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THE UNIVERSITY OF ARTS
GEORGE ENESCU IAȘI
THE FACULTY OF COMPOSITION, MUSICOLOGY,
MUSICS PEDAGOGY AND DRAMA
DEPARTMENT OF DRAMA
SUMMARY OF THE Ph.D. THESIS
VALENTIN SILVESTRU – THE
DRAMA MAN
Ph.D. candidate:
Anca Elena Ifrim
Scientific coordinator:
Ph. D. Professor, Sorina Bălănescu
Ph.D. type: scientific
Field: Theatre
2011
CONTENTS
I. THE MAN VALENTIN SILVESTRU – THE SKETCH
PORTRAIT IN WHITE AND BLACK ..................................... 4
II. MISTER THEATRE .............................................................. 4
III. THE THEORETICIAN AND HISTORIAN OF THE
THEATRE, THE DRAMA CHRONICLER, THE
ANTHOLOGISER ....................................................................... 5
III.1 BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION ...................................... 5
III.2 THE THEORETICIAN...................................................... 6
III.2.1 THE ART OF THE ACTOR ...................................... 6
III.2.2 THEATRE REPERTOIRES ....................................... 7
III.2.3 THE STATUS OF THE DRAMA CRITICISM ......... 7
III.2.4 ABOUT HUMOUR AS SERIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE
................................................................................................ 7
III.3 THE HISTORIAN ............................................................. 8
III3.1 THE CONTEMPORARINESS OF THE THEATRE . 8
III.3.2 LANDMARKS FOR THE ROMANIAN DRAMA ... 8
III.3.3 THE BRACING-UPS IN CARAGIALE' S WORK ... 8
III.3.4 THE PUPPET SHOW THEATRE AROUND THE
WORLD ................................................................................. 9
III.3.5 ABOUT CINEMATOGRAPHY ................................ 9
III.4 THE DRAMA CHRONICLER ....................................... 10
III.4.1 THE CHRONICLER'S CREED ............................... 10
III.4.2 THE CALIGRAPHY OF THE SHOWS WRITTEN
IN INK ................................................................................. 10
III.4.3 A CENTURY OF SHOWS ....................................... 10
III.4.4 ABOUT OTHER CHRONICLES ............................ 11
III.4.5 VALENTIN SILVESTRU AMONG
CONTEMPORARIES ......................................................... 11
III.5 THE ANTHOLOGISER .................................................. 12
III.5.1 THE PLAY IN ONE ACT ........................................ 12
III.5.2 A PREFACE TO….HUMOUR ................................ 12
III.5.3 PREFACE AND POSTFACE TO VOLUMES OF
PROSE AND DRAMA........................................................ 13
III.5.4 TOMA CARAGIU-IN MEMORIAM ...................... 13
1
IV. THE PLAYWRIGHT.......................................................... 14
IV.1 THE AUTHOR OF COMEDIES FOR THE PUPPET
SHOW THEATRE................................................................... 14
IV1.1 UP TO DATENESS-OUT OF DATENESS OF THE
COMEDIES ......................................................................... 14
IV.1.2 FROM THE TROUBLES OF THE POPPY, OF THE
WHEAT GRAIN, OF ȘURUBEL AND HARALAMBINA
THROUGH A DOMESTIC FIGHT TO THE RETURN ON
EARTH OF A FAIRY ......................................................... 14
IV.1.3 TWO PLAYS AND A GREAT SUCCESS ............. 14
IV.2 THE AUTHOR OF SCRIPTS FOR RADIO AND TV
SHOWS, FOR FILMS ALSO .................................................. 15
IV.2.1 THE SHOWS – CONFERENCE ............................. 15
IV.2.2 SCRIPT WRITER – RADIO SHOWS ..................... 15
IV.2.3 TV SCRIPT WRITER .............................................. 15
IV.2.4 FILM SCRIPT WRITER .......................................... 15
V. THE ANIMATOR OF THE THEATRE MOVEMENT... 16
V.1 THE FESTIVAL INITIATOR .......................................... 16
V.2 FATHER OF THE FESTIVAL CONSTANTIN TĂNASE
FROM VASLUI....................................................................... 16
V.3 COPATERNITY OF OTHER CULTURAL INITIATIVES
.................................................................................................. 17
VI THE PROFESSOR OF THEATRE. THE MENTOR.......18
VI.1 THE CALLING FOR TEACHING ................................. 18
VI.2 THE ADVISORY ACTIVITY ........................................ 18
VI.3 VALINTIN SILVESTRU GOES ACROSS THE PRUT
RIVER ...................................................................................... 18
VII.THE PROSE WRITER ...................................................... 19
VII.1.THE AUTHOR OF SATIRICAL AND HUMORISTIC
SKETCHES AND SHORT-STORIES .................................... 19
VII.1.1.THE THEMATIC UNIVERSE ............................... 19
VII.1.2.THEATRICAL VALENCES OF THE SKETCHES
.............................................................................................. 19
VII.2.THE TRAVELLER AROUND THE WORLD.THE
MEMORIALIST ...................................................................... 20
2
VII.2.1.JOURNALIST AND CHRONICLER IN FOREIGN
LANDS ................................................................................ 20
VII.3.ACTORS IN MONOGRAPHIES .................................. 21
VII.3.1.JULES CAZABAN ................................................. 21
VII.3.2.BIRLIC .................................................................... 21
VII.3.3.ALEXANDRU GIUGARU ..................................... 21
AS A CONCLUSION................................................................. 22
SELECTIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY .............................................. 23
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I. THE MAN VALENTIN SILVESTRU – THE SKETCH
PORTRAIT IN WHITE AND BLACK
Our approach derives from the perceptions in white and
black of the contemporaries on an outstanding personality living
in the second half of the 20th century. I have been intrigued by the
too categorical clashing opinions of those who can only see, in the
person of Valentin Silvestru, since 1990, reasons to get revolted
against a man, as they say, too obedient to the party and the state
authorities; he gets reproaches for being authoritarian, planning,
and thirsty of power; for the cutting tone too categorical of the
opinion expressed in the chronicles.
