.  What you are watching now is beautiful, but it can be even better if you answer.Don't worry about "how"?. It's a phone... Just that.  We can manage a phone, can't we? You press the button or you touch the screen! easy.   I won't stop calling until you answer!...But please don't take too long. I have other INSIDE jobs to do as well.

Raspunde! Te rog!... Știu. E frumos ceea ce vezi, dar s-ar putea să fie și mai frumos dacă răspunzi. Nu-ți bate capul ”cum?”. E un telefon... Decât doar atât. Nu ne-a făcut pe noi un telefon!... Apeși pe buton sau mângâi ecranul! Simplu. Eu te sun până-mi răspunzi!... Totuși, nu sta prea mult pe gânduri. Mai am și alte INSIDE-uri de condus. 

"Scene 2, over!" "Not yet, i'm still there!" "Ok, you can go!" "Afer you, milady!" "Is it broken!? shall I keep them longer?" "Perfect!" "Scene 2, reset!" "Scene 1, reset!" "Shhh! I'm here!"

”Scena 2, terminat!” ” Încă nu, sunt tot acolo!” ”Gata, poți să cobori!” ”După dumneavostră, doamnă!” ”S-a rupt!? Să mai trag de timp!?” ”Perfect!” ”Scena 2, resetată!” ”Scena 1, resetată!”  ”Șșșșt! Sunt aici!”

A fairy... or maybe not!... a male fairy... or maybe not!

O zână... sau poate că nu!... Un zân... sau poate că nu!

INSIDE THE HEART OF THE PROJECT/INSIDE THE MYSTERIOUS HEART OF THE MUSEUM

Memories seem to fade away quickly, so I’m writing as fast as I can.
Good energy. 3 teams. The rain finally stopped. Spectacular view from the Tower. Checking things. Looking at my watch. 18.32. I realize my first spectators arrive. Their faces seem overwhelmed. I smile and gently take them down the stairs, deep inside the museum. As we walk we meet the others. Some are actors, some are spectators. I catch a glimpse of my next pair. They behave as if they are inside a sacred space. They saw us, but they kept quiet.
This happens and repeats.

20.17. I hear a girl screaming. Did she really scream or do I hear voices? The voices my spectators told me about. Hmm, that’s tricky, right?! :)))
This new pair of spectators is cheerful. He is very talkative. She smiles, but has a different point of view. She experienced different things, that’s for sure. He knows this isn’t over. When we are ouside it’s raining again. He says: “ Oh, we are still inside the story! I won’t find any tram at this hour, just like Eliade’s Gavrilescu!” She keeps smiling and whispers to him: “Maybe you should come back here again to see the other story!”

Back in the museum. Back in the Tower. I meet the girl who screamed. She’s terrified, almost in a trance. She grabs me by the hand and stays reaaaaally close to me. Her partner is very calm. At some point, down the corridor, the lights go out. But I have my flashlight.  She talks fast, breaths heavily, she wants outside.
It’s almost sunset. It will be dark soon. Next pair, please! Can’t wait to hear ther stories. Can’t wait to feel them close to me.

Emotion
A neo-romanesc style building, witness of history: the folk art - 
-Tzigara-Samurcas - The Comunist Party - the secret police - Horia Bernea - The National Museum of Romanian Peasant.
Quiet people, passionate people, singular in the cosmopolite Bucharest. They recreate, they restore, they keep alive the tradition. Almost incredible, in this world ultra - technologic that we are living in.
Virgil Nitulescu- a manager with a vision, open to use contemporary experiment in order to promote the art of the past.
Adi Daranbana and his welcoming club.
MTR means common sense.

Emotie
Cladire in stil neo-romanesc, martor al istoriei : arta taraneasca -Tzigara-Samurcas - partidul comunist – securitatea - Horia Bernea - Muzeul Taranului Roman.
Oameni tacuti, pasionati, singulari in peisajul bucurestean cosmopolit. Recreeaza, restaureaza si tezaurizeaza (cu sens de pastreaza) traditia. Aproape incredibil, in lumea ultra-tehnologizata din jurul lor.
Virgil Nitulescu – un manager cu viziune, deschis la experiment contemporan pentru a promova arta trecutului.
Adi Darabana si clubul lui primitor.
MTR inseamna bun simt.

