Studia Universitatis Babeș-Bolyai - Dramatica

A Journal Entry about Developing a Street Theatre Play for Amnesty Luxembourg Related to the Subject of the Intersection between Human Rights and Climate Change

Dana Rufolo — 2025-11-25

The Mask as Subject: the Materiality of the Mask, between Form, Use, and Craftsmanship

Candice Moise — 2025-11-25

The paper The Mask as Subject: the Materiality of the Mask, between Form, Use, and Craftsmanship examines the object mask as a subject, utilised in both live performance and traditional European festivals. The analysis focuses on the ergonomics of masks and their relationship to the body, distinguishing
between different types of wear and their expressive implications. The article explores the treatment of eye and mouth openings, revealing the technical choices that determine the character’s expression. An analysis of materials and manufacturing methods reveals a dichotomy between the preservation of
traditional skills and the pursuit of technical innovation. This material approach to the mask, which extends beyond the conventional symbolic
analyses, facilitates an understanding of how communities engage in the negotiation of their relationship with tradition. In this regard, the mask
assumes the role of a mediator between permanence and change, between the physical body and its representation.

The Paradox of the Self. Beyond Identity

José Maria Vieira Mendes — 2025-11-25

In 2023, the invasion of the stage during a performance by the transwoman Keyla Brasil at a theatre venue in Lisbon, as part of a protest that claimed
for the visibility of transgender performers, spawned numerous reactions. One of the most common was that such action meant an offense to the principle
of theatrical representation and the ‘art of acting’. This idea of theatre as a place of illusion, where the self presents itself as the non-self, is commonly accepted as an interpretation of Diderot’s The Paradox of the Actor, but we are convinced that describing Diderot’s idea of the actor as someone who never seems to be himself is not an accurate interpretation. We will therefore read Diderot’s paradox following two postmodern interpretations by Lacoue-Labarthe and Eyal Peretz and adding the contributions of biologists who have been working with recent microbiological knowledge that challenges notions of One and the Individual. Our goal is to describe the action of Keyla Brasil not as an ‘interruption’ of a performance but as a complex intersection of (re)presentations that think with each other, destabilizing epistemic boundaries between one and the other, actor and character or performer
and audience. We are convinced that the descriptions and vocabulary that emerge from this discussion will allow us to cast a new light not only on Diderot’s
idea of the actor but also on Keyla Brasil’s action, taking us a step further in Lacoue-Labarthe’s and Peretz’s considerations on the self and the actor.

An Ecology of Illusion: Technologies and Scenography in the Redefinition of Relationships Between Humans and Non-Humans

Patrick Laffont de Lojo — 2025-11-25

This article develops a research I presented at the Technologies symposium of the Prague Quadrennial 2024, an international event dedicated to exploring the relationship between technologies and scenography in live performance and exhibition. My presentation, entitled An Ecology of Illusion, examined how contemporary scenographic practices are redefining the interactions between humans and non-humans. This text extends that exploration by combining theoretical perspectives with concrete case studies, and by highlighting the ways in which scenography can function as a site of ecological awareness, illusion, and transformation.

The Formal Import and Theoretical Metabolization of the Postdramatic in the Romanian Context

Ioana Toloargă — 2025-11-25

The article examines the importation and assimilation of the concept of postdramatic theatre into the Romanian theatrical landscape. The postdramatic, which emerged primarily in Lehmann’s seminal book, was delayed in Romania due to the country’s historical isolation during the communist era. The study traces the evolution of Romanian dramaturgy from pre-1989 influences to the 1990s and beyond, identifying a shift toward more socially and politically engaged playwrighting. The 2000s generation of playwrights embraced fragmented, collage-based texts and diverse theatrical forms, including documentary and political theatre. The article discusses the critical reception of the postdramatic paradigm in Romania, highlighting diverging views on its implications for narrative, character, and the role of the playwright. While some critics see postdramatic theatre as subversive, rejecting traditional story structures, others emphasize its continuity with past theatrical traditions. Ultimately, the article investigates how Romanian theorists and practitioners engage with postdramatic theory and its nuanced applications, questioning the legitimacy and utility of the term in the Romanian context, as well as its future.

