Partnership between TNRS, the Sibiu Psychiatric Hospital and ARPP: theatre and mental health in dialogue with the public

The “Radu Stanca” National Theatre Sibiu (TNRS), the “Dr. Gheorghe Preda” Clinical Psychiatric Hospital Sibiu and the Romanian Association of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (ARPP) are carrying out a partnership aimed at building bridges between theatre and the field of mental health. A first result of this collaboration materialized on the occasion of the premieres After Forgetting by Cosmin Stănilă and Vater / The Father, directed by Dumitru Acriș.

“Theatre is also a space of healing, and in a hurried world, the stage becomes the place where we meet ourselves and where we learn, together, to preserve the health of our souls. Everything we do is done with the audience in mind—because the audience is our purpose, and every performance is a form of care for people,” said Constantin Chiriac, General Director of TNRS and President of the Sibiu International Theatre Festival.

A Q&A session held after the performance transformed emotion into a lucid and profound dialogue. Starting from the vulnerable relationship between a son and his mother, who is on the brink of memory dissolution, the meeting with the audience opened a broader reflection on contemporary theatre that chooses to explore illness in order to translate it into universal emotional experiences. The discussion focused on the stakes of information and awareness, as well as on the possible therapeutic role of theatre, as a form of honest encounter with the fragility of each of us.

The special guest of the evening, Associate Professor Dr. Ciprian Băcilă, Medical Director of the “Dr. Gheorghe Preda” Clinical Psychiatric Hospital Sibiu and President of the Romanian Association of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, drew attention to the importance of the time we devote to ourselves—time dedicated to our passions, so essential for achieving psychological balance. He spoke about a form of mental hygiene, about the need to cultivate time and space for our small pleasures, as an act of emotional prevention and self-care. In this context, theatre was invoked as a possible tool for reflection and even as a resource that could be integrated into medical education curricula, precisely because of its ability to humanize extreme experiences.

The collaboration between the Sibiu National Theatre, the “Dr. Gheorghe Preda” Clinical Psychiatric Hospital Sibiu and the Romanian Association of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy also materialized on the occasion of the premiere Vater / The Father, when Dr. Ciprian Băcilă supported the creative team so that the actors could gain a deeper understanding of the phenomenon and translate it authentically on stage.

“I would like to welcome the initiative of the ‘Radu Stanca’ National Theatre Sibiu. This week, the institