A Gadulka (rebec) player inhabits a world of excessive advertising, of myth-making and cults for pop and rock stars imitated by even classical musicians. He plays his simple instrument traveling the wide world but his paramount journey is into himself. He tries to live like a good man, asks himself questions, wants to do different things, but is also aware that his gadulka is his destiny. All this delivered with plenty of humor and affection for the character makes audiences laugh at the show The Gadulka by Rayko Baychev. The solo show is also presented in English under the title The Burning Gadulka. The play has been translated by Angela Rodel. The stage director is Milena Aneva and the actor who acts a folk musician is Miroslav Kokenov. Following several successful shows in Bulgarian and English in London, on 30 June Kokenov presents The Gadulka at the Salza & Smyah (Tear & Laughter) Open Stage Theater in Sofia.

Miroslav has graduated in acting from Neophyte of Rila Southwestern University in Blagoevgrad in the class of Prof. Ventsislav Kissiov. He then joined the theater in Gabrovo, Central Bulgaria, where he worked for two years. Miroslav later continued his studies in Britain where he studied directing at Falmouth University. Looking for his place under the sun he went to London, only to find out that he could not see a future in castings for big productions with a short rehearsal period.

„I decided to do what I really liked. I asked Milena Aneva who was the assistant of my professor at university to send me plays to choose from. The Gaulka by Rayko Baychev was the text that I liked best. While reading, I knew in advance what the character was going to say. Let me remind you that a few years ago The Gadulka received the award for new Bulgarian drama organized by Sofia Theater and was staged at that theater. In 2012 it was nominated for the Icarus Theater Awards. The play is reminiscent of The Double Bass by Patrick Süskind. It accentuates the relationship between the rebec player and his instrument. The character is disappointed with his life and his achievements. Looking for the reason he concludes that his gadulka should be blamed for his failure. He throws all sorts of accusations at the gadulka and condemns the fate of being a gadulka player. At the end of the day though, the gadulka is all that he has. In a sense the gadulka symbolizes the way we view our roots, our Balkan genes. Playwright Rayko Baychev himself writes that the Balkans looks to him like something dark and bleak, but on the other hand, it is also a source of plenty of light and energy. The play is comic, as the gadulka player tells his story with a lot of affection, humor and a pinch of sarcasm.”

Well, of course, the actor talks a lot in this solo show, and he sometimes plays the gadulka. So Miro had to learn how to play a few simple melodies for rebec.

„This was a big problem. I was back to Bulgaria to buy a rebec but did not have time to take a lesson or two. I had brief lessons in London – a friend of mine who is Greek taught me a little. However, I learned a lot from a teacher from the Bulgarian School at the country’s embassy in London. The premiere was in February at the Bulgarian Cultural Institute in London. It received a positive review from a British critic. Two weeks ago I gave five other shows at The Drayton Arms Theatre. This theater presents foreign art but we decided to give shows in both Bulgarian (two shows) and English (three shows). For sure Bulgarians have better understanding of the depth of humor and the contemplation of the national character. But the English audience too, finds the show very funny.”

After the show at Tear & Laughter Miroslav Kokenov plans a short tour of Lovech and other towns in Bulgaria but this will most probably take place in the autumn. He has an invitation to join the Clapham Fringe Festival in London on 23 and 24 October. The Gadulka will be presented at the Sofia-based Sfumato Theater on 3 July.

English version: Daniela Konstantinova