This October brings the exciting premiere of the show "Beyond the Golden Hour", created under the wonderful project "Fágáș. Multicultural Perspectives – strengthening cultural entrepreneurship in Cluj-Napoca in a Romanian-Hungarian interethnic context", a program funded by the EEA Grants 2014-2021 through the RO-CULTURA Programme. The show is a fabulous co-production by Reactor and Váróterem Projekt, bringing multicultural coexistence into the spotlight! It is beautifully directed by Ovidiu Caița, based on a text by Ovidiu Cioclov. To discover more about their creative journey, we invited them both to share their thoughts with us!

What sparks your interest when you start working on a show? What are you exploring? Is there anything on your mind lately regarding your work as a director?

Ovidiu Caița: It varies—with every show, something new captures my interest! Usually, I look for the perfect text for a particular moment in life I've been through. This can be deeply personal, ranging from emotions to social or cultural situations that got under my skin. Lately, I've been loving working closely with the actors and the playwright to explore shared emotions and questions. I often find myself with themes that weave through multiple shows, but when it comes to research, I’ve always been fascinated by human relationships. That's my constant passion—how we position ourselves as individuals in our wonderfully complex relationships with others.

How did you design the rehearsals and work process for "Beyond the Golden Hour", especially since it’s a bilingual show? What joys and challenges come with this approach?

Ovidiu Caița: It’s wonderful to say that the entire process—from writing the text to bringing it to life on stage—was a truly collaborative effort! The text was crafted through playful workshops with actors from the Reactor community, as well as inspiring documentary discussions with various socio-cultural groups in Cluj. The stage production bloomed from improvisations during rehearsals. I think that’s the greatest win of this show—the beautiful bonding between the Hungarian and Romanian artistic teams during rehearsals, especially during our warm-up exercises when they really discovered each other. I truly hope we can share this magic and make this beautiful process visible to our wonderful audience!

What was the backdrop for your artistic research for this play – initial ideas, the laboratory stage, your individual research, and your work with the team? 

Ovidiu Cioclov: At first, I didn't have a clue! All I knew was that we had to create a show about the Romanian-Hungarian multicultural context in Transylvania. I was born and raised in Turnu Severin, and later moved to the Berceni neighborhood in Bucharest—places where multiculturalism wasn't a daily reality, so I started this journey without any pre-set ideas or structures. It was a bit scary at first! But then I thought, maybe that's my superpower! I had no biases, no nostalgic memories, just my skills in crafting a story and structure. That's where the magic began! I relied heavily on the experiences gathered during focus groups with the vibrant youth of Cluj, as well as our amazing cast. Starting from their genuine emotions and real-life experiences, I began to build. The cast and director Ovidiu Caița were incredibly helpful in decoding all the meanings. Then, I fell in love with the geography of the city—wandering between the city center and the neighborhoods, taking in all the symbolic spots, researching online, chatting with AI, eating at Bulgakov, sipping coffee at Sisters... it all found its way into the show! I think our audience will truly feel this wonderful, lively polyphony.

You've had several stage experiences so far and were also a participant in the Drama 5 residency. What is your relationship with writing plays?

Ovidiu Cioclov: Both at Drama 5 and with this show, I absolutely loved the laboratory vibe! Collaborative experiences enrich your ability to create fresh, new things that go beyond who you are on your own. Honestly, the text for "Beyond the Golden Hour" wouldn't exist without these wonderful interactions. Of course, you need a healthy balance and to make clear choices, otherwise too much outside input can muddy the vision. That's where individual writing experience comes in handy—knowing yourself, having a clear vision, and a strong set of ethics.

How was this theme of interethnicity approached in the show? In what ways did you get close to it? How do you think the audience will receive the play?

Ovidiu Caița: I think I've partially answered this, but we started directly from our personal experiences as creators. At the same time, it’s almost funny that