Alexander Morfov >> works >> theatre productions >> On the Edge | NT Bulgaria 

On the Edge

Ivan Vazov National Theatre of Bulgaria, Sofia 

premiere 16 April 2015, Main stage 

Author and director 

Set designer 

Costumes

Composer 

Choreographer

Stunt advisor

Video

Photographer 

Duration 

Orchestra:

Cast: 

Alexander Morfov 

Nikola Toromanov 

Tita Dimova

Assen Avramov

Anna Pampulova

Assen Assenov

Yavor Vesselinov

El Nikolaeva 

80 min.  

Slav Bistrev – doublebass 

George Palikarski – violin 

Samuil Pavlov – accordion

Deyan Donkov, Renny Vrangova, Valery Yordanov, Darin Angelov, Deyan Angelov, Plamen Peev, Teodor Elmazov, Albena Koleva, Stoyan Alexiev, Hristo Petkov, Velislav Pavlov, Radena Valkanova, Iliana Kodzhabasheva, Albena Stavreva, Ivan Yurukov, Leart Dokle, Eva Danailova, Blagovest Blagoev, Dimitar Nikolov, Simeon Galabov, Zlatina Nikiforova 

     A group of people meet on the roof of the building they live in and witness a friend of theirs jump from a roof across the street. They stare into the dirty city, talk about life in desperation. Convinced that their friend took the best decision, they take hands and jump all together.
     As they fall, passing the worn, ugly facade of the building, a new scene reveals the boxes of soviet panel apartments. People there have hidden from the world, each of them absorbed in his thoughts about an insurmountable personal crisis – the widow, the jobless one, the unaccomplished writer, the wife of the unfaithful husband, the young couple, the lonely woman, the soccer fan… A cascade of thoughts throws us into the new day on a busy street. Life goes on in cycles, repeated actions and lines, repeated sounds, repeated anger. The street is the inevitable curse – where the weak are mocked and abused by the rich. Towards the end of the show the normal person is now an inhabitant of the landfill. Their common faith created a small community that celebrates the new year with findings from the street bins. These ragged and shabby people are the last Bulgarians – all the rest have left to a better life abroad. Difficult life has taken away the child from its parents, the loved one from his partner, the brother, the friend, or the stranger that you used to greet each morning on your way to work. 

     “On the Edge” is an emotional response to the social environment in Bulgaria in the past decades. Morfov originally intended to stage a classical text about Odysseus’ journey far from home. As he began rehearsals he encountered so many personal stories about young and capable people leaving the country that he altered his idea, showing the other side of the story – what happens to those who decide to stay.
     Reading the reports of the European Commission is not necessary. Corruption is everywhere in Bulgaria, mafia-protected figures occupy major political positions, the judicial system is helpless and the common man is getting more and more isolated from business interests, moral decline is extensively imposed. Their children leave the country to seek better living, rarely call or send money as life is difficult everywhere around the world. The five-piece production incorporates physical and dance theatre features and reveals its message through very short but recognisable repartees – the arrogant nouveaux riche, the exhausted housewife, the gang from the neighbourhood, the desperate father – all of them standing on the edge of a high building, ready to jump into a better reality. 

Every leaving plane is a marked by a moment of silence. It is a sudden realisation that we are abandoned to fight poverty and injustice alone. 

video: Yavor Vesselinov 

video: Ivan Yurukov 

   “On the Edge” is an emotional common improvisation about what is happening in Bulgaria. It is a requiem for the country, for a disappearing nation. Our nation has existed for 1300 years but is now melting because of brutality, avarice, meanness, weakness and constant opposition. Bulgaria is melting. We are barely surviving in the cynic environment. With “On the Edge” we are expressing our sorrow for the lost traditions, celebrations, continuity – anything we tried to teach our children. Those values are lost and we are faced with inclusion in the Red list of extinguished species.”

Alexander Morfov 

 “How beautiful the moon is! But is it worth it as a reason  

to live?.. You idiots! You thieves! You villains! You… you

ruined this country! You monsters… I can take no more.”   

AWARDS: 

Icarus Annual Theatre Award, given by the Union of Bulgarian Actors, 2016 - Excellence in technical realisation 

Askeer Annual Theatre Award 2016 - Best Production 

REVIEWS: 

"A requiem for a fading nation. Those words Morfov used a few months ago to describe his new project. The story of a nation that proudly and unitedly stands against the stormy winds blowing into its face... I hope that among the audience there will be more than those few politicians who are taking pride in their success for imposing the "modern democracy" and that those politicians will not only get the hint but also the furious slap in the face that they deserve for what is happening in Bulgaria. Applause!" 

