Practice at Reactor: BANG! Join the fun!

Between May 2022 and July 2022, we continued our exciting internship program with our third and final group of students, as part of the wonderful partnership between Reactor and the Faculty of Theatre and Film. Together with 5 fantastic first-year students, we imagined a theatre company that would perfectly capture their shared creative energy. And that is exactly how the idea of the Buf! Company was born! Meet Andreea, Alexandra, Tavi, Victor, and Mara—5 bright young artists eager to experiment with all kinds of artistic expressions. Andreea is studying directing, while Alexandra, Tavi, Victor, and Mara are studying acting, and they all love exploring where theatre meets other disciplines, like playwriting, music, or dance.

During the internship, we defined the identity of this lively company and set the stage for their very first artistic project, which we happily tested in our creative laboratory.  We discovered that the Buf! team loves incorporating live music, choreographic dance elements, contact improvisation, and even pantomime into their work! Through its productions, Buf! aims to explore themes like memory, our relationship with our bodies, and exciting new ways of connecting with you, our wonderful audience.

On the brink of summer vacation, we imagined a glorious, adventure-filled future for this lovely company. And then, our shared journey reached its end. The adventure now continues individually for each of these talented team members. We truly hope they will carry forward, in one way or another, that playful buf spirit, which we warmly invite you to get to know much better!

THE BUF! COMPANY  #aintroducing

Sleep. Eat. Buf! Repeat.

Welcome to Buf! Welcome to our cozy little corner of the world where we bring together all our creativity, imagination, and absolute love for theatre to offer you, our wonderful audience, the absolute best we have. We created Buf! because we are bold, because we want to make a real impact, and because we love taking creative risks! We believe in the power of small things to spark big sensations and powerful memories. We aim to build a warm, close relationship with our audience, one where we can share a magical moment of "Ah, yes! Me too!".

logo design: Octavian-Gabriel Mic

       THE FIRST BUF! SHOW  #anideainprogress

In our very first collaborative project, we are embarking on a joyful artistic exploration of memory and the magical "triggers" that bring our past back to life.

The project will take the shape of a captivating case study, weaving together a colorful collage of personal stories and playful performance exercises. As our starting point, we are diving headfirst into the magical world of early childhood!

From there, we will follow a series of creative stages in chronological order, leading us all the way to the exciting concept of "future memories."

BUF! THE TEAM #withatwist

photo credits: Gabriel Neacșu

ANDREEA ANCA, director

What do you think of when you hear BUF?
An engine roaring to life!
Why is BUF important?
I think it's because we want to focus on how we interact with our audience and build a community together, and this kind of theatre is still in a very early, exciting stage in Romania.
What is your contribution to the company?
Directing, and I also love to write.
What are you passionate about?
I absolutely love music! And swimming.
A rule you broke.
I stole a pink Tamagotchi from my Pentecostal neighbors.
What in you goes BUF?
Whenever I tune my guitar.

I'm 6 years old and I love to sleep under the clothes drying rack. My head is shaved and my nails are bitten down, so I scratch myself raw when my neck itches. When Dad isn't home, I pull his clothes out of the closet and dress up in them. I look at myself in the horizontal mirror on the upper part of the bedroom bookcase. The mirror is high up, and I'm on my parents' bed looking up at myself. I look so big when I look in it! I don't like staying in bed when the neighbors next door are screaming. Their kitchen is right against our bedroom, and they fight in the kitchen. They are a mother and a son, and their name is Ionescu. One day, I leave a bottle of cola at their door with a note that says: "if you drink this and eat Mentos, you will explode," with a big X next to it. The note was written by the boy who taught me how to ride a scooter. Sometimes you can hear Mr. Ionescu hitting his mother. That's when I crawl under the clothes drying rack.

ALEXANDRA-IOANA HARAPU, actress

What do you think of when you hear BUF?
That little dynamite emoji—I think it perfectly represents the explosive creativity we want to bring!
Why is BUF important?
Because it’s a wonderful playground where it's absolutely okay to scrape your knees every once in a while.
What is your contribution to the company?
I'm the girl with the ideas. And sometimes, the one keeping us organized!
What are you passionate about?
Film, poetry, visual arts in general—and how they beautifully blend together.
A rule you broke.
I sneaked into a party using a wristband from a completely different party so I wouldn't have to pay.
What in you goes BUF?
Curiosity!

I'm 6 years old and my favorite song is Pink's "Stupid Girls." I don't understand what it's about, but I obsessively flip through the TV channels hoping to find it. The music video completely fascinates me. Someone puts a toothbrush down their throat, and I don't understand why anyone would do that, because when I try, it just makes me gag. I watch the video and I'm in a total trance. So cool!
I brush my teeth with soap to make them extra white. My mom is very concerned about my teeth; she always tells me to brush well so I have beautiful, white teeth. The soap tastes awful, but it cleans really well, I guess. That's why it's soap!
I absolutely hate cherry jam. Instead of telling Mom to stop giving it to me, I throw the bread and jam behind the bed. I do this every single morning. One of these days, Mom is going to vacuum and find it all. But I'm not thinking about that right now!

