The Broken Jug

In a Romanian “bigger village or a smaller town”, the visit of a Brussels official disturbs the life of the inhabitants, especially of the Court employees, who must solve a difficult case on the spot, in front of the representative of the European Commission order. The attempt to settle this apparently unsolvable case, in which a woman accuses one of the young men that he “shattered her daughter’s jug”, is complemented by choreography and live music scenes, used by the director, Dominic Friedel, to create a sharp critique of Romanian contemporary society and of European institutions, as well as to pay homage to the beautiful Romanian folklore, whose message is still very topical. Armin Petras’ adaptation of the text by Heinrich von Kleist is an almost cynical overview of interhuman and institutional relations under the sign of corruption, vices, and power.
“The Broken Jug”, staged by the National Theatre in Sibiu, is first and foremost an exercise of admiration for the everlasting artistic values of Romania, which despite facing the accelerated globalization process, keeps alive the pure energy allowing us to live both in the present, and in the past, as Armin Petras puts it. In spite of the countless justice issues faced by Europe, the great quality of the Romanian space lies in its capacity to preserve its traditions, to preserve the “jug” holding all the traditional forms of artistic expression, which we can use to fight against the plague of being uprooted or even against the compromises of justice that could condemn us to a sterile cyclicality, under absurd leaders who continue to exercise their power unhinderedly, even if their actions are very much corrupt.

Oscillating between tragicomedy and autochthonous musical, TNRS’ “Broken Jug” brings the Professional Folk Ensemble “Cindrelul - Junii Sibiului” alongside the actors for the first time, and acts as a lucid glance over the contemporary European community, and a love statement for the purifying force of Romanian folklore.

With the participation: Ansamblul Folcloric Profesionist „ Cindrelul - Junii Sibiului”

CO-PRODUCTION BETWEEN THE ROMANIAN AND THE GERMAN DEPARTMENTS.

16-18 December 2002, Timișoara, tour at the „Timișoara German State Theatre”
December 2002, Arad
March 2003, Cluj Napoca
28th March 2019, Blaj, partner tour Bosh