Odysseus

From the creators of *"Debelyanov and the Angels"* **AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS** 🏆 **"Plovdiv" Award in the "Theater" category for the play** 🏆 **"Plovdiv" Award for Alexander Sekulov in the "Literature" category for the play "Odysseus"** 🏆 **"Icarus" Award for masterful technical realization** 🏆 **GRAND PRIX Award for "Best Play" at the International Theater Festival "STOBI"** 🏆 **GRAND PRIX Award for Direction at the International Theater Festival "STOBI"** The play "Odysseus" is a story about man's journey towards himself, against himself, beyond himself. The boy who set out for Troy accepts youth as a golden coating of his own name. The mature man returning to his native island learns the wrath of the gods and understands what it means to travel against time. But Ithaca is not the last port for one destined to be a hero. A prophecy pushes him towards a final journey beyond known boundaries. On the shore stands Penelope – a woman who knows how to cross separation to give love the only thing it deserves – eternity. So that the journey may continue. The play "Odysseus" is directed by Diana Dobрева / "Debelyanov and the Angels", "Caligula", "The Father", "Wolves"/ and uses modern digital technologies in an impactful way. Verses by Cavafy, Seferis, and Ivan Metodiev are used in the play. **"Odysseus" is a stage project of the Drama Theater-Plovdiv, part of the program of Plovdiv – European Capital of Culture 2019.** **REVIEWS** "The Plovdiv theater created a world-class play. After it, Bulgarian theater is no longer the same. It thinks differently and speaks another language. A premiere on a world level. (...) Odysseus's wanderings in time and in his own soul, the challenges of fate and boldness, man's battles with gods and with himself, and more, and more, and more... Told in a way that makes you think you have never read myths about the ancient Greek hero before. So far from clichés and inert interpretation is the reading by playwright Alexander Sekulov and director Diana Dobрева. Thank you to the troupe for the exceptional experience they gave us!" – *Katya Yaneva, journalist* "(...) a majestic production, saturated with much strength and beauty. Theater that enchants the senses. A production polished and exquisite in every detail. Every word, every sound, every movement of the hand... Nothing is superfluous, nothing weighs down. The text is magnificent. The scenography is something that must be seen because it cannot be told. The music is inseparable from the whole and fits the production like a second skin. The actors – insanely much talent in one place." – *Reneta Bakalova, cultural scholar* "Odysseus" is one of those theatrical events that appear to become memory." – *Nedyalko Slavov, writer* "I have not had such a theatrical experience in the last at least 20 years. I sank into a story like hypnosis, in which you participate with all your senses. Your entire essence and all your receptors are dedicated to this sacred action on stage, where Olympian gods and mortals parade. You are inside the mythical story of Odysseus, who travels to his Ithaca, to his Penelope, and to his Fate. This Odysseus was not just a visually attractive spectacle, but a cathartic story about man, about us – humans with all our wanderings, searches, stumbles.... It was no surprise to me the aesthetic reading of Diana Dobрева – director of the play. Nor was it a surprise the brilliant and very heavy work done by Sasho Sekulov, dramatizing Homer's texts. Both are exceptionally talented, hard workers, and turned out to be a good tandem. The surprise for me was the extremely complex production-wise play they created... the incredible connection between the individual elements, the brilliant team that realizes the overall visual-auditory picture of the play. Every element of this synthetic performance was polished to detail. In general, this Odysseus that I saw and felt last night with my heart left me breathless. And with many questions about the meaning of the Path, about the immortality of the Spirit, about tempering the human soul through trials of will; about the Return to oneself after passing through countless paths of longings and illusions. I must give credit to the actors without whom the play would not have been possible – wonderful Boriana Bratoeva – Penelope, bright and memorable Poseidon – Alexey Kozhukharov, an Ivana Papazova who came from another dimension... and Odysseus himself – the young Konstantin Elenkov... a pleasant discovery for me. A bow to the ground to all of them, to the wonderful team that created this large-scale, extremely complex and captivating play. Odysseus set out on his path. And for me with him was laid the true beginning of the European Capital of Culture. Fair winds to "Odysseus" and I sincerely believe that this is a world-class play that must be seen outside Bulgaria." – *Radosveta Bochukova, journalist* "Exceptional play! Everything was professional – from the dramaturgy and direction to the acting, music, scenography, and incredible stage effects. Admiration for everyone who worked on this project. – *Anelia Percheva, journalist* "Odysseus". Incredible play. An incredible experience tonight, in the Theater! – *Boriana Dimitrova, journalist* "Plovdiv is a city of Gods from last night. The theater did not just reach its Ithaca. It reigned on Olympus in its most dreamed and eventful journey. The megaspectacle "Odysseus" sent the Drama into another dimension, somehow divine, and the audience – into a new unsuspected universe. Such a theatrical feast for the senses, mind, and soul has not been experienced by the Plovdiv viewer. After what happened at the premiere last night, nothing in the cultural institution will be the same. The fate of its team is only one and fully coincides with that of the traveling man Odysseus – to find his undiscovered lands and to plant Melpomene's oar in them. The images from this visual miracle will certainly be sealed in the minds of all lucky ones who had the chance to attend the explosion of art in all its forms. Ignited by about 250 very people. Everything in "Odysseus" is perfect. Text. Direction. Acting. Odysseus" must be watched. It must be listened to. It must be lived. This is not just theater. This is a journey. Vision. Sound. Dance. Multimedia. Makeup. Stage... No compromise. In anything. Amazing!" – *Ivo Dernev, journalist* "It happened!! To be so captivated that I was left breathless. "Odysseus"!! A play created by artists who are true Gods in their game, a director and playwright who have surpassed themselves. Hours after the play, thoughts return you there and there, and again there – to the stage, because what was seen is unseen. For me, and for the other viewers of "Odysseus". I am not a theater critic, but an ordinary viewer with high expectations, which were simply surpassed. A bow to the perfect production!" – *Rayna Zaykova, journalist* "Odysseus" – genius, above everything! I have no words." – *Darina Takova, opera prima* "Odysseus is an experience that breaks, shakes, overturns and rearranges the soul... An explosion of sensory and emotional impacts... and then you chase it from your consciousness so that you can bear it, calm down, remember it and live it again... 💗" *Iskra Tsankova, viewer* "A play that left me speechless, with tearful eyes, raging emotions... in which every word weighs its place and is memorized in the consciousness! Perfect, sensory and world-class! "Odysseus" of Drama Theater-Plovdiv ❤ Sincerely thank you for the Spiritual Journey!" – *Maria Panayotova, organizer of Night of Theaters* "After this play I don't know what someone needs to create to make me feel even half the way I feel right now! I am speechless! Script, direction, acting, visual effects, synchronization in perception with all senses! Perfect balance! Poetry! Beauty!" – *Svetla Gerdjikova, teacher* "I watched "Odysseus" at Drama Theater Plovdiv. From the 3rd second my jaw dropped; and I stayed like that, with mouth agape until the end of the performance. Whatever words I use will not be able to describe the extraordinary charge, the unprecedented level for me and synchronization between the arts; and the depth of the experience with Gods, Man and Fate. It stopped my breath. Upon leaving I really had to inflict a few blows on myself to breathe again. Then I burst into tears. When my tears dried, I straightened my head, raised my chin and left proudly with the thought that I am a Human." – *Rayna Bekirova, architect* "Very impressive production! I have not seen anything similar - scenography, text, the actors gave themselves, and the overall presentation was very, very impactful! The hall was full of students from MG Acad. Popov"-Plovdiv, whose presence restores my faith that among the young there are truly amazing children! It was a feast for our souls, this "Odysseus" on the Plovdiv stage! Thank you!" - *Anelia Avramova*