OCTAVIAN-GABRIEL MIC, actor

What do you think of when you hear BUF?
BUF!
Why is BUF important?
From my point of view, it’s not what's important. If you, as a spectator, find something here that draws you in, sparks a change, raises questions, or simply makes you feel good, then we've won! Each of "us" and "you" must find the unique spark of "importance" that we need.
What is your contribution to the company?
I bring a huge wave of energy, which is incredibly beneficial when channeled! My skills as an actor, dancer/choreographer, mime, and multi-instrumentalist play a big part in creating our shows. Plus, my pragmatic thinking helps keep things running smoothly, both in the company and in daily life.
What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about everything that has a voice and meaning, both for me and for the people I work with or who watch us perform.
A rule you broke.
I started smoking, even though I promised my grandma when I was little that I would never, ever do it.
What in you goes BUF?
The burning desire to leave a beautiful mark on this world.

I'm 6 years old and I am an absolute sweetheart of a kid! I am incredibly cute, tiny, and always dressed to the nines by my mom. Always in overalls, colorful t-shirts, and my absolute favorite—though my mom's biggest mistake—squeaky sandals with blinking lights! Every morning, Mommy puts green gel in my hair to make cool spikes. I look so stylish with my mohawk and my Spiderman sunglasses, which match my neck-strap wallet, also Spiderman-themed, of course! I asked Mom for a wallet because I know I need one to become a real man. I'm in the oldest group at preschool. Our classroom is called the "smurf class," which suits me perfectly because I am the shortest kid in the entire school. When I grow up, I want to be an actor—I just love getting on stage and having everyone applaud! "Hello, my name is Mic Octavian, soon I'll be turning seven, I'll recite the 'Morning Star' for you, to show you I'm the best under heaven! I'll sing a poem for you: The Morning Star by Mihai Eminescu!"

IONUȚ-VICTOR MUNTEANU, actor

What do you think of when you hear BUF?
I think of a happy accident—a beautiful spark that ignites creativity and ultimately turns into a brilliant idea!
Why is BUF important?
Buf is so important because it’s a wonderful, safe space with a warm, welcoming atmosphere where everyone is cheered on to unleash their creativity.
What is your contribution to the company?
My role in the company is that of an actor. I put all my energy, versatility, and imagination into sharing our stories in the most vibrant way!
What are you passionate about?
I am incredibly passionate about music, theatre, and working in a team.
A rule you broke.
I left the toilet seat up!
What in you goes BUF?
The joyful desire to express myself through art constantly "bursts" out of me.

I'm 6 years old and my name is Ionuț, but Grandma-Toie and the rest of the family call me Vic. Uncle Mircea from Spain, my mom's brother, brought me a bicycle, but I don't know how to ride it yet. Dad said he'll get me training wheels until I learn. I have short brown hair and I'm the youngest in my preschool class. I have two teachers: "Miss Angela" and "Miss Alina." When I told Mom I wanted to marry Alina, she just laughed at me! I love Mom and Dad so much, and God, and Santa Claus, and Saint Nicholas. But I love Santa Claus just a little bit more because Mom says Saint Nicholas is a bit tighter with his money. That's why he only brings candy. When I grow up, I want to have big muscles and hair on my chest like Dad... and a mustache!

MARA SOLOMON, actress

What do you think of when you hear BUF?
BUF... a beautiful (theatrical) disaster! 🙂
Why is BUF important?
Because it defines a group of 5 wonderful humans with a shared dream: to welcome the audience into our theatrical universe with a fresh, contemporary style.
What is your contribution to the company?
You'll find fabulous live music in the BUF company! Since this is my special role, I love bringing my DJ hobby into building our shows.
What are you passionate about?
As I mentioned, I’m a DJ, and it’s a huge part of who I am! I also studied acoustic guitar and bass guitar out of pure love for music.
A rule you broke.
Well, during my last year of acoustic guitar practice, I stopped paying for the lessons.
What in you goes BUF?
My absolute love for the fusion of MUSIC + THEATRE!

I'm 6 years old and I'm in preparatory class. From what I understand from Mom, it's my last year of preschool, because next year I'll be in first grade! I don't really know what that means yet, I just know I won't have Miss Aurica and Miss Silvia as my teachers anymore; instead, it will be my mom, because she is a primary school teacher and she will be my teacher! I can't wait for the holiday because I want to hang out with Tomas, Andrei, Ștefan, Paul, Răzvan, Ramona, Cozmina, and Sorina to play football—that's pretty much all we do! Before I go outside to play, I do my lessons with Mom, she's teaching me how to read. Sometimes I feel like she makes me study a bit too much and it gets tiring, but if I don't listen to her, she won't let me go out. That's why, once I meet up with my friends, I don't go back inside until everyone else leaves, so Mom can't keep me in. If I need to pee, I hold it, and if I get thirsty, I just go to the water pump two blocks away.

PHOTO GALLERY #andthatisall

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The internship partnership between Reactor of Creation and Experiment and the Faculty of Theatre and Film is part of the project developed by Babeș-Bolyai University, "Quality and Interdisciplinarity in the Internship of Babeș-Bolyai University Students in Cultural Management (CIP)," funded by the EUROPEAN SOCIAL FUND, Human Capital Operational Programme 2014-2020 (POCU).