We can also read two books, exactly the opposite,
reverential written in memory of Valentin Silvestru (Who Were
You, Mister Silvestru? and The Planet Silvestru,) in which we find
evidence, confessions, acknowledgements, regrets for the one who
devoted half a century of his life to the Romanian drama culture –
and not only to it.
It has been more than 15 years since the man of theatre
passed away yet the echoes pro or against Valentin Silvestru have
not stopped to mark the dispute.
In order to write this paper I have consulted the books written by
Valentin Silvestru, collections of various magazines, ,,The
Theatre”, ,,The Contemporary”, ,,The Literary Romania”, studies
and monographies about the chronicler's work. I have not
overlooked the sites, in short, all remaining written evidence about
the passage through this world of the man of theatre starting with
drawing what we believe to be the portrait of the man putting
together fragments of testimonies gathered while reading his texts
in volumes and periodicals, paying much attention to what helps
us see beyond the written word.
II. MISTER THEATRE
The theatrologist came into the world on October 20th,
1924, in the village Scâteia in the department Iași, nearby Vaslui
in Moldavia, in a family of enterprising Jews who owned a
grocer's.
4
His passion for culture is to be seen since childhood when
he liked to create diverse papers, letters, and verse. But his most
powerful and sincere passion is for theatre after he becomes a
student of the National Highschool in Iași.
The future theatrologist takes his first steps into a theatre
hall when he is ten and is impressed by everything he sees. In the
run of a decade he saw almost all the premieres at the National
Theatre in Iași, place where he was a super boy. This juvenile
experience represented the basis of his formation as a
theatrologist.
The Road Journal of a Theatre Critic is intended to be a
retrospective of the events in the Romanian and foreign theatre
world since 1944 till 1984 written down by the omniscient and
omnipresent Valentin Silvestru. The first of its type in the
Romanian literary land, The Journal combines theoretical things
about the theatre phenomenon with interviews, portraits,
reflections, debuts, premieres, reviews, little scandals, meetings,
weird episodes, funny or sad, successes, failures…
The personality of the theatre man was being built of a
combination of erudition, humour, intelligence, methodical and
critical spirit, calling, elegance, dignity and the accuracy of a
Swiss watch.
III. THE THEORETICIAN AND HISTORIAN OF THE
THEATRE, THE DRAMA CHRONICLER, THE
ANTHOLOGISER
III.1 BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION
With his outstanding personality Valentin Silvestru
approached the Romanian theatre phenomenon analysing, filtering
and considering thousands of shows.
The profession the name Valentin Silvestru identifies itself
with is that of a drama chronicler. When theatre chronicles
become documents and the chroniclers – historians, Valentin
Silvestru, involved in the diagnosis of the theatre phenomenon,
can be defined as a historian of the Romanian theatre.
The chronicler is not just an immediate commentator of the
theatre phenomenon; he places of the chronicle on a theoretical
5
plan, an initiative which got materialised into the publication of
several books of theatre criticism. If we add to them the critical
studies, the theatre studies, the monographies, the anthologies,
history glossaries and prefaces, a journal, we get a sum of
volumes which lay the basis of a systematic theatrology as the
chronicler wanted.
III.2 THE THEORETICIAN
III.2.1 THE ART OF THE ACTOR
1966 represents an important moment in the career as a
theatrologist of Valentin Silvestru; it is the year when his first
aesthetic theatre paper, The Theatre Character, is published; in it
the calling for being an exegete of the theatre act is transparent.
The book addresses first of all to the actor, through its
solid studies on the purpose of making clear the some theories
about the dramatic and the spectacle character.
The exegete demonstrates the existence of a contemporary
style in the art of the actor and points out to the factors which led
to the birth of this style: the repertoire is made up of contemporary
foreign and local plays, the actors trained in institutions of a new
type, the relationship of the actor to the spectator, in which they
become sharers in living the artistic act.
In his study, Valentin Silvestru insists on the idea of the
style of interpretation of the actor lacking affectation, natural,
lucid, intelligent, profound, creative-synthetically speaking
professional art.
Summing up all theories, the last part of the study comprises a
series of interviews with Romanian actors who share some of their
experience: George Vraca, Jules Cazaban, Radu Beligan, Șt.
Mihăilescu Brăila, Ștefan Ciubotărașu, Dina Cocea, Toma
Caragiu, and Gheorghe Dinică.
Having valences of an argumentative essay, the theoretic
approach of the exegete proves to be fruitful in explaining some
concepts little debated upon here in the '60s such as: "the actor as
an artist", "the concept of interpretation"," the actor co-author of
the character"," the culture of the role"," the character who does
not show up."
6
Theoretical preoccupations with the status of the actor but
also with the Romanian concept of theatrality are to be found in
the volume Shows in Ink (1972).
A feature of the Romanian theatre which Valentin
Silvestru identified is attitude notable in the choice of a particular
form which implies creativity, abolition of norms, expansion of
aesthetic trends and categories to others less exploited up to that
moment.
III.2.2 THEATRE REPERTOIRES
The critic shows that the repertoire is not only a picture of
various pieces, but it sums up whole politics. The two types of
repertoires: contemporary and classical are subject of a structural
analysis of re-evaluation for the former and of re-orientation for
the latter, preference is shown for the valuable political drama,
Romanian or foreign.
III.2.3 THE STATUS OF THE DRAMA CRITICISM
Following a winding way from the general to the particular
Valentin Silvestru defines the field of his activity: theatre criticism
and the status of drama critic in relation to the actor and the
public.
The concept of criticism-action dealt with in the prior publications
is debated upon from a theoretical point of view but in a very
polemic tone.
In Valentin Silvestru's vision the two entities, the criticism
and the public, are not parallel, but they do not meet either,
sociologic studies showing that very few spectators go to see a
certain play only under the influence of theatre chronicles.
III.2.4 ABOUT HUMOUR AS SERIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE
Having as subtitle "historical and theoretical glossaries",
the book The Humour in Literature and Art, conceived as a
kaleidoscopic paper brings together definitions, associations,
descriptions, memories, experiences, reflections, and aphorisms in
a polemic and erudite way. Taking into equal consideration the
pages of comedy history, Valentin Silvestru contributes to the
rehabilitation of humour perceived by some as inferior to other
preoccupations.
