Știri din Târgoviște, Dâmbovița, România.

Dieter Topp’s comment on AUALEU and their animal moritat

George Orwell is best known for two novels, Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four, both of which were published toward the end of his life. Animal Farm (1945) was an anti-Soviet satire in a pastoral setting featuring two pigs as its main protagonists. These pigs were said to represent Josef Stalin and Leon Trotsky. The novel brought Orwell great acclaim and financial rewards.

Last night there was a funny interpretation of Animal Farm by AUALEU, a freelance theatre group from Timisoara of big reputation. They are called one of the best alternative theatre groups in Romania. And this is exactly correct. In 1998 they were to be seen as „court and garage theatre” performing for people with less income in the poor neigborhoods of the city. I first saw one powerful performance with a dozen other spectators in a small garage. We were sitting on one side, they played on the other. What an experience! Last year they performed a brilliant „Stormy Night” by Caragiale during BABEL fest. The audience was sitting around a big table where all fantastic things happened, a show illuminated by only a dozen candles.

This time Aualeu went back to their roots, into the street and played ANIMAL FARM. Many children with their parents and festival spectators followed a very comically moritat (Miorita).

(A moritat (from mori meaning „deadly” and tat meaning „deed”) is a medieval version of the murder ballad performed by strolling minstrels.)

In ANIMAL FARM the moritat singers with different instruments introduced and closed a scene by giving actual interpretations: entertaining and educating in one. Aualeu make the audience laughing and reflecting.

Wonder when and where I will see them again, and especially how they are going to surprise us …