FITS Recommends: 27 June, the seventh day of FITS 2024: Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Uncle Vanea and Fado with Francisco Moreira

The seventh day of the FITS brings exciting theatre, music and dance performances, four of which are free.

In keeping with tradition, during the festival, which this year runs from 21 to 30 June, FITSRecommends - a news column with the most exciting performances of the day.

Summary of recommended performances:

●      Hedwig and the Angry Inch - Nominated at the UNITER Awards Gala, 2024, for Best Actor in a Leading Role - Tudor Cucu-Dumitrescu

●      Uncle Vanea - A powerful, thought-provoking performance that slips deep into the consciousness, stirs long dormant emotions.

●      The Carpathians as stains on my skin - A grandmother, a daughter and a granddaughter cross the political, geographical and linguistic boundaries of the 20th and 21st centuries. 

●      Fado with Francisco Moreira - The beauty of fado music has the power to charm any listener. Francisco Moreira is a true master.

●      Stark bollock naked - A multimedia performance about the female body, abortion and the limits of the reproductive system.

Summary of recommended free performances:

●      Gen.snowflake - The show is a collage of scenes illustrating current themes: body shaming, anxiety, financial dependence on parents, online identity

●      Fantasy on stilts - A glittering and fairytale-like parade!

●      The Showman - An ingenious parody of the circus world that invites us to laugh but also to reflect on our society

●      Jump Cut - Two performers are sure to thrill us with their play on the trampoline, hanging from the giant lantern and riding the electric train

Hedwig and the Angry Inch - Nominated at the UNITER Awards Gala, 2024, for Best Actor in a Leading Role – Tudor Cucu-Dumitrescu
By: John Cameron Mitchell
Directed by: Răzvan Mazilu
Romania
Fabrica de Cultură-UniCredit - "Eugenio Barba" Hall, 17:00 and 22:00

Hedwig and the Angry Inch, a performance-concert, a desperate cry of love for the human being. It lights the shadows, gives outcasts a chance at dignity and, overturning convention, challenges us to look in the mirror: Hedwig is us." — Răzvan Mazilu  "Răzvan Mazilu's show is a tribute to the humanity of the most banal instinct of all: the need for love. It is a continuous declaration of love, coming from an authentic artistic sensibility, from a love of precious people..." (Alina Epîngeac).

Performed in Romanian with English translation
Not recommended for people under 18 years old
Duration: 1h 20min
The price of a ticket starts from 70 lei

Uncle Vanea - A powerful, thought-provoking performance that slips deep into the consciousness, stirs long dormant emotions.
By: A. P. Chekhov
Directed by: Dumitru Acriș
Moldova
Sibiu State Philharmonic, 19:00  

Uncle Vanea offers a subtle critique of societal norms and expectations of his time. The characters, representing different social classes, reflect the broader issues of class disparity and the challenges individuals face in navigating societal expectations. It’s powerful, thought-provoking performance that slips deep into the consciousness, stirs long dormant emotions. Cehov's keen observations of human nature, his realistic portrayal of life and his ability to infuse tragedy with humor make "Uncle Vania" a work that continues to captivate. "A subtle critique of societal norms and expectations of its time.  A powerful that slips deep into the consciousness, stirs long dormant emotions.” (Stella Popa). UNITEM, 2024 - best performance, best direction

Performance presented in Romanian, with English translation
Not recommended for people under 16 years old
Duration: 2h
The price of a ticket starts from 50 lei

Carpații ca niște pete pe pielea mea - A grandmother, a daughter and a granddaughter cross the political, geographical and linguistic boundaries of the 20th and 21st centuries.
By: Thomas Perle
Directed by: Mira Stadler
Austria
GONG Theatre - Ground floor Hall, 20:00

"Karpatenflecken" narrates the biographies of three women, from three different generations, in the midst of a historical panorama that begins in a small region in the Maramureș Mountains. A grandmother, a daughter and a granddaughter cross the political, geographical and linguistic boundaries of the 20th and 21st centuries. Thomas Perle thus paints a pragmatic picture of those times, supported by the dialog in several languages, including a dialect that has almost been lost in the mists of time. "Karpatenflecken" won Thomas Perle the prestigious Retzhofer Prize in 2019 and the Nestroy Prize for best theatre play in 2023.

