site.btaIvaylo Hristov Stages Honour in Theatre 199

Ivaylo Hristov will stage Honour, a play by Joanna Murray-Smith, for the first time on Bulgarian stage. The premiere is on Saturday, Theatre 199 reported.

The four characters will be played by Vladimir Karamazov, Kristina Yaneva, Elena Hrant, and Katalin Stareyshinska. Zlatna Kostova translated the screenplay, set and costume design by Marina Yaneva.

"Honour is a ruthlessly honest play, written with a sharp pen, humour and grace. It delicately and courageously explores the trials one goes through to discover the deepest meaning of the word love," said the theatre. The play looks into what happens when shared values and responsibilities in a harmonious marriage fade.

Plot

Honor and George have been married for 32 years. Both are acclaimed authors, though poetry in Honor's life has given way to her dedication as a wife and mother. It's as if the whole world turns upside down, when one of the family members comes across the opportunity to refresh their life at the expense of the happiness and security of the rest of the family.

"Ivaylo Hristov sets the play at a high tempo. On a stage built sparingly yet spectacularly, the four wonderful actors act their hearts out. Events flow into one another and escalate relentlessly. Until the finale, perhaps a little breathless but very lyrical," Theatre 199 said.

Ivaylo Hristov on Honour:

There are a lot of themes in this play, but perhaps what I am most passionate about is how one deals with separation, with loss. Every loss leaves a mark on a person. How does this affect the person, how does it change their life going forward, how does it change their character? All the characters in Honour experience a serious loss. For some it is healing, for others it is devastating.

I blame none of the characters. It is easy to blame Vlado's (Vladimir Karamazov's) character, George. But I see him as a tragic figure. He is very much a victim of his own feelings and actions. The battle of the sexes is completely pointless.