Romanian Creatives in London Celebrate

International Theatre Day

Outstanding triumph of our premiere dedicated to World Theatre Day! A "Bold Prima Donna / Cântăreața cheală, " brought to the contemporary stage by the skilled vision of director Ema Nicola, celebrated 75 years since this Ionescian masterpiece's debut at Théâtre des Noctambules in Paris.

Director Aura Woodward warmly opened the event, welcoming everyone at Romania's house in London and thanking Ambassador Laura Popescu for her presence and support.

A huge thank you to our young, talented & enthusiastic cast, comprising Tudor GM / Tudor Gurămultă, Bianca TB / Bianca Topor, Mihai Costache, Elena Vasilache, Ioana Goga, and Olivia Negrean, for their tremendous effort and for not leaving any stone unturned in their pursuit of success. As always, we are grateful to our public, who, yet again, made our Enescu Hall seem too small! Special thanks to Leo Bacica for lighting and sound design.

Ema Nicola graduated from the National University of Theatre and Film "I.L. Caragiale" in Bucharest - Theatre Directing and holds a Master’s degree in Audiovisual Programs. Since 1997, she has directed a series of theatre productions, including "Începem" by I.L. Caragiale, "Antony and Cleopatra" by Shakespeare, "Pulcinella in Love", "The Cherry Orchard" by A.P. Chekhov, The Crucible by Arthur Miller, "East of Eden" adapted from John Steinbeck, "Our Father Who Art in the Supermarket" by Petre Barbu, "The Beauty Queen of Leenane" by Martin McDonagh, and "The Tricked Husband" by Molière.

She has collaborated with Radio Iași, directing radio plays such as "The Tricked Husband" by Molière, "Decomposed Theatre" by Matei Vișniec, "The Garbage Man" by Mimi Brănescu, and "The Beauty Queen of Leenane" by Martin McDonagh.

In 2003, she adapted and directed the play "Nijinski", based on The Diary of Vaslav Nijinski. This production inaugurated the Metropolis Theatre in Bucharest.

Since 2010, she has worked as a producer and director for Senso TV, coordinating the Arte channel. She produced the documentary film "In the Middle of Nowhere", which premiered at the Gărâna International Jazz Festival in 2012. The film features interviews with prominent artists, including Jean-Luc Ponty, Zakir Hussain, Avishai Cohen, Jan Garbarek, Charles Lloyd, Terje Rypdal, Patricia Barber, Aura Urziceanu, Florian Lungu, Mircea Tiberian, Liviu Butoi, Tom Smith, Tom Wolf, Paul de Castro, Eldad Tarmu, and Nik Bärtsch.

For Senso TV, Nicola has also conducted interviews with leading figures in theatre and the arts.

Ema Nicola is the director, set and costume designer of the much-awaited performance of Eugène Ionesco’s “The Bald Prima Donna"

🎭 Olivia Negrean trained with The Actors Class in London. She is an actor and playwright. Her play, "Feast (a play in one cooking)", in which she plays the part of Ophelia, has been performed in London and at the International Shakespeare Festivals in Gdansk, York, Verona, and Craiova. Previous roles include the title role in "Ecaterina Teodoroiu", a play commissioned by the RCI London that tells the story of the first female soldier in the Romanian army during WWI; Quince in Parrabbola's production of "Midsummer Night's Dream"; Kate in "Taming of the Shrew" in 'Women of Shakespeare' with Komola Collective; a young Mother Teresa in "The Unburied. The Saint of Darkness", a production of Foreign Affairs. She also performed at The Vaults Festival in London and was part of the ensemble in "Far Away" at the Donmar Warehouse, directed by Lyndsey Turner. In 2021, Olivia was selected as part of The School of HighTide, a development programme for early-career playwrights. She is co-founder of the theatre company begin:begin. In 2020, she became part of Dra.ma Acting for Life - an association of Romanian actresses who teach acting workshops to Romanian children.

🎭 Ioana Goga is an Offie-nominated actor, writer and director originally from Romania. She holds an MA in Acting for Stage and Media from the London College of Music, graduating in 2018. Since then, she has written, produced and directed four original plays to great critical acclaim. Ioana has won multiple awards, including the Brighton Fringe B. Fest Award as part of the Fuse Festival for her debut play, "Love (to) Bits", in 2018 and the Best Solo Performance Laurel as part of the 2020 Paris Fringe for her second play, "Growing Into My Skin". In 2022, she was nominated for an Offie award in the Newcomer category for that year's production of her debut show. This year, she will be performing in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with her newest play - "Goodness Me".

