12. Madách International Theatre Meeting

“JONAH” is a play by Marin Sorescu, Romanian national poet and playwright, and a solo performance, as a part of a trilogy (Richard III in 2017, L’Avare in 2022) which Silviu Purcărete recommended to Japanese actor Kuranosouke Sasaki as a collaboration between Sibiu International Theatre Festival (FITS) and Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre (TMT). This play is a solo performance which portrays the Biblical figure, Jonah’s struggle, swallowed by a big fish, staying in its belly contemplating how he could get out, and then swallowed by a larger fish. The circumstance around Jonah reflects the chaotic situation of the contemporary world. Sorescu writes: “The scariest part of this play is when Jonah finds that he does not hear the echo. Jonah is alone, but he perfectly heard the echo. When he yelled IONA, he heard the echo of IONA returned. Then, the echo became half, and when he yelled IONA, the echo only returned IO. IO is an ancient word which means I”.

 “Marin Sorescu’s literature is not only a point of reference of the autochthonous culture, but a true linguistic and stylistic patrimony that synthesizes some of the most special dimensions of the Romanian soul. This specificity, so distinctive and recognizable in his writings, in which the fun of misfortune is intertwined with a precise observation of the human condition, reaches its climax in the marvellous metaphor-play Jonah which, thanks to the talent of Silviu Purcărete, will surely be a spectacular miracle. This performance is a declaration of love for both Romanian spirituality and the ways in which the history of this people has tried to find a balance in reconciliation with the universe and nature, as well as the beauty and refinement of Japanese culture that Silviu Purcărete will approach with his well-known aesthetic precision. This non-conformist adaptation of Marin Sorescu’s play has, therefore, the force of a universal existential experience, inviting the audience from all corners of the world to share a spiritual communion that brings us closer to the primal energies of nature in which divinity manifests itself. We are getting ready for a very special theatrical treat, an intercultural dialogue that brings together two spaces as different in appearance as they are similar in feeling, but also an exceptional spectacular scaffolding that we invite you to discover with an open heart, in the hope of finding the same peace and grace felt in front of the pure beauty of nature.” –  Constantin Chiriac, President of Sibiu International Theatre Festival and General Manager of Radu Stanca National Theatre in Sibiu