7
III.3 THE HISTORIAN
III3.1 THE CONTEMPORARINESS OF THE THEATRE
The problem of the contemporariness in the art of the
theatre spectacle in the vision of the theatrologist is not to be
confounded with the brute topicality but it is subscribed ampler
connotations. From this point of view some older plays by their
themes remain contemporary and even fresher than the ones more
recently written. The key-notion contemporariness is given by the
critic as opposites a temporality, outdate ness and false topicality.
The chronicler starts war against outdated forms in theatre
because the very notion of contemporariness implies this attitude.
III.3.2 LANDMARKS FOR THE ROMANIAN DRAMA
Proving to be an active theoretician, Valentin Silvestru will
turn his critical glosses from Calligraphies on the Curtains into
arguments for creating a history of the national dramatic literature.
Special place within the Romanian repertoire framework is
given to the historical drama. Besides the real meaning of the
historical play the chronicler also identifies coordinates of
philosophical thinking as well as a strong political character.
In his analytical approach (Clio and Melpomena), the critic
tries to draw some directions in the contemporary dramas dating
1966-1976 without undergoing to write a history of the drama in
that decade. The work of the drama historian does not consist only
in analysing and establishing hierarchies, but also in proposing
titles of important works and spectacles, in combating prejudices
and ideas.
III.3.3 THE BRACING-UPS IN CARAGIALE' S WORK
Elements Specific to Caragiale's Work propose a literary
perspective alongside a scenic one upon the plays by Caragiale
contributing as a piece in a puzzle together with other exegeses (of
Șerban Cioculescu, of I.Constantinescu, of Al. Călinescu ,of
Mircea Tomuș) to the perception of the dramatist's work from a
modern perspective.
As he had already got us used to, Valentin Silvestru
resorts to a way of criticising polemically on more fields: literary
8
and theatrical history, literary and dramatic criticism,
spectacology.
Considering the re-evaluations of the work and
spectacology of the dramatist, Valentin Silvestru meditates upon
the problem universally valid of the update ness of the plays.
The analysis of Caragiale's characters, having as starting
point four reasons: the press, the letter, the semidoctism, the
character who does not show up, outlines the realism of the
dramatic and epical works (moments and sketches) offering at the
same time "spectacological keys". With a heavy baggage of
examples, examining in minute detail these reasons, Valentin
Silvestru presents the inexhaustible sources of the topicality of the
dramatist's work.
Devoted to spectacology the latter part of the book offers
the possibility of a trip among the landmark-stagings of some
shows of all Caragiale's plays.
III.3.4 THE PUPPET SHOW THEATRE AROUND THE
WORLD
The Puppets Show Theatre in Romania is a historical
sketch about the art of the puppets written by Valentin Silvestru in
collaboration with Letiția Gâtză and Iordan Chimet. The study
proposed by the critic, The Romanian Puppet Show Theatre in the
World Context makes known the evolution of this type of theatre
and its echoes abroad. Advocate of innovation in the art of theatre,
Valentin Silvestru considers that the puppet show theatre also
needs such renovation that is why he greets the preoccupation of
some puppet show theatres with the show modernisation. As
subscribing to this aesthetic coordinate could be mentioned the
daring style of directors, a dynamic technique, the stylisation of
puppets to various proportions, the synchrony with pantomime
and music, the use of personification..
III.3.5 ABOUT CINEMATOGRAPHY
The critic got published in specialised magazines
("Cinema", "The World") where he draw attention to the condition
of the Romanian and foreign film, to the quality of radio and TV
shows.
9
Some landmarks about the Romanian film during 1896-1948 can
be found in the study of Valentin Silvestru – The Old Romanian
Film Scrutinising the Social-Historical Background of the Time.
Valentin Silvestru is not one of the faithful passionate film fans
considering that Romanian cinematographic art is inferior to
theatre.
III.4 THE DRAMA CHRONICLER
III.4.1 THE CHRONICLER'S CREED
Aware of the existence of a certain amount of subjectivity
in criticism, he starts from the premise that every chronicler heads
for the spectacles hall having a preconceived idea. The assertion is
led to the conclusion that along the years the critic's subjectivity
will turn into objectivity complying with some rules and criteria
assimilated.
III.4.2 THE CALIGRAPHY OF THE SHOWS WRITTEN IN
INK
Getting support on the national drama, the chronicler
draws in the volume Spectacles in Ink the profiles of some shows
at the beginning of the seventh decade with their strong and weak
points as well as the re-evaluations watched on the stages of the
theatres in Bucharest and around the country. The theatrological
cards unfold on a mutual scheme: the presentation of the dramatic
work particularities, the summary of the framework of the staged
play, the X-ray of the show.
III.4.3 A CENTURY OF SHOWS
The critic always doubled by the historian overlooks no
theatrical fact making up a history of his contemporary Romanian
theatre catching all its turning moments, a breviary of two decades
of theatrical seasons reunited in the volume A Decade of Theatre
and 19.30 O'clock .
The articles dealing with the ten theatrical seasons (1972-
1982) give not only lapidary notes but also a series of opinions,
considerations regarding the way the national drama is valued,
manifestations of the theatre culture (festivals, colloquies, round
tables), the status of the theatre managers, the condition of the
theatre outside the capital, local initiatives, regional contributions.
10
Of an abundance of events, the critic, endowed with a remarkable
ability to summarise, manages to establish a scale of values
solidly justified in the history of the Romanian theatre.
The principles guiding the voyage among theatre seasons
refer to the problems and the way of giving value to the Romanian
plays, "the time of comedy", the theatrical experiment, all subject
to scenic realism.
In the chapter The Comedy as a Peacock Tail of the volume 19.30
O’clock, Valentin Silvestru interprets the dramatic literature of
some comediographers such as: Aurel Baraga, Teodor Mazilu, Ion
Băieșu, Dumitru Solomon, and Tudor Popescu validating their
spectacles eventually.
The chapter The Art of Directing brings together some
creation cards of famous directors: Dinu Cernescu, Lucian
Pintilie, Liviu Ciulei, Horea Popescu, Sanda Manu, Alexa
Visarion, Cătălina Buzoianu, Alexandru Tocilescu, Mircea Marin,
Mircea Cornișteanu, Nicolae Scarlat, Cristian Hadjiculea, Dragoș
Galgolțiu.
