Fresh Start: All About Discovering and Creating Together!

Summer is the season of residencies at Reactor, and the end of August brings the exciting results of the sixth edition of Fresh Start! Our wonderful team of 9 residents is working diligently on the show "Memories of a Lolo", which they will present on August 30th and 31st, starting at 8:00 PM, at Reactor. But before the big days, we wanted to find out more about how this amazing 2-month residency went, so we asked them a few questions.

In order of "jersey numbers": Ileana Benec (actress), Mark-Cristopher Demeter (director), David Drugaru (actor), Alex Gorghe (playwright), Dominik M. Iabloncic (choreographer), Ilinca-Petra Meșter (actress), Dragoș Moldovan (scenographer), Iulia Sinescu (musician), and Ioana Beatrice Tănasă (actress)

You started the creative process for this show in a rather special context compared to how rehearsals usually begin. Looking back now, how was that first stage of work for you, with the residency and workshops at Reactor?  

Ileana Benec: It had a bit of everything! We had plenty of time to get to know each other through various fun activities. We are all very different. We understood each other, but we also had our debates until we managed to click. After that, everything just flowed naturally.

Mark-Cristopher Demeter: I think without those first two weeks of residency, it would have been much harder for us to start. It was the perfect opportunity to bond and get used to one another. The professional training workshops were like a friendly guide into the world of independent and devised theatre. Personally, I didn't know much about how an independent theatre works!

Alex Gorghe: For me, the top priority was getting to know my colleagues. I knew the script had to be built from everyone's shared material, from our own stories and life situations. That's why I wanted to discover what they are like, what preoccupies them in life and in their work, trying to spot little unique traits in everyone. These details really helped me propose writing exercises, which eventually became the backbone of the play.

Ioana Tănasă: Looking back, the first phase was absolutely essential and wonderful for our group because it was the starting point of our collective creation! In the first week, we had workshops with Petro, who gave us the theoretical foundations of the devised work method. The writing exercises we did helped us get to know each other so much better, and the physical exercises were a fantastic way to experiment with this method. Then came the workshops with Fero, which were filled with dynamism, focus on those around us, and awareness of the space. Through play, we discovered even more delightful ways to perform on stage. The encouragement towards introspection and exploring our inner worlds created a solid foundation for the subsequent dramatic creation. The theoretical workshops with Oana, Doru, and Alexa helped consolidate our knowledge and apply it to project writing. Putting all of this into practice was incredibly useful! All these workshops helped us connect much faster than usual, forming a team that speaks the same creative language to bring a devised theatre show to life.

Dragoș Moldovan: I truly enjoyed the workshops with Petro and Fero, primarily because I got to experience something similar to what the actors do, which helped me understand their process a bit. I think the workshops were absolutely necessary to build teamwork and strengthen the wonderful friendships that blossomed here.

David Drugaru: Since we didn't know each other at all, the first part of the residency was crucial. Besides all the new things we discovered and learned, we had the chance to connect both personally and artistically, which is absolutely essential when you are working on a devised piece.

Iulia Sinescu: For me, as a musician, this first phase was highly beneficial. I got to adapt to how things work in a theatre setting and experiment freely. What helped all of us the most was that we got to become good friends before the actual work started!

Dominik M. Iabloncic: I believe the first phase of work was absolutely necessary, considering we set out to use devised methods with people we had never worked with before. This period gave us both the right tools to create the residency's final performance and the chance to know each other on a deeper level, which is so vital for this kind of creative process. Also, the workshops on managing independent spaces and project writing gave us a great foundation for future endeavors.

Ilinca-Petra Meșter: We are absolutely amazed by what has happened so far in our creative journey! Almost everything we initially planned was turned upside down. We looked for answers in the most bizarre places to bring logic to our narrative, which sometimes made it feel like we were moving away from our starting point. Luckily, our courage saved us, along with the fact that we embraced what would normally make us shy. We just decided to go with the flow and enjoy the ride!

How did working together go, considering the plan was to use devised theatre methods in a rather non-hierarchical structure? What challenges and joys came up, and how did your roles evolve? 

Alex Gorghe: We agreed from the beginning that we wanted to work in a collaborative way where everyone was encouraged to pitch ideas to their colleagues. The scenographer proposed ideas to the composer, the actors were happily invited to suggest directing solutions, the choreographer pitched dialogue lines, and so on. This way of working brought a wonderful coherence to the show. We completed each other symbiotically and, surprisingly, we didn't argue at all! Which is pretty great, isn't it?

Ileana Benec: It’s a wonderful, peculiar kind of freedom! Initially, everyone came with ideas on all fronts, and every proposal was welcomed with open arms. This was very special and rewarding because everyone was so open to listening and trying anything. Granted, it was a little chaotic until we started to gently fall back into a more structured format, but I feel this whole process really brought us together.

David Drugaru: We worked in a devised-collaborative way. As the project went on, our roles naturally became clearer. The key was that we established this from the start. Even with a structure, everyone expressed their opinion and contributed regardless of their primary role. The best part is that the creative energy is stronger and you feel the show truly represents you, even if decision-making takes a bit longer!

Ilinca-Petra Meșter: I expected to be quite shy about sharing thoughts on a colleague's work or offering alternatives, so I chose my words with great care. My colleagues did the same! We tried to develop a shared language in a very short time. We are all chasing the same dream together. The challenges came hand in hand with great satisfaction, giving us wonderful moments of deep thinking and lots of laughter. The biggest challenge was figuring out what we wanted to achieve together and embracing that shared vision.

Dragoș Moldovan: The working methods led to a safe, pleasant, and highly creative environment, building genuine relationships among us. It was wonderful to have our personal opinions heard and valued by the entire group.

Dominik M. Iabloncic: I think the main challenge is being fully open to ideas from anyone in the team, regardless of their role. This challenge adds immense value to the project through the exchange of perspectives. Many times, I wasn't sure what to do in a certain scene, but through this collaborative brainstorm, we reached beautiful, unexpected results!

Ioana Tănasă: I believe this method is perfect for a team whose members know each other well and share common values and goals. In our case, it was a fun challenge because we only had a few weeks to get to know one another, but we made it work beautifully!

Iulia Sinescu: I think the biggest challenge in such a team is making decisions efficiently. However, I am so glad we reached a point where we were all happy with the choices made and the way our ideas started to take shape!

How is this collaborative way of working reflected in the final show? 

Iulia Sinescu: Our show consists of many different and unique scenes, many of which were born from improvisations before we even knew our final direction. Also, at the beginning, we each proposed a theme of interest, and even if we shifted focus later, I think every one of us can see a piece of their theme shining through in the final show!

Mark-Cristopher Demeter: The content of the show touches on a shared experience and a story we have all lived through to some extent. My role as director was to ensure that everything suggested and accepted blended beautifully together, rather than just dictating what to do. It was all about being attentive and extra open. The actors had great ideas on how to stage scenes, the scenographer had ideas for the script, and the creative energy just flowed everywhere!

Dominik M. Iabloncic: This method brought us to a level of camaraderie that is hard to achieve otherwise in such a short time. I believe the spirit of devised theatre is wonderfully reflected in the atmosphere on stage—we aren't just co-performers, but people who have shared a beautiful life experience together for 2 months.

Ilinca-Petra Meșter: All I can say is that we played with our shyness and our curiosity about life and growing up. We threw ourselves into the experience to discover the meaning of this work and why we were chosen to create it together.

Ileana Benec: I think the most beautiful thing is that the audience will feel a little piece of everyone's unique world in this show.

Dragoș Moldovan: I am sure the audience will feel our sincerity and the absolute joy we had in creating this show together!