PANOPTIKUM or the Memory of Objects: a performance by director Martina Novakova

⚡ In partnership with Racho Stoyanov Drama Theatre

🎫 Tickets: at the box office of Racho Stoyanov Drama Theatre or online here

On September 23 at 18:00, the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Center in Gabrovo invites you on a theatrical journey through the house of L. and the stories of unusual objects that preserve her memories, with the original performance PANOPTIKUM* by Martina Novakova.

Behind every corner of this house-museum lurks something unexpected: conflicting voices from the past; the gaze of a painted all-seeing eye; a silent telephone bought at a flea market in Madrid; a half-forgotten melody; the workers of a house-clearing company.

Memory becomes a dangerous territory, where the fate of objects depends on the attention of the audience. Each viewer must choose their own place within the space and the story they wish to follow. The experience combines several disciplines: verbatim theatre, original live music, and installation art. A central source of inspiration for the performance is the work of Christo and Jeanne-Claude.

PANOPTIKUM is a story about the fear of losing memory, about the material world and the objects we choose to surround ourselves with, the value we attribute to them, and their influence on our relationships.

* panoptikum (noun, singular) — a museum where rare and valuable objects or wax figures are displayed.

❕ Duration: 80 minutes, during which the audience moves freely through the space. Please inform the organizers in advance if you require a seated place.

PANOPTIKUM is an original performance by Martina Novakova, adapted to various spaces – houses, museums, underground sites – and constantly evolving. It was created within the Master’s program in Theatre Arts at Carlos III University of Madrid, under the direction of Juan Mayorga. The premiere took place in June 2018 at Auditorio de Leganés in Madrid. In 2020, it was selected by EURODRAM Bulgaria and presented within the “ProText 10” festival at Goethe-Institut, Sofia. Its Bulgarian premiere was realized with the financial support of the National Culture Fund, Debuts program (2021), and took place in February 2024 at RCAC Toplocentrala.

The event in Gabrovo is carried out with the financial support of the National Culture Fund, Distribution program 2024, and in partnership with the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Center – Gabrovo and Racho Stoyanov Drama Theatre – Gabrovo.