Dieter Topp is a cultural journalist, cultural manager, art advisor and curator, and President of KulturForum Europa from Germany. He followed the programme during the first days of the festival and Anita Angelova collected his impressions.
Although I am not unable to attend this year’s Bulgarian Showcase, which provides surtitles for international guests, I did not want to miss another year without seeing Bulgarian theatre. So, I came earlier to Varna for three days and managed to watch four performances. Each one impressed me in a different way.
The most recent performance I saw was based on the work of a well-known Bulgarian author – Lazaritsa by Yordan Radichkov. What struck me most was its exploration of the relationship between human beings and nature. Director Boyan Ivanov condensed an entire life into just over ninety minutes: one day, one night, four seasons, and at the end one human life. It was a remarkable achievement. He captured the spirit of the original text while creating a contemporary interpretation through a rich combination of acting, spoken word, sound design, video mapping, and visual imagery.
Before that, I watched Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams directed by Stayko Murdzhev. The production was full of energy and featured a minimalistic yet highly effective stage design. From the opening moments, the actors completely captured the audience’s attention and maintained that intensity throughout the performance. It was a powerful experience that left many of us deeply impressed.
The first performance I attended was The Airship in Love. A poetic theatre production by Diana Dobreva and Alexander Sekulov, inspired by the lives and works of the Bulgarian poets Ivan Metodiev, Dobromir Tonev, Miryana Basheva, and Grisha Trifonov. Combining poetry, music, movement, and striking visual imagery, the performance explores the artist’s fragility, the power of memory, and the freedom of the human spirit. It transforms poetry into a living theatrical experience, making theatre a space for resistance, hope, and humanity. The performance explored themes such as the fragility of the artist, the power of memory, and the freedom of the human spirit.
The fourth production was a performance by the Sofa Puppet Theatre, And we play Romeo and Juliet. It was wonderfully funny and imaginative. The text was written in rhyme, which was difficult for me to fully follow as a foreign visitor, but the production’s energy and creativity were unmistakable. It presented a playful and imaginative retelling of Shakespeare’s classic love story. Instead of the traditional feud between the Capulets and Montagues, the conflict becomes a humorous rivalry between dramatic and puppet actors. Combining humor, creativity, and emotion, the production introduces young audiences to themes of love, conflict, and understanding in an engaging and accessible way. Directed by Stoyan Radev, this is his debut in puppet theatre. Although intended for younger audiences, it made me feel like a youngster again.
These four productions were very different from one another: two distinctly Bulgarian works and two internationally renowned classic. All four were excellent, and I would truly have missed something valuable had I not seen them.
What particularly distinguishes the International Theatre Festival Varna Summer is its artistic ambition. Unlike many seaside festivals that focus primarily on entertainment, this festival consistently maintains a high artistic standard. The audiences clearly appreciate this. The performances were full, and spectators responded with enthusiasm. I found myself sharing that enthusiasm.
Next time, I hope to attend the Bulgarian Showcase as well. For foreign visitors, surtitles make it easier to grasp every nuance. Nevertheless, these four performances provided an unforgettable experience and reminded me why this festival remains such an important cultural event.