A last chapter of the book is devoted to some theatres in
Bucharest: The Theatre "Lucia Sturdza Bulandra", The Little (and
Very Little) Theatre and The National Theatre "I.L.Caragiale".
Each of these theatre institutions has very valuable activity
presented in a different way.
III.4.4 ABOUT OTHER CHRONICLES
Judging from the perspective of the cinema and drama
chronicles, Valentin Silvestru can be regarded as an authority in
the field of criticism, but not on the position of the dictator who
gives immutable laws and final sentences. Cutting sometimes
excessively but humorous also the chronicler supported with
aesthetic arguments the spectacological events and when
necessary with polemic vehemence.
III.4.5 VALENTIN SILVESTRU AMONG
CONTEMPORARIES
In the same line of professionalism in criticism can be
mentioned contemporaries of Valentin Silvestru: N. Carandino
and Radu Popescu. The writing of Carandino is erudite and
11
elegant, equally severe in the comments, reminding us without
exaggeration of the pencil of the chronicler Valentin Silvestru.
More sceptical than exalted, sadder than happier, Radu Popescu
dissects the dramatic papers and the shows placing himself on a
caviller's position sometimes malicious and unjust.
III.5 THE ANTHOLOGISER
III.5.1 THE PLAY IN ONE ACT
For a competent commentator of the Romanian theatrical
phenomenon The Anthology of the Romanian Play in One Act
comes to complete the activity of the chronicler and drama
historian.
This undergoing not at all easy is the result of assiduous
profound practical study on the Romanian drama in one act
forgotten overlooked simply unknown.
III.5.2 A PREFACE TO….HUMOUR
A theoretician but also a practitioner of humour, Valentin
Silvestru writes prefaces for and takes care of books and
collections of humoristic and satirical prose. Suggestively entitled
Under the Sign of Comedy, the two volumes of Romanian and
foreign humour selected and prefaced by Valentin Silvestru
reunite moments, dialogues, curtain raisers, one-act plays.
If Valentin Silvestru entitles one of his sketches volumes
The Cucumbers Fairy we can imagine that a preface to a satirical
prose collection The Pumpkins Are Getting Married came by
itself.The selection of the foreign satirical prose is made by Anatol
Ghermanovschi.
On an epistolary tone, the chronicler signs the preface of the
world satirical prose volume The Brick with a Handle edited by
the magazine "Astra".
With much consideration and love Valentin Silvestru
writes the preface to the volume of pseudocinematographic
sequences of his good old friend Petre Bokor, On My Cineaste’s
Word.
About another good friend and colleague, Bogdan Căuș, he
will write in the preface to the book The Pseudo Humoristic Pages
of an Inhabitant in Sărindar.
12
III.5.3 PREFACE AND POSTFACE TO VOLUMES OF
PROSE AND DRAMA
In 1974 when proposed by the editor of the Minerva
Publishing House, Mihai Dascălu, Valentin Silvestru accepts the
charge of the novella Hagi Tudose by Barbu Ștefănescu
Delavrancea.
A year after the death of the writer Romulus Guga a
theatre volume of his with a preface signed by Valentin Silvestru
is published. The chronicler achieves a sketch of the man
Romulus Guga identifying the psychological springs of his drama.
In 1985 The Eminescu Publishing House issues in the
series "Theatre Commented upon" two volumes signed by
D.R.Popescu edition cared for by Valentin Silvestru who selected
the plays, wrote the prefaces, took interviews of the author, chose
the critical references for each paper and opinions of the
playwright on theatre and of other playwrights on the writer. The
structure as a professional journalist of the chronicler, careful and
profound, gives the interview a literay social etical and aesthetic
character.
The series Theatre Commented upon continues with the
volume Night written by Mircea Radu Iacoban prefaced by
Valentin Silvestru in the form not at all surprising of a Letter to
the Author. To each play the chronicler, besides the personal
appreciations, attaches the most competent critical interpretations
of the colleagues.
The critic undertakes a genuine exegesis of Vișniec's
drama aesthetically, thematically, structurally, symbolically in the
preface to the volume The Pit in the Ceiling.
III.5.4 TOMA CARAGIU-IN MEMORIAM
Their three-decade friendship together with the
consideration he feels for Toma Caragiu caused Valentin Silvestru
to care for the memorialistic volume Book about Toma Caragiu;
he revised all the materials giving them unitary form; he also
reconstructed the Theatrography, wrote the prefaces, gathered the
contemporary Testimonies and selected the images. The editation
of the book follows a winding way obstructed by much
13
procrastination because its author, Petre Bokor leaves the country
in 1978.
IV. THE PLAYWRIGHT
IV.1 THE AUTHOR OF COMEDIES FOR THE
PUPPET SHOW THEATRE
IV1.1 UP TO DATENESS-OUT OF DATENESS OF THE
COMEDIES
The comedies of Valentin Silvestru must also be analysed
in the context of the communist era spirit. The obsession with the
formation of the new man was doubled by another one – the child
must be educated, moulded through work.
The playwright tries to achieve an analytic approach in his
comedies making appeal to the protagonists' feelings, emotions,
remorse, but the themes of his plays, the schematic structure of the
characters, sometimes their didactic spirit make question the
success of their representations.
IV.1.2 FROM THE TROUBLES OF THE POPPY, OF THE
WHEAT GRAIN, OF ȘURUBEL AND HARALAMBINA
THROUGH A DOMESTIC FIGHT TO THE RETURN ON
EARTH OF A FAIRY
The comedies for the puppet shows written by Valentin
Silvestru get perfectly integrated in the repertoire of the early '60s
through their simple intrigue, through their didactic moralising
spirit. We can now understand why the plays have been selected
in the repertoire of amateur theatres, and artistic brigades, being
sometimes awarded prizes in festivals and contests.
IV.1.3 TWO PLAYS AND A GREAT SUCCESS
The play The Three Wives of Don Cristobal (1961) marks
the artistic maturity of Valentin Silvestru's drama. Inspired by the
songs and stories of Federico Garcia-Lorca, it will be presented in
absolute premiere at the Theatre "Țăndărică" under the direction
of Margareta Niculescu.
