Eric Emmanuel Schmitt returns to Romania at UNDERCLOUD Theatre Festival

Taking place from June 19th to June 25th, 2023, on Griviței Street in Bucharest, UNDERCLOUD Independent Theater Festival will showcase a lineup of renowned artists from across the globe, as well as local independent performances.

This year, UNDERCLOUD will feature four extraordinary international performances, while one of the highly anticipated highlights includes the one-man show, “M. Ibrahim and the Flowers of Coran,” a compelling story written and performed by the renowned writer Eric Emmanuel Schmitt.

The artist was invited last year to Sibiu International Theatre Festival with the same performance, “Mr. Ibrahim and the Flowers of Koran”, under the direction of Anne Bourgeois, and he touched the viewers’ souls in an unforgettable way. He captured the complex shades of humanity, the delicacy, tenderness, and humor that are all present in his text. The plot is that of a bildungsroman, a very common literary pattern, but his vision was charmingly original. The show will take place on June 24, from 20.00, at Bulandra Theatre, in original French language.

Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt is one of the most renowned French writers in the world. His books have been translated into 48 languages, and his plays staged in more than 50 countries. He was born in Lyon in 1960. He studied philosophy and earned his PhD with a thesis on Diderot. He has worked as a script writer and director, translated opera librettos into French, worked as a comic writer and at times performed his own texts or accompanied pianists or sopranos on stage. His first theatre play, “Don Juan On Trial”, was published in 1991 and became highly successful. The same happened with his following plays, which were performed by famous actors, such as Jean-Paul Belmondo, Alain Delon, Francis Huster, Jacques Weber, and Charlotte Rampling. In 2001, he was awarded the French Academy’s Grand Prix du Théâtre.

More international overview for the festival

The Polish play “In suspension” addresses the taboo subject of oncological conditions, and it is a visually and physically exceptional intimate performance that tells a story about suffering, pain, and hope, encompassing all the strong emotions experienced by people who suffer and their families.

If you are passionate about dance, then the performance “A Labyrinthine Trail” is a captivating approach and a poignant story, featuring Shang-Jen Yuan and Cristina Uta. The show promises to evoke strong emotions and provoke deep reflections on the self.

“Matca,” directed by Mariana Cămărășan in Chișinău, is an impressive performance that explores profound themes such as cultural heritage and human relationships, taking the audience on a unique and emotional journey.

UNDERCLOUD1(6) is shaping up to be an unmissable event for theater lovers in Romania and beyond. Tickets are available on www.theatrum.ro.