Work
Extrordinary actors who rehears no matter of rain or cold: in the tower, on the terrace, in the basement, on the stairs.
Ana, Tamilla and Radu - inexhaustible, never tired or angry.
Ella, Vera and Stefan - inspired
Technology and tradition.
Work, stress, craziness - 12 hours per day.
Friends helping no matter what (thank you, Andrei)
Good people. Beautiful people.
They are all INSIDE. Because MTR is worth it.

Munca
Actori extraordinari ce repeta netinand seama de ploaie sau frig: in turn, pe terasa, in subsoluri, pe trepte.
Ana, Tamilla si Radu – inepuizabili, niciodata nervosi sau obositi
Ela, Vera si Stefan - inspirati
Tehnologie peste traditie. 
Munca, stress, agitatie - 12 ore pe zi
Prieteni care ne ajuta no matter what (multumesc, Andrei!)
Oameni buni. Oameni frumosi.
Sunt cu totii INSIDE.  Pentru ca MTR merita.

INSIDE
Soon their "craziness" will become public.
I'm so happy i'm part of it.
The spectators that see this 4D performance (all 110 of them) will not forget it easily.

INSIDE
In curand “nebunia » » lor va deveni publica.
Ma bucur enorm ca fac parte din ea.
Un spectacol 4D pe care spectatorii ce au sansa sa il vada (110) nu il vor uita curand.

Ethnographic crossover... at MTR (National Museum of Romanian Peasant)

From tapestry to print.
From traditional fork to smartphone.
From Baragan to Peru.

Not many people witnessed or remember a pastoral wedding, but even less participated in a performance which mixed so well elements of info-european folk, with a double "wow" result.

Once you are INSIDE, everything makes perfect sense. You have just to open your eyes, your mind, and you will see quickly how liberator this ritual can be.

I was prepared to write my little story of the day ( May 12) as a teaser for our Inside project.
Now, ...., not so sure anymore! We had today a real hard day's work and i really feel like sleeping like a log....

Sure, last week when the premiere seemed so far away – 10 days actually – it was all honey and milk. Today, as we're getting closer and closer to the opening night, it was very tough: lot of wind, lot of noise, technical issues, language barriers, human and cultural clashes, too much sun, too little sun, no time, schedules, music learning, too much enthusiasm, too little of it...Oh, God! And I'm thinking: what is it with these two ladies – ana and tamilla – and their „almost impossible to do” projects? Although it is very complicated, this is what apparently gets them inspired: lots of people involved, new places, many languages, little time, no money, no ideas of the outcomes, new contexts all the time .....wow, here you have it – who says theater is not extreme sport, edgy, addictive?!!! They really make MAGIC when they put their minds together!

So, although today was difficult, there's no doubts in my mind that it will not end well.
These kind of projects involve you 100%, there's no other way – and this is why i always say yes when ana calls and this is why i'm so happy (did you get this part?) to be a member of the Inside/ Bucharest team. Nice and cool and talented artists (check it out), very good stories, beautiful and mysterious spaces, very innovative art, very „make theater where you least think you could”.

Maybe this is a teaser, after all :)))) So, i cannot promise you anything else except that i'll do my best for my part, that everyone's dedication is real and considerable; you should be very curious (i know i am) and definitely come if you have an open mind and a big heart. And if not, don't worry, ana and tamilla have enough positive energy and good thoughts for all us together!

SEE YOU SOON!!!

What a day!!!  3 teams. 1 choreographer. Yes! Today was the day, I knew will come, but when it is, actually, happening...it is, simply, amazing. The way that every piece of the play is molding under your eyes, the way that a word or a move makes things falling into place, reminds me, every second, how much I love theatre. How much I love being part of the process. Amazingly talented people sharing their energy to build something new, though perishable, an experience unique for everybody that ”touches the Inside”.