Suitcases

SUITCASES – Plovdiv Drama Theatre, Bulgaria

Concept and direction: Nedyalko Delchev

Suitcases is a street theatre performance created by one of SEAS longstanding artists Nedyalko Delchev from Bulgaria and actors from the Plovdiv Drama Theatre.

He originally went on a DATE with Lotte Van Der Berg to Antwerp and his initial concept for a SEAS project was a giant turtle or tortoise that would move slowly through the town, connecting different parts of the city.  His final concept used the idea of moving through a public space and the idea of a large, curious object: not a tortoise but a giant suitcase!

The performance has two elements.  A procession through the main street of the town or city by the seven actors who pull a huge ‘machine’ with them.  Eventually this is abandoned in the street and the actors continue, carrying suitcases, interacting with the audience, local shops, sculptures and a general public is a series of semi-improvised actions. Engaging, humourous and including Bulgarian songs and clowning, the Suitcases processions always proved extremely popular and brought the audience the giant Suitcase standing in a public square or space.

The Suitcase (over three metres square and two metres tall) is a kind of ‘museum’ containing 1,000 every day artefacts and objects from the Communist times in Bulgaria (including films, stills, music etc.)  Many of the objects are from Delchev’s own family. The museum stays open to visitors throughout the day as an independent object-installation in its own right.  The audience has the opportunity to explore the contents of the giant suitcase, speak to Delchev and the other actors and even contribute an object of their own.

‘What is in a “life time” suitcase? There are layer after layer, ex-dreams, former lovers, poems… Herbarium of fantasies, meetings, partings, rises, falls… There is the truth about us. A suitcase is the proof we have been… Here and there. ‘  Nedyalko Delchev.

Suitcase by Plovdiv Drama Theatre