The play is translated in Spanish, French, Russian and the
spectacle is a success both in the country and abroad in Spain,
Poland, USA, France, Turkey, Yugoslavia, URSS, Swiss land,
14
Jordan, Pakistan, Lebanon, Netherlands on the occasion of various
tours of the Theatre "Țăndărică".
Prompted by the manager Natalia Dănăilă, Valentin
Silvestru writes the comedy for the puppet show theatre Hercules
in the Search of the Golden Apples. The comedy with dramatic
situations draws upon mythology presenting the adventures of the
famous Hercules.
Valentin Silvestru writes a theatre truly destined to the
adults, which can be noticed both in the stirring and the
mythology inspired plays.
IV.2 THE AUTHOR OF SCRIPTS FOR RADIO AND
TV SHOWS, FOR FILMS ALSO
IV.2.1 THE SHOWS – CONFERENCE
The activity as a script writer of Valentin Silvestru is
materialised in the in original shows and show-conferences: The
History of Farce, Travel into the Latin America Theatre,
Discovery of the African Theatre etc.
IV.2.2 SCRIPT WRITER – RADIO SHOWS
His most important contribution on the Radio is to the
show The Cheerful Wave, precisely the Cheerful Mail, where he
formulates answers to absurd questions. The humour of the
correspondents arises from the seriousness with which he deals
with the oddest problems, enhanced by the voluntary humour of
the editorial stuff.
IV.2.3 TV SCRIPT WRITER
The scripts written by Valentin Silvestru are broadcast on
the National Television in the form of comedies: The Suffering of
a Horse, Mails Contest, The Party, Pandora's Box, The Thirst,
Lunch and Talks over, etc.
IV.2.4 FILM SCRIPT WRITER
The first script for cinema is devoted to the cartoon,
Hidden Cottages, produced by the Bucharest Cinema Studio. His
next collaboration with the studio consists in producing a full
length movie devoted to the actress Lucia Sturdza Bulandra, The
Day of an Artist. The World Is Having Fun is his third film, the
script being signed by Valentin Silvestru.
15
In 1973 he starts the saga Not the Shadow of a Ghost
produced in collaboration with Petre Bokor (co script writer and
director). The film truncated having the premiere on January 10th,
1977 meets the requirements of a comedy causing smile through
to farcical humour but uneven in value.
V. THE ANIMATOR OF THE THEATRE MOVEMENT
V.1 THE FESTIVAL INITIATOR
Valentin Silvestru , a never tired animator of the theatre
life, organised between 1970-1996 diverse festivals, contests,
galas, festivals, seminars or he actively contributed to their taking
place, he was a president, a vice-president, or a member in
specialised juries. The manifestations he coordinated bore the
mark of culture, decency, good taste, professionalism,
competence, correctness.
The animator Valentin Silvestru wishes for artistical
movements all over the country even in the small towns. There
have been founded festivals, symposiums, colloquies, seminars of
drama and theatre of the most varied type, dedicated to
outstanding writers, to fundamental problems, to national events.
V.2 FATHER OF THE FESTIVAL CONSTANTIN
TĂNASE FROM VASLUI
For fourteen editions (1972-1996) The Humour Festival
"Constantin Tănase"will have been organised and presided over in
the jury by Valentin Silvestru with one exception only the year
1990.Every single year he behaved as a genuine host with the
guest paying attention to all details.
Valentin Silvestru will also be the initiator and coordinator
of an important national cultural project „The Literary Circle of
the Humorists” (1994) gathering the best humorists all over the
country. After the initiator passes away, The Circle will take his
name, Valentin Silvestru. Similarly, having the same support, a
library of humour was set up within the Library "Nicolae Milescu
Spătarul” in the Department of Vaslui, with the signatures of the
writers alive, and a special hall devoted to the actor Constantin
Tănase in the interior of the Museum "Ștefan cel Mare" of the
Department.
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V.3 COPATERNITY OF OTHER CULTURAL
INITIATIVES
In June 1972, due to the initiative of the critics from the
"Ateneu" magazine of the Bacovia Theatre, of the A.T.M., but to
Valentin Silvestru equally, the first "Gala of Drama Recitals”
takes place as well as the first "Colloquy of the Theatre Critics".
As the comedy was in considerable ebbing and very few plays of
the kind were written Valentin Silvestru initiates to set up a
Comedy Festival in Galați. The name, daring for the authorities,
will change into Colloquy on the Art of Comedy.
Another shortcoming will lead to the idea of setting up a
festival ‒ the short play rarely appears on theatre posters, being
staged more often by amateur bands, even though writers went on
creating short plays and having them published in volumes of
complete works.
Together with the manager of the State Theatre in Oradea,
Emanoil Enghel, and some collaborators from the magazine "The
Family", Valentin Silvestru founds the "Short Theatre Week"
from Oradea, dedicated to the memory of Iosif Vulcan.
The Colloquy of the Young Directors in Bârlad (1976)
was born from the wish to stage good shows and to face the public
to the most recent problems of the theatre art. The collaboration
brought together the critics A.T.M. (Valentin Silvestru included)
and the Theatre in Bârlad.
Permanently preoccupied with the fate of Caragiale's
drama with the fact that his work was schematically sometimes
inadequately tackled with in the school curriculum, inspired by
the idea of some culture men from Craiova to organise The Days
of Caragiale, Valentin Silvestru agreed to it and as usual he got
involved in the turmoil of the manifestation.
In 1983 prompted by the idea of Valentin Silvestru, The
Festival of The Village Humour and Satire "The talk of the
Village"in Macea is organised and so is the first edition of the
Village Salloon of Humour.
17
The Present Day Romanian Drama Festival appears in
1980 thanks to the National Theatre Manager in Timișoara, Lucia
Nicoară, and to the theatre specialist Valentin Silvestru.
In collaboration with The National Military Circle, the
chronicler organises seven editions of the "Romanian Humour
Celebration" starting 1991.
Having true consideration and friendship to the playwright
Ion Băeșu, after his disappearance, Valentin Silvestru together
with The Inspectorate for Culture of the department Buzău,
manages to set up the Festival for Short Theatre „Ion Băeșu ".
