The Gasteni Theatre is formed of actors, performers and musicians who live and work in a neuropsychiatric recovery and rehabilitation centre in north-eastern Romania, named CRRN Racaciuni.
The theatre’s aims are to challenge Romania’s attitude towards disability, mental health issues and institutionalization. They also advocate disability rights throughout the country and support the work of disabled artists.
The main way that the theatre group gets their message across is by performing in other care institutions throughout the country, local venues, as well as national arts festivals and disability-related conferences.
The group’s motto is the song ‘I am the Same as You’ – which they perform when touring.
The Gasteni Theatre started in 2001, when the centre’s director, Dr. Ovidiu Necula - wanting to develop the centre’s residents artistic skills - asked Mary Turner, from Action Space Mobile (UK) to set up a small theatre group. Soon after, a performance was devised and toured Romania. For over ten years, the Gasteni Theatre has used combined arts to stimulate the performers’ creativity and self-esteem. They have developed a strong portfolio of work, working alongside artists and professionals from Action Space Mobile, the Muzika Charitable Trust (UK) and the Relief Fund for Romania (UK).
The group is coordinated by the artistic director, Vali Racila, along with four combined arts workers.
“At first we were shy and a bit too scared to perform. But the centre’s director said ‘Something good must come out of this.’
With the right encouragement, we were able to perform in front of the public. We realised we could be artists.” (Danut Ripa, performer)
“My hope is to help develop [other] such groups with artists from care institutions throughout the region.” (Vali Racila - artistic director)
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