🎭 Bianca Topor is a Romanian-born actress based in London. She is an alumnus of the “George Enescu” National University of Arts, Faculty of Theatre, Iași, Romania. During and after her studies, she frequently collaborated with renowned directors at the Romanian National Opera in Iași, including Andrei Serban, Matteo Mazzoni, and many others. Since moving to London in 2019, she has been actively involved in theatre, pantomimes, and short films, with a rapidly expanding career. She gained notable attention for her role as Elira in the 2024 short film "Immortal Reflections", directed by Andrea R. Ciobanu, for which she has been nominated for Best Actress at the Freewheeling Film Awards. The film has been officially selected for notable film festivals worldwide, including the Santa Monica International Film Festival and the FP Arts Short Film Festival in Scotland. This summer, Bianca will be Cleopatra in Anthony and Cleopatra by W. Shakespeare, produced by The Greek Theatre Players.

🎭 Elena Vasilache is a multifaceted artist who earned a Bachelor’s degree in performing arts from the National University of Theatre and Film Bucharest in 2011. Since 2000, she has appeared in numerous TV shows as a singer, actress, and host, working mainly with some of the most reputable production companies in Romania, like MediaPro Pictures and National Television Society (TVR1). In London, Elena performed within the Scratching the Surface Theatre Festival at Barons Court Theatre with the play "Watching Paint Dry", directed by Jimmy Walters, and with the play "Suicidal Dog and Laika" by Catalina Florescu in various locations in London and UK.

Notable workshops include Andrei Șerban Travelling Academy (Ipotesti, Ro) in collaboration with RCI New York in 2011, and "A Lost Letter", a staged reading workshop and the English premiere of I.L. Caragiale’s play at RCI London in 2019.

Some of her theatre roles include Nina in "The Seagull" by A. Chekhov, Juliet in "Romeo & Juliet" and Imogen in "Cymbeline" by William Shakespeare.

🎭 Tudor Guramulta graduated in 2015 from the “George Enescu” National University of Arts in Iași, Romania, 2015 and is trained in the fundamentals of Stanislavsky’s system. While creating his craft, he aims to develop his characters almost as a scientist, using "trial and error" and focusing on sharpening them to close detail, creating a human being in flesh and blood, and adapting easily to a wide variety of acting styles, from deep psychology to classic comedy and even musicals. He is passionate about music, voiceover, martial arts, dancing, emotional intelligence, psychology, and philosophy. He is continually trying to refine his artistic arsenal to become an even more syncretic artist, striving for genuine acts of creation. He collaborated with the Athenaeum in Iași, the Metropolis Theatre in Bucharest, and the Medieval Sighișoara Festival, and appeared in films such as "Queen Marie of Romania" and "Dragon Heart". Tudor's motto, inspired by Soren Kierkegaard, is: "Do it or don't do it, you will regret both."

🎭 Mihai Costache is a versatile actor and filmmaker with a strong academic background in theatre, film, and media production. He holds a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Acting from the National University of Theatre and Film in Bucharest, Romania, where he trained under renowned industry professionals. Expanding his expertise in film and media, Mihai also earned a Bachelor's degree from the University of West London (UWL), specialising in content, media, and film production at METFilm School. With extensive experience in both stage and screen, Mihai has performed in leading and supporting roles at prestigious theatres such as the National Theatre of Bucharest, Bulandra Theatre, and the Comedy Theatre. His television credits include major productions with Media Pro Pictures, Intact Production, and TOSH G&V. Trained in various acting techniques, including Meisner, Alexander Voice Technique, and Strasberg, Mihai brings depth and authenticity to his performances. Beyond acting, he developed a keen interest in directing and storytelling. His diverse abilities, combined with his passion for theatre and film, make him a dynamic and dedicated artist in the industry.

The Bald Prima Donna

by Eugène Ionesco

English version by Donald Watson

Director, Set & Costume Designer: Ema Nicola

Cast:

Mihai Costache - Mr Martin

Elena Vasilache - Mrs Martin

Ioana Goga - Mary, The Maid

Tudor Gurămultă - Mr Smith

Bianca Topor - Mrs Smith

Olivia Negrean - The Captain of the Fire Brigade

📷 Photography by Allegorical Studio