Independent Theater Hungary presented a performance and conversation around Del Duma (Romania) as part of the Roma Theatre Retrospective 2020 livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Monday 12 October 2020 at 9:30 a.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC -7) / 12:30 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4) / 17:30 BST (London, UTC +1) / 18:30 CEST (Budapest, UTC +2) / 19:30 EEST (Bucharest, UTC +3).
The monodrama Del Duma (She Speaks), is based on conversations with Roma women and on the own experiences of the playwright Mihaela Dragan. The play presents the diversity of Romanian Gypsy society, and shows the possibilities and difficulties, the joys and struggles from a female point of view, through the eyes of the women, heroes of the everydays.
The performance focuses on the compatibility of tradition and modernity, Roma and Romanian identity within one nation, one community or even in one person.
“...me, Mihaela Dragan, half Romanian, half Roma, I love and respect my both ethnicities” - sums up the actress at the end of the play.
The Romanian artist is a founding member of Giuvlipen Company and the author of several theatre plays.
Written and performed by: Mihaela Dragan
Directed by: Liana Ceterchi
Guitar: Gusztáv Balogh
Translated by: Beáta Adorján
About the Series
Although Roma are the largest ethnic minority in Europe, they still experience high level of racism and have to deal with many societal issues. Additionally, Roma are being represented in a very stereotypical way in the media and art world. The Roma theater has more than a century long past with active professional theater groups in many European countries, but unfortunately, they are still hardly known. The Roma Heroes Theater Festival initiated by the Independent Theater Hungary is the only international Roma theater encounter in the World, which have been organized in every year since 2017. Many of the artists and their work are featured in this current series.
Judit Ignácz mostly worked at NGOs in Roma related projects, organizing and facilitating trainings, seminars concerning the topic of racism, human rights and non-formal education. She finished her studies of Master of Public Administration of School of Public Policy at Central European University and became a French and Romani language teacher at the University of Pecs. She also has experience in media and communication. She is passionate about human rights and non-formal education.
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