Performances / Szigligeti Company / 2025-2026
Tudor Popescu
At the Twilight of Fading Loves
A play in two acts
Translated by:: Béla Nagy
"I consider At the Twilight of Fading Loves to be a strictly political play... A political play always looks at immediate reality but also sees into the 'future'... My protagonist, István, through his fate, becomes a symbol of an era to which he feels inextricably bound. And it is in this unbreakable bond that we must seek the source of his sorrow... István lives the drama of an individual whom time has irrevocably surpassed, someone left behind, clinging to a specific segment of time. Yet, paradoxically, deep down, he does not even wish to catch up with it... In our era, goodwill is perhaps the one virtue that has the potential to become an eternal truth. This is why I have attempted to create a folk hero whose primary characteristic is 'goodwill,' which, under all circumstances, has the power to counterbalance our extremes. In this play, Tódor embodies this folkish goodwill, and through him, the play carries that spark of light and hope that no artistic work can do without!"
— Tudor Popescu, the Playwright
"The playwright no longer castigates anyone but holds up mirrors before his protagonist, and these mirrors are his friends and companions, in whose awareness he can glimpse, discover himself; both his past and present self. Looking into this 'mirror,' some may come to understand the mistakes they have made toward themselves and their fellow humans, errors born from a mechanical, dogmatic, warmthless, and inhumane interpretation of compassion. Others, however, may conclude that, despite being ordinary people broken by life's hardships, they are, in fact, strong and victorious."
— Zoe Anghel-Stanca, Director
The play was staged in honor of the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Romanian Communist Party. This dedication was prominently displayed, following the strict political requirements of the time, on a label affixed just below the title on the performance poster. However, a zealous censor took issue with this placement, as how could one possibly celebrate the Party at the twilight of fading loves?
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