In cooperation with the journalist Mircea Cavadia and
other members of the local Circle of humourists Valentin Silvestru
sets up the first edition of the National Festival of Humour for
young people in Reșița.
Deprived of the emblematic presence of Valentin Silvestru
some festivals died out, other lost the glamour they used to have.
VI THE PROFESSOR OF THEATRE
THE MENTOR
VI.1 THE CALLING FOR TEACHING
Since 1951 till the end of his days, Valentin Silvestru will
have been a teacher of forty-five generations of students.
Of the evocations of his former students there become
relevant his punctuality, seriousness, the professor's capacity to
encourage the students' personal opinions, patience, calm self-
confidence, the methodist's spirit, his erudition.
VI.2 THE ADVISORY ACTIVITY
For five decades Valentin Silvestru formed and modelled
generations of disciples. Actors, directors, script-writers,
playwrights, humorists, chroniclers, once passed through the
philter quite severe truly spaking of the mentor were sure to have
a successful career.
VI.3 VALINTIN SILVESTRU GOES ACROSS THE
PRUT RIVER
The opening of the border with the Republic of Moldavia
was a first step taken by Valentin Silvestru to the collaboration
18
with Romanian artists on the other bank of the Prut. Just as he had
done in the country, the chronicler tries to revive the theatre life in
Basarabia, participating in festivals, symposiums, colloquies,
congresses, writing drama chronicles. The same uncompromising
objective attitude towards the artistic act, the same impulse given
to the young people is to be noticed.
VII.THE PROSE WRITER
VII.1.THE AUTHOR OF SATIRICAL AND
HUMORISTIC SKETCHES AND SHORT-STORIES
VII.1.1.THE THEMATIC UNIVERSE
Novellas, sketches "sad and cheerful", moments, serials,
miniseries, "small sketches", "small pamphlets", one-act plays ,
stories "cheerful" and "thoughtful" are gathered in volumes with
suggestive titles: The Journal with Violet Pages, The Vase with
Beetroots, Not the Shadow of a Ghost, Why the Gepidae
Laughed…, Cucumbers Fairy, The Art of Hoodwinking, How Do
You Do?..., An Ox on the Railways, The Bones as Private
Property, Being on Short Commons, Smithereens.
The first prose writings by Valentin Silvestru are
propagandistic, serving the proletarian cult canons.
Starting the volume The Vase with Beetroots the schematic
structure is reduced, themes and narrative devices are developed,
the humour gains more and more terrain.
Incisive, in satiric to sarcastic tone, Valentin Silvestru
firmly fines stupidity, naivety, swagger, scandal mongering,
indolence, shallowness, chatting, irresponsibility, bureaucracy,
bad taste, improvisation, non professionalism. Under the
appearance of playful remark, the writer cuts away reality with a
surgeon's ability, disclosing slices of life cheerful and sad at the
same time, even tragic at other times. His sketches and serials
uneven in value are more satirical than humoristic.
VII.1.2.THEATRICAL VALENCES OF THE SKETCHES
The theatrical quality of Valentin Silvestru's sketches is
not speculative phenomenon, but certitude. The scenic structure of
some sketches is visible in the character almost dialogue-like, in
the reduction to minimum of the narrator, in the presence of
19
scenic directions, in the communication with the reader (the
spectator), in the dramatic tension, in the surprise element, in the
inclination to farce and social satire.
VII.2.THE TRAVELLER AROUND THE WORLD.THE
MEMORIALIST
VII.2.1.JOURNALIST AND CHRONICLER IN FOREIGN
LANDS
A notebook to take notes, appreciations, and impressions
always on him, Valentin Silvestru proves to be e true globe-
trotter, travelling around the country and some of the worldwide.
Accompanying various theatre troops and ensembles, the
chronicler was forever in search of where the Romanian theatre is
to be placed in relation to the international theatre phenomenon.
The first trip Valentin Silvestru undertakes in an interval of
nearly four months (1956-1957) is in the Soviet Union, in
Moscow and Leningrad. The theatre notes will be bound together
in a volume entitled From the Spectator's Armchair.
The second trip of the chronicler's will take place shortly
after the one in the Soviet Union, on June 16th, 1956 when
accompanying The National Theatre "I.L.Caragiale" from
Bucharest on a tour to Paris to represent Romania at the third
International Festival of Dramatic Art. The paper exhales an
intense patriotic feeling which Valentin Silvestru expresses when
he speaks of the Romanian Theatre's values and its fame beyond
borders.
He will also experience rich impressions in
Poland,Bulgaria,Iugoslavia,China,Austria,Italy,Albania,Finland,C
anada, The Democratic Republic of Germany, Greece, Mexico,
Hungary, The Republic of Moldavia, Brazil, Japan, and Spain.
The impressions dating the visit in Spain in 1970 will be
reunited in a captivating voyage memorial, 1000 Hours in Spain.
The author combines the travel journal with the tourist
reportage and the essay. The volumes attracts through its
erudition, humour, the sensational.
20
VII.3.ACTORS IN MONOGRAPHIES
VII.3.1.JULES CAZABAN
Whenever he is given the opportunity, Valentin Silvestru
dedicates memorable pages to the Romanian actors both in
periodicals and in volumes of theatre studies either because they
were brilliant in a part, that they reached the peak of their
profession or had a promising debut, or because, after passing
away, their life and activity in the service of theatre must get to be
known.
The monography issued in the collection Outstanding
Figures of the Romanian Theatre signed by Valentin Silvestru is
devoted to the memory of the actor Jules Cazaban.
In order to make authentic the aesthetic inclinations of the
roles interpreted by Cazaban the author resorts to the method of
the interview.
Valentin Silvestru draws a realistic portrait of the actor,
citizen and professor at the same time, through sobriety and depth
of analysis.
VII.3.2.BIRLIC
Valentin Silvestru is one of those who met Birlic, saw him
in tens of spectacles, movies, kept written records of his creation
for more than a quarter of a century, that is why he devotes to the
latter a consistent monography.
The author evokes short biographic passages of the artist,
but also offers a critical vision on a great artist, starting with
minor roles to the anthology ones.