Morfov Stands "On the Edge" of a Fading Bulgaria | chernomore.bg, 17.04.2015

"Morfov gathers his people around a table of carton boxes and dresses them in clothes from the garbage. An old box of chocolates turns into a laptop and runs Skype - the only connection between parents and their children. A lot of people in the hall are now laughing with tears in their eyes because it's their reality - daily convincing their own children to never come back home. Those who are left in Bulgaria are challenged to jump because life on the edge is, from one point on, unbearable."

"On the Edge" by Alexander Morfov | Alisa Clementine, alisaclementine.com, 17.04.2015

"Morfov's play with emotions is deeply touching, he pulls the heart strings as if they are elastic bands, jumping from one extremity to another. I would not comment his typically opulent sound, light and smoke effects, but just say "On the Edge" is a show to see in one breath. Well, maybe more than one but only because the tears running down your throat will often stumble with your breath." 

A Nation on the Edge | Irina Belcheva, irinabeltcheva.com, 17.04.2015

"Morfov is among the very few artists who are independent and non-conformists; an artist who can express his views not just in an interview but from the stage, using words that are far from aesthetics or socially polite hypocrisy. It is a mystery how much more straightforward an artist should be, how much more detailed his show should be, to bring us down to earth. Cry and laughter are indiscernible in the hall in rise of a wave to change history."

On the Edge of the Genius - with Morfov | Daniel Dimitrov, novinite.bg, 17.04.2015

"Ladies and gentlemen, monsters, handicapped and beggars, imbecile nouveaux riches and hipsters! The genius of Alexander Morfov and the actors of the National Theatre's company proudly present the reality, or "Fcuk this country!", or - in short - "On the Edge"."

"On the Edge", or Morfov about Bulgaria | Ivan Shipiev, via-magazine.com, 19.04.2015

"Morfov is loved, even worshiped by the educated and thoughtful audience - the one that doesn't fall into an uncontrollable giggle from vulgar gags. Whatever he does, he does it with scale."

What Do You Do When You Find Yourself on the Edge of the Abyss? | Elena Raynova, lovetheater.bg, 20.04.2015 

"The epilogue is strangely life-enhancing in contradiction with the saddening and somber prophetic dream that the production is. As if we are dreaming with eyes open and seeing through some unclear veil our own misery staged by Morfov as a musical piece with almost no words or dramaturgy. Some scenes are impressive, some are touching and make you shed a tear, and then suddenly you laugh. Morfov-style."

We Jump with Morfov from the Edge of Desperation | Mariana Parvanova, monitor.bg, 21.04.2015 

"If there is anyone in Bulgaria who knows how to fill a huge stage, his name is Alexander Morfov. He is skilled enough to use all levels and dimensions, admirably introducing us to а structured chaos. He is the master of visual theatre fairy tale - a fairy tale today suppressed by numerous ideologies and incapabilities... Bulgarian theatre should be thankful to Alexander Morfov and his latest production."

On the Roof | prof. Georgi Kapriev, kultura.bg, 24.04.2015 

More: 

Morfov - Tender Craze on the Edge | Diliana Dimitrova, ploshtadslaveikov.com, 17.04.2015

One Step Beyond the Edge and Back | Maria Kasimova, webcafe.bg, 19.04.2015  

Full House Tonight at Morfov's "On the Edge" | Albena Atanasova, standartnews.com, 21.04.2015

On the Edge with Morfov, or the Garbage Container of the Disappearing Bulgarian | Violeta Tsvetkova, trud.bg, 22.04.2015  

Morfov Shows the Free Falling of the Bulgarians | Irina Gigova, novinar.bg, 22.04.2015 

Will We Survive the Edge? | Zornitsa Ilieva, duma.bg, 22.04.2015 

"On the Edge" Is about Leaving the Motherland, Leaving Life, Leaving Your Own Self | Sabina Vasileva, segabg.com, 23.04.2015 

Life "On the Edge", or Problems of the Little Man According to Morfov | Rositsa Tsoneva, armymedia.bg, 24.04.2015

After "On the Edge" the Only Thing Left for Us Is Making Sense | prof. Georgi Kapriev, dnevnik.bg, 25.04.2015  

On the Edge | Teodora Dimova, kultura.bg, 05.05.2015 

Long Live Bulgaria! On the Edge | prof. Vassil Stefanov, ploshtadslaveikov.com, 06.11.2015