Is it possible to prepare and rehearse a performance in next to no time and then present it to an audience?! It turns out that when there is enthusiasm, talent and professionals to guide you, deadlines do not matter.
The Film Academy talents’ participation in the "Priests of the Muses" festival in Lozenets was concentrated on two dates with different mini-performances. The first was "Market of Lives", based on Natalia Dukova’s play and prepared for the festival opening. The second, "Portrait of a Human Being", is based on the book of Dukovisms, also by Natalia. Excerpts were chosen to suit all ages from 9 to 50, the age range of the participants in the plays.
In just 3 days of active work by the Lozenets seashore, 30 people aged 10 to 60 managed to create a unified piece that could affect and move the festival audience. Among them were three students: Yoana Stoycheva, Patrisia Petkova and Kristina Benova.
Yoana Stoycheva is 16, from Sofia, and has been acting for 5 years. She joined the preparations with particular enthusiasm.
"It wasn’t especially difficult to work to these short deadlines because the play wasn’t that long, but personally I didn’t have enough time to analyse the text fully, to understand each character and the idea behind the whole play," Yoana says.
"The easiest part was working with the whole team: it was fun, memorable and useful! Some people found it difficult because they were embarrassed or afraid to go on stage, but I don’t have that problem. Working with the team is very pleasant and cheerful; every one of them contributed to our overall performance."
Yoana Stoycheva would like to do more cinema in the future, but for now she is open to all offers, experiences, performances and projects related to film or theatre.
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Patrisia Petkova is a tenth-grade student who studies acting. Describing her experience preparing the festival performances, Patrisia says: "It was really hard to achieve something like this in the short time we had. Everyone tried very hard, and I think that is why it worked out in the end! I think organising so many people was the hardest part. We settled into working together very easily, and the atmosphere was very pleasant to work in," Patrisia says with conviction.
"Natalia Dukova was strict with us, but that only helped us take the work seriously and know that when we have work to do we must be focused and responsible," Patrisia Petkova adds about the process of preparing the performances.
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Kristina Benova studies dance and acting and works as an entertainer in her spare time.
Speaking about teamwork on the performances, Krisi says: "Actually it wasn’t that difficult, and it wasn’t easy either, but it was so much fun! For me, the hardest part was learning all the lines in one night, but getting into character and going on stage was incredibly enjoyable. The process was really interesting, as was the performance. Preparing everything in so little time was a real challenge, but at the same time it was fun and intriguing. I would definitely take part in another project like this with Natalia Dukova and Tsvyatko Tsenov, and everyone else on the team," Kristina Benova says firmly.