In the monography dedicated to Birlic, Valentin Silvestru
combines portraying episodes with essay, critical appreciations,
interview, actor's statements and iconography.
VII.3.3.ALEXANDRU GIUGARU
The last monography written by Valentin Silvestru is
dedicated to a man from Moldavia, from Huși, Alexandru Giugaru
who he had known for more than four decades.
The author insists on the life of province, full of adventure,
wretched sometimes, drawing upon this experience in shaping the
21
characters he embodied on stage or in films, particularly the
heroes of Caragiale.
Meeting quite often the actor, Valentin Silvestru inserts in the
evocation of his childhood and the artistic evolution of the latter
fragments of the interviews given.
Valentin Silvestru brings arguments from the chronicles of
the time, especially from the magazine "The Theatre", which
come to confirm the value of the actor's interpretations, but also
from his volumes of theatre studies, a sign that his t6heatre and
cinema activity had been monitored in the run of time.
AS A CONCLUSION
In our approach we have tried to outline all the valences of
the theatre man Valentin Silvestru: chronicler and theatre critic,
journalist, satirical and humoristic prose writer, animator,
playwright, anthologiser, memorialist, monographer, mentor,
professor. We are not aware of how much we managed to touch
the crucial points of his activity but we certainly managed to show
that Valentin Silvestru fully identifies with the Romanian theatre
which he had loved since childhood with intense passion.
The drama critic and the chronicler, adopting a concise
cutting style often overlooks (or makes overlook) not few times
lyrical, essayistic, reflective pages.
In this paper we pointed out to the care of this chronicler with
infallible memory of not letting get lost everything valuable for
culture, of keeping good records spectacles, cultural movements,
evolutions of actors, of reviving old plays covered in oblivion
dust.
Also worth remembering are the artistic qualities of his
style: a sketch, a travel note or a chronicle can be read with the
same pleasure because Valentin Silvestru is a genuine writer.
We come to the end of our paper believing that we brought
a contribution to making known the activity of an outstanding
personality of the after war period, the theatre man -Valentin
Silvestru.
22
SELECTIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY
I. PRIMARY BIBLIOGRAPHY
WRITINGS BY VALENTIN SILVESTRU
1. THEATRE AND HISTORY CRITICISM
• Jules Cazaban, Bucharest, Editura Meridiane, 1964
• ***The Romanian Theatre Nowadays, collective volume
critical studies, Bucharesti, Meridiane Publishing House, 1964
• The Character in Theatre, Bucharest, Meridiane
Publishing House, 1966
• *** The Puppet Show Theatre in Romania, (collaboration),
Meridiane Publishing House, 1968
• The Presence of the Theatre, Bucharest, Meridiane
Publishing House, 1968
• *** Contributions to the History of the Cinema in
Romania (1896-1948), Ion Cantacuzino coordinator, Bucharest,
Romania's Academy Publishing House , 1971
• Shows in Ink, Bucharest, Meridiane Publishing House,
1972
• Handwritings on Curtains, Bucharest, Eminescu
Publishing House, 1974
• Clio and Melpomena, Bucharest, Eminescu Publishing
House, 1977
• Caragiale's Work Elements, Bucharest, Eminescu
Publishing House, 1979
• The Anthology of the Romanian One-Act Plays, (I-IV),
Cluj-Napoca, Dacia Publishing House, 1979-1982
• 19.30 O'Clock, Bucharest, Meridiane Publishing House,
1983
• A Decade of Theatre, Bucharest, Eminescu Publishing
House, 1984
• The Humour in Literature and Art, Bucharest, Editura
Meridiane Publishing House, 1988
• Birlic –a life lived on the stage, Bucharest, ,,Rampa şi
Ecranul” Publishing House, 1991
23
• Road Journal of a Theatre Critic, I, Bucharest, Meridiane
Publishing House, 1992
• Alexandru Giugaru, Inspectoratul pentru cultură al
judeţului Vaslui, 1996
• Road Journal of a Theatre Critic; (I-IV), Bucharest,
Palimpsest Publishing House, (2004-2006)
2. TRAVELS MEMORIALS
• From the Spectator's Armchair, Bucharest, Cartea Rusă
Publishing House, 1956
• The National Theatre ,,I.L. Caragiale” in Paris,
Bucharest, Teatrul Naţional Publishing House, 1957
• 1 000 Hours in Spain, Bucharest, Albatros Publishing
House, 1972
II. SECUNDARY BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. IN VOLUMES
1A.PAPERS ON THE THEATRE HISTORY, AESTHETIC
AND THEATRE CRITICISM
• Barbu, Nicolae, Moments in the History of the Romanian
Thatre, Bucharest, Eminescu Publishing House, 1977
• Bălănescu, Sorina, Landscape from Iași with Theatre
People and Spectacles, Iaşi, Princeps Ed it, 2004
• Berceanu, Patrel, Theatre in a Dialogue with Century,
Craiova, Aius Publishing House , 2006
• Berlogea, Ileana, The Romanian Theatre in the 20th
Century, Bucharest, The Publishing House of the Romanian
Foundation for Culture, 2000
• Boia, Lucian, Communism's Myths, Bucharest, Nemira
Publishing House , 1998
• Bokor, Petre, The Planet Silvestru, Bucharest, Viitorul
Românesc Publishing House , 1998
• Bujoreanu, Raluca, The Authonomy of the Puppet Show
Language, Iaşi, Artes Publishing House , 2008
• Buzău-Mihalache, George, Toma Caragiu's Youthful Age,
