“Say whatever you think but be honest”

“Deviations”

Zdrava Kamenova

Zdrava Kamenova• Zdrava Kamenova is a

talented young playwright. She was born on the 26th June, 1979. She is one of the most interesting, most staged and most awarded authors of the Bulgarian theater stage. Her plays are born on the stage, because she is an actress and a director.

“Deviations”• Zdrava Kamenova made

a name for herself in the drama theatre with the play “Deviations”, which excites both love and self-reflection. The story intertwines the lives of four young people in search of love and themselves. Their paths diverge, they can’t fulfil their dreams, they are unhappy.

"What do I want? Who am I? I could have been ... Well, I want something to happen to me ..”

• These are just some of the lighting bolts flashing through the protagonists’ minds. A man, a woman, a boy and a girl. No names. It could be any one of us.

But is it true?• Everyone has been

tortured with similar questions, regrets, aspirations. Therefore, it is quite easy to understand the main characters and feel empathy for their drama. The more you read, the more you hope that you are not so confused. But is it true?

It happens to everyone ...Each of us has had at least one unrequited love or hasn’t put their feelings into words and has lost someone. A discrepancy between four people. And finally all of them remain alone. They are in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Say whatever you think,but be honest.

• Throughout the play the characters try to come close to the truth of their desires, their ideas and notions. In their monologues and dialogues their minds wander in a slurred speech – in a spontaneous and colloquial style.

In search of themselvesThe play shows how difficult is to be honest with yourself and others. In search of themselves the main characters are identified with the imposed stereotypes in mass media - Superman, Barbie, the unsuccessful man, the unsatisfied woman.

They say what they think and try to be as honest as possible. But even in the flow of their own thoughts they get confused and caught up in a lie.

They use media clichésThe characters are emotional, but when they need to share their feelings they use media clichés – the language and behavior of the actors performing in soap operas, American action movies, video games and commercials.

IllusionsThe visible, bravado, gestures are more valuable than the essence. Performing replaces feelings and ideas. Identifying themselves with the screen actors the characters escape from reality and remain alone. They are only "consumers of illusions“.

Being genuine and honest, being yourselfIt’s a tough task nowadays. Not only because of fear and conformity, not only for “selling yourself” on the free market, but also because of media manipulation in today’s cultural space.

Thank you for your attention!

This presentation was created for “Different Cultures on European Stage” Project.This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.This presentation reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.