Performance presented in German, with translations in Romanian and English
Duration: 1h
The price of a ticket for this performance starts from 50 lei

Fado with Francisco Moreira - The beauty of fado music has the power to charm any listener. Francisco Moreira is a true master.
Francisco Moreira
Portugal
Church of the Ursulines, 16:00

Francisco Moreira is a resounding name among the new generation of fado artists. Possessor of a soft and charming voice, he has conquered generations with his authenticity and flawless interpretation. Mr Moreira started his musical career as a child. He has enjoyed countless achievements and remarkable moments in his career, having already won the Grande Prémio do Fado 2013, and his work has received national recognition, which has brought him the chance to perform alongside fado singers such as Carminho and Hélder Moutinho. 2023 marks the release of his latest album, "Lugar", and his debut as a composer.

Duration: 1h
The price of a ticket for this performance starts from 40 lei

(cât se poate de) goală pușcă - A multimedia show about the female body, abortion and the limits of the reproductive system.
Larisa Faber
Luxemburg
GONG Theatre - Upstairs Hall, 22:00

On her 30th birthday, the woman starts to hear it. Her gynaecologist starts to hear it. Her friends start hearing it. It's the ticking of the biological clock. As the years go by and the pressure mounts, the woman tries to sort out her motherhood and decide the fate of her ageing eggs. Combining breathtaking video projection techniques, a sparkling comic narrative style, fantastic costumes and a live accompaniment of gynaecological instruments, “stark bollock naked” is a multimedia performance about the female body, abortion and the limits of the reproductive system. Goodbye, ovaries! "Faber tells a very personal story with lightning speed and incredible honesty. The humour is harsh and fast, clever but with a simple message about the pressures of conforming to a certain feminine identity." (Sarita Rao)

Luxembourg Theatre Awards 2023 - best performance

Performance presented in English, with Romanian translation
Not recommended for people under 18 years old
Duration: 50 min
The price of a ticket starts from 70 lei

gen.snowflake - The show is a collage of scenes illustrating current themes: body shaming, anxiety, financial dependence on parents, online identity
By: Vlad Sălbatecu
Directed by: Mihai Gligan
Romania

"gen. snowflake" is a theatre performance that starts from the team's stories, using a working method developed during the residency in the National Theatre "Marin Sorescu" in Craiova of the master students of the Faculty of Theatre of the Babeș-Bolyai University Cluj-Napoca, under the guidance of director Bobi Pricop. The show is a collage of scenes illustrating current themes: body shaming, anxiety, financial dependence on parents, online identity or social maladjustment. Based on the experiences of the actors, the performance is autobiographical and self-referential, in an aesthetic of simplicity and honesty.

Performed in Romanian, with English translation
Not recommended for people under 16 years old
Duration: 1h 30min
Access to this performance is free.

O fantezie pe picioroange - A glittering and fairytale-like parade!
Directed by: Brice Butane
France
Balcescu Pedestrian Street

A glittering and fairytale-like parade! The world is surrounded by magic. That's the message the crew of the hybrid ship Phare Away, symbolising the tireless efforts of these dream characters.
With a fearless captain at the helm, they want to bring people together with the power of creativity, art, music and performance.

Duration: 50 min
Access to this performance is free.

The Showman - An ingenious parody of the circus world that invites us to laugh but also to reflect on our society
Directed by: Sebastian Guz
Argentina, Spain, France
Habermann Square, 19:00 and 21:10

“The Showman” is a fun, exciting and therapeutic show which doesn’t lack imagination. An ingenious parody of the circus world that invites us to laugh but also to reflect on our society. A cabaret of the absurd and burlesque full of wacky characters, in which the audience is both the protagonist and accomplice to the action. “The Showman” conveys emotion and a good vibe through the magic of laughter. Created, directed and performed by: Sebastián Guz, internationally renowned clown with a 30-year festival career.

Duration: 50 min
Access to this performance is free.

Jump Cut- Two performers are sure to thrill us with their play on the trampoline, hanging from the giant lantern and riding the electric train
Directed by: Raphaël Hérault & Summer Hubbard
USA, France, Belgium
Habermann Square, 20:00 and 22:10

Inspired by the original 45-minute show that premiered in 2021, Summer and Raphael present “Equilibrium in Two” from a different perspective in this dynamic 25-minute show. Combining a unique scenography with acrobatics and choreography, the two artists will delight us with their play on the trampoline, hanging from the giant lantern and riding the electric train. Officially launched in 2023, “Equilibrium in Two” is a show for everyone, regardless of age, language or imagination, and can be enjoyed from any angle.

Duration: 25 min
Access to this performance is free.