From the Gallows to Immortality

A solitary gallows stands empty on stage, as if it were the main character... But the body of the hanged man is missing. Who took him away? Who buried him? And where?... These questions torment Miralay Tefik Bey, who has been investigating the case of the Apostle for years. The plot follows the last three days before the hanging of Vasil Levski, with historical facts emerging through a series of dialogues between Tefik Bey and Levski, bringing to life ideas of revolution, romantic passions, unrequited love, a trial, and the transmutation of one personality into another. "The play is very interesting because it deals with little-known facts about Vasil Levski as a person," shares Irina Florova – director of the Vidin Drama Theatre. Stefan Staičev's text is based on authentic facts and documents, as well as works about the Apostle by Nikolay Haitov, Prof. Nikolay Genchev, and others. "In the central archive of the Turkish state, notes from the last meetings of the chief investigator Tefik Bey are preserved. It is impressive that Sultan Abdul Aziz entrusted him with the task of 'breaking' Vasil Levski. If he succeeds, he will not only remain alive but also become a trophy of the Ottoman Empire. The deacon does not give in, and Tefik falls out of favor with the sultan. Levski fights for equal rights for all enslaved people, but is betrayed repeatedly. After such information, the Turkish police set out on his trail. It was raining, and they saw deer drinking water from his footprints and gave up pursuing him; he seemed to command even nature" – Stefan Staičev reveals part of Tefik Bey's authentic notes. "The audience will experience tearful pride. There will be moments when their conscience will be moved by the fact that we had such a Bulgarian – an icon before whom we can bow. Levski never abandoned his deaconry; he wears hundreds of costumes, but everything he does is in the name of freedom and spirit. Religion never leaves the Apostle, who leaves us with the line: "Let them remember me as Deacon Ignatius" – says Stefan Staičev, confident that as long as there is a Bulgarian nation, we will strive to touch Levski – Freedom. The question of where Vasil Levski is buried has tormented the consciousness of Bulgarian society for years. Staging the play is an occasion to direct public attention, and especially that of students and young Bulgarians, to Levski's burial site. Only today, after 140 years, can we understand where the mortal remains of the Apostle of Freedom rest – the "St. Petka Samardzhiyska" church in Sofia, where, although the remains were discovered in 1956, a plaque has only now been laid. "140 years after the hanging of Vasil Levski, we are still seeking freedom," shares director Stefan Staičev, for whom this is the seventh production for the Vidin audience. In the role of Vasil Levski is the young Yordan Krushkov, who graduated in acting from the class of Prof. Ventsislav Kisiov and is an actor at the Blagoevgrad Youth Theatre. Yordan Krushkov has numerous roles behind him in theatrical productions and a number of Bulgarian film and television productions, as well as documentary films.