Independent Dance in Cluj-Napoca: Organizational Strategies and Audience Dynamics

Beatrice Lupu — 2025-11-25

With two primary research questions in mind, this study investigates Cluj-Napoca’s independent dance culture: “How do available resources (human, financial, and logistical) influence the organization and operational strategies of dance studios?” and “How aware, interested, and involved is Cluj’s audience, and what influences their behaviour as public or students?” The study reveals a varied but vulnerable sector through a questionnaire with 85 respondents and four interviews with cultural dance space managers. Sustainability is impacted by several factors, including a lack of consistent resources, difficulties with promoting the opportunities, lack of support from the local administration, and the strain of operating in uncertain and unpredictable circumstances. Every studio operates using its own flexible structure, and there is no set organisational model. Even though there is public interest, low visibility and restricted information available continue to be major obstacles to wider involvement. The results highlight the necessity of better coordination among cultural actors and more support from local authorities. The dance scene in Cluj-Napoca may have a more sustainable future if these ties are strengthened.

Employing Theatrical Techniques in Documentary Film

Ada-Maria Ichim — 2025-11-25

This paper examines the intersection between documentary filmmaking and theatre, arguing that this fusion transcends traditional objective representations of reality. By incorporating elements of theatre, such as narrative structure, performance, and audience interaction, documentaries can offer deeper, more artistic explorations of complex realities and the human condition. Through the analysis of several films that exemplify this approach, the study demonstrates how theatrical techniques in documentary not only broaden the genre’s artistic possibilities but also provide unique insights into historical, social, and personal contexts. This approach transforms documentaries into powerful tools for emotional and intellectual engagement, capturing the transformative journey of performers and their impact on both the film’s subject and the audience, ultimately expanding the scope of documentary filmmaking.

Navigating the Middle Ground: The Necessity of Middle Films for Audience Engagement in Romania

Ioana Lascăr — 2025-11-25

In the contemporary digital landscape, audiovisual consumption patterns and film marketing strategies have undergone significant transformations, strongly influenced by the proliferation of social media and streaming platforms. Audiences now engage intensively with personalized and interactive content across diverse digital channels, prompting distributors to rethink traditional marketing approaches. Particularly in territories like Romania – categorized by the EU as low-capacity in film production – the lack of middlebrow cinema that effectively bridges artistic and commercial appeal poses substantial challenges. Historically dominated by internationally acclaimed auteur films, the Romanian industry now confronts a critical disconnect with local audiences, who perceive these films as inaccessible and overly intellectual. Conversely, influencer-driven commercial films have surged in popularity but frequently compromise artistic quality, highlighting the urgent need for balanced “middle” productions. Drawing on expert insights from leading Romanian film professionals and case studies of recent local successes such as Două lozuri (Two Lottery Tickets) and Anul Nou care n-a fost (The New Year That Never Came), this paper analyses innovative marketing campaigns leveraging targeted social media strategies, influencer engagement, and community-driven promotional efforts. It argues that developing middlebrow cinema accompanied by sophisticated digital marketing can enhance audience diversity, support sustainable growth of the Romanian film industry, and reconnect domestic viewers with locally-produced content, bridging the persistent gap between international critical acclaim and genuine public interest.

The Avatars of Trauma in Art

Emma Pedestru — 2025-11-25

The Inflated, Absurd World of a Liberating Dream

Tamara Constantinescu — 2025-11-25

"The work of the historian is, in short, a challenge, all the more difficult because the objects of study are ephemeral."

Ștefana Pop-Curșeu — 2025-11-25

Renzo Guardenti is Professor of Theatre History at the University of Florence. He has taught as a visiting professor at the Institute of Theatre Studies at the University of Paris 3 Sorbonne Nouvelle and at the University of Caen-Normandy. A specialist in theatrical iconography, his research has focused on the Commedia dell'Arte in France and the Fairground Theatre, as well as on actor iconography between the 17th and 19th centuries. He directs the Dionysos digital archive of theatrical iconography (SAGAS Department, University of Florence), the Quaderni di Dionysos collection (Bulzoni editore), and the journal "Drammaturgia." His publications include *Gli italiani a Parigi. La Comédie Italienne (1660-1697). Storia, pratica scenica, iconografia*, Rome, Bulzoni, 1990; and *Le fiere del teatro*. Percorsi del theater fairground del primo Settecento. With a wonderful comedy about the Fairs of Saint-Germain and Saint-Laurent (1711-1715), Roma, Bulzoni, 1995; Attori di carta. Motivi iconografici dall’antichità all’Ottocento, Roma, Bulzoni, 2005; Sguardi at the theater. Saggi di iconografia theater, Roma, Bulzoni, 2008; In quadro form. Note di iconografia theater, Imola, Cue Press, 2020; Atlante iconography. La Commedia dell’Arte, Corazzano (Pisa), Titivillus, 2023.

Foreword

Ștefana Pop-Curșeu — 2025-11-25