Ancient Theatre
What we do
The Ognian Radev Ancient Theatre is a modern creative group engaged in activities that bridge the contemporary world with antiquity. The goals of this multi-format team of historians, philologists, directors, actors, lighting designers, set designers, cultural experts, and philosophers include:
- creating and maintaining a cultural image of authentic ancient theatre and culture;
- educational and promotional initiatives focused on classical antiquity; and most of all, preserving, continuing, and honoring the legacy and memory of the generation of the Firsts, especially the figure of Ognian Radev and his "intellectual sensuality."
The Ancient Theatre is not just a theatre. At its core lies the connection between creativity and knowledge, between high culture and everyday modern culture, between art and education. This is why only non-theatrical texts are performed, which are specially dramatized for the productions, such as:
- The mythological epic *Theogony* by Hesiod, which tells of the monumental beginnings of the world, the gods, and words;
- Herodotus’ *Histories*, which take us through the emotional, political, sacred, and even everyday and sexual conflicts of Greeks, Persians, Egyptians, Phoenicians, and other Mediterranean peoples;
- The Hellenistic love-adventure and mystical-mythological novel *Ethiopica* by Heliodorus, which served as a model for Shakespeare’s "Romeo and Juliet".
In addition to non-theatrical but dramatized texts, the Ognian Radev Foundation’s team works with authentic designs of ancient chitons and peploi, as well as authentic stage design in places such as ancient ruins at archaeological sites, wineries, museum spaces, or architectural-historical complexes. The musical or sound accompaniments are also rooted in ancient traditions, authentically composed for the theatre troupe.
Beyond its spectacular appeal, this approach provokes discussions, introductory conversations, or thematic questions and answers before or after each event. In this way, the Ognian Radev Ancient Theatre offers not just a theatrical product, but an educational experience and immersion in a vision of ancient life, the ancient way of interaction between people, including humor, behavior during a feast or social gathering, and the style of public image and presence in the agora or social networks.
Thus, theatre, discussions, and informal immersion in the flow between ancient and modern times are an integral part of the image and goals of the team.
The Ognian Radev Ancient Theatre has performed on 10 stages, many of which are non-theatrical spaces that the troupe has transformed into venues of art and antiquity. These include the ancient complex “Serdica,” the Rectorate of Sofia University, the National Archaeological Museum, the Summer Stage at the Military Academy Park, the Greco-Roman Theatre in Catania (Sicily), the Sanctuary of Demeter and Persephone at Cape Skamni in Sozopol, the Art Gallery in Sozopol, the Summer Stage at the Palace in Balchik, the Summer Stage at “Vazrazhdane” Park (Sofia), the festival stage at the Western Gate of Serdica, and the Catholic Cathedral “St. Joseph”.