A Tale Presented at a Theater Residency
Sofia, Bulgaria
The residency organized by OECON Group Bulgaria took place in Sofia, Bulgaria from October 28th to November 10th, 2024 with five participants: Despoina Danai Gkanasou, Giasin Iason Naas, and Zeta (Georgia) Theodorou from Greece, Anna Sofocleous from Cyprus, and Dualtagh McDonnell-Grundy from Ireland. They were mentored by Boryana Puncheva – a Bulgarian actress and director, and her assistant Nikola Yordanov – an emerging Bulgarian actor and a final-year student of the National Academy of Film and Theatre Arts. The logistical support was provided by the staff of OECON Group Bulgaria.
The residency brought together the spirit of the five participants and let them find inspiration, come up with an idea and develop it in detail during their two-week stay in Sofia. Every day, the artists gathered to warm up their minds and bodies, tuning into the creative flow through breathing, vocal and movement exercises with spiritual music. Then, they thoroughly discussed what they wanted to show to the public and rehearsed for four heated hours. Boryana Puncheva supervised the young artists, suggested directions to go in, and gave them her experienced feedback, while her assistant Nikola was there to help them find their way among their plethora of ideas and intricate details of the performance, boost the mood and support the group’s bonding. Most interestingly, Nikola taught the actors Bulgarian traditional dances that they later incorporated in their final performance.
After the rehearsals, the participants enjoyed themselves exploring the city of Sofia, its art, architecture, nature, and history, guided by the staff of OECON. Traditional restaurants with Bulgarian cuisine and music, cozy coffee shops, magnificent architecture of Sofia, and a couple of local cultural events kept the artists busy and inspired to add even more new accents to their own work. They got to know the sound of traditional Bulgarian instruments tapan and gaida at a live concert and the British theatrical show “STOMP” that had just had their tour stop in Sofia. The artists were struck by the uniqueness and the accessibility of the city’s cultural attractions.
As a part of the agenda of the residency, a visit to the National Academy of Film and Theatre Arts was organized to let the participants hear some Bulgarian folk singing in a class of Veselka Stambolieva, a notable Bulgarian folk singer. Her students, although startled by the presence of the curious audience, left a good impression with their vivid repertoire. Veselka even shared the skill to sing a folk song with the actors, too, so they wrapped up the visit humming the newly learned words and melody and shining with inspiration.
After long days of work and endless creative and organizational brainstorming, the short performance was finalized and presented to the public on November 8th, Friday, under the evening skies of playground “Kafeza” in park “Hippodrome” in Sofia. With some requisite, creative use of stage lights, and the mystical mood that has been nurtured for days, the artists delivered a vibrant and impactful performance telling the legend of the creation of the Seven Rila Lakes in their own, “handmade” way. After the event, an open discussion session with snacks and refreshments was organized at the rehearsal venue, where the actors could relax and reflect on their performance.
This two-week residency left a significant mark on the five participants’ artistic journey. Through hard work and exciting exploration, dedicated brainstorming and lighthearted jokes, delicious food and enriching events, the five strangers turned into collaborators and friends who have told a tale to a foreign city and are now ready to embrace new exciting stories that are yet to come.
Article & photo credits: Viola Rodionova