Bucharest, Vizual Publishing House , 1993
• Caragiu, Toma, Poems and Other Confessions, Cluj-
Napoca, Dacia Publishing House, 1979
24
• Carandino, N, Actors of Today and Yesterday, Cluj-
Napoca, Dacia Publishing House , 1973
• Carandino, N., Author, Plays and Spectacles (1966-1970),
Cartea Românescă Publishing House , 1973
• Carandino, N, Theatre X-Rays, Bucharest, Eminescu
Publishing House , 1976
• Cavadia, Mircea, Who Were You,,Mister Silvestru?,
Reşiţa, Timpul Publishing House , 1997
• Călinescu, Al., Open Libraries, Bucharest, Cartea
Românească Publishing House , 1986
• Călugăru, Geo, Toma Caragiu – The Magician, Bucharest,
Făt-Frumos Publishing House, 2006
• Cioculescu, Şerban, Caragialiana, Bucharest, Eminescu
Publishing House , 1974
• Cubleşan, Constantin, The Literary Work of Delavrancea,
Bucharest, Minerva Publishing House , 1982
• Cubleşan, Constantin, The Theatre –between Civical and
Ethical, Cluj-Napoca, Dacia Publishing House , 1983
• Diaconescu, Romulus, Theatre Spaces, Craiova, Scrisul
Românesc Publishing House , 1979
• Diaconescu, Romulus, Romanian Contemporary
Playwrights, Craiova, Scrisul Românesc, Publishing House, 1983
• Elvin, B., Modernity of Classical Caragiale, Bucharest,
Educaţia pentru Literatură Publishing House ,1967
• Faifer, Florin, Drama between Short Run and Long Run,
Iaşi, Junimea Publishing House , 1983
• Gâtză, Letiţia, The Romanian Puppet Show Theatre,
Bucharest, Comitetul de Stat pentru Cultură şi Artă, 1963
• Genoiu, George, Theatre Subjects, Bucharest, Meridiane
Publishing House , 1983
• Ghiţulescu, Mircea, The Book with Artists, Teatrul
românesc contemporan, Bucharest, Redacţia Publicaţiilor pentru
Străinătate Publishing House , 2004
• Iorgulescu, Mircea, Criticism and Commitment, Bucharest,
Eminescu Publishing House, 1981
25
• Iosif, Mira, Teatrul nostru cel de toate serile, Bucharest,
Eminescu Publishing House , 1984
• Marin V., Dumitru, The National Festival of Humour
,,Constantin Tănase” – 40, Vaslui, Pim Publishing House , 2010
• Măciucă, Constantin, Dramatic Motives and Structures,
Bucharest, Eminescu Publishing House, 1986
• Mălaimare, Mihai, The Chance, Bucharest, Polirom, 2006
• Mălăele, Horaţiu, Horaţiu about Mălăele, Bucharest,
Intact Publishing House, 2004
• Muscalu, Ion, The Sparkle, Iaşi, Danaster Publishing
House, 2009
• Neagu, Fănuş, The Second Book with Friends, Bucharest,
Sport Turism Publishing House, 1985
• Oprea, Ştefan, The Carriage of Thespis, Iaşi, Opera Magna
Publishing House, 2005
• Paiu, Constantin, Confidences at Arlechin, Iaşi, Junimea
Publishing House, 1985
• Popa, Mircea, Spain Discovered by Romanians, Cluj-
Napoca, Dacia Publishing House, 2007
• Popescu, Radu, Dramatic Chronicles, Bucharest,
Eminescu Publishing House, 1974
• Pracsiu, Teodor, Thalia's Hourglass , Iaşi, Junimea
Publishing House, 1985
• Pracsiu, Teodor, Critical Transpearances , Inspectoratul
pentru Cultură al judeţului Vaslui, 1997
• Râpeanu, Valeriu, Time's Memory and Faces, Bucharest,
Cartea Românească Publishing House, 1983
• Roznoveanu, Mirela, D.R.Popescu, Bucharest, Albatros
Publishing House, 1981
• Săceanu, Amza, Faţa nevăzută a teatrului, Bucharest,
Eminescu Publishing House, 1974
• Selejan, Ana, Literature in Totalitarism (1949-1951),
Sibiu, Thansib Publishing House, 1994
• Titel, Sorin, Looking for Cekhov, Bucharest, Cartea
Românescă Publishing House, 1984
26
• Tonitza-Iordache, Michaela, Banu, George, The Art of the
Theatre, Bucharest, Nemira Publishing House, 2004
• Ubersfeld, Anne, Key-Terms of Theatre Analysis,
translated by Georgeta Loghin, Institutul European, 1999
• Ulmu, Bogdan, Under the Theatre Sign, Bucharest,
Eminescu Publishing House, 1980
• Ulmu, Bogdan, Dictionary of Theatre Characters, Iaşi,
Timpul Publishing House, 2002
• Vasilescu, Alexandra, A Small Big Theatre, Craiova,
Scrisul românesc Publishing House, 1979
• Vasilescu, Stelian, I Believe in Theatre, Bucharest, Facla
Publishing House, 1975
• Vasiliu, Mihai, The History of the Romanian Theatre,
Publishing House Didactică şi Pedagogică, 1995
• Vişniec, Matei, Thje Chronicle of Tantalising Ideas,
Bucharest, Polirom Publishing House, 2010
1.b DICTIONARIES
• Academia Română, The General Dictionary of the
Romanian Literature, vol.S-T, Univers Enciclopedic Publishing
House , Bucharest, 2007
• Aurel Sasu, The Biographic Dictionary of the Romanian
Literature , I,II, Bucharest, Paralela 45 Publishing House, 2006
2. STUDIED PERIODICALS
• "Theatre” (1957-1989)
• "Theatre nowadays” (1992-2006)
• "The Contemporary” (1972-1997)
• "Literary Romania” (1972-2009)
• "Cinema” (1977-1989)
• "Tribune” (1960-1997)
• "Literary conversations” (1980-2006)
• "The Morning star” (1960-1997)
• "Family” (1972-2005)
• "Vatra” (1974-1983)
• "Ateneu” (1972-1989)
• "Chronicle” (1971-1998)
27
• "Astra” (1972-1980)
• "The branch” (1967-1989)
• "Horizon” (1975-1980)
• "Sparkle” (1972-1976)
• "Bucurest's Information” (1975-1980)
• "Literary Iaşul” (1954-1970)
• "Horizon” (1974-1980)
• "Star” (1985-1994)
• "Capital's Cultural Week” (1972-1974)
• "Literar and artistic truth” (1996-2002)
• "National Journal”, 2009, September 28th
• "Library”, 1993, nr.3-4
• "Botoșani Notebooks”, year V(1988), nr.12(72)
• "Critical notebooks”, nr. 7-8-9, 1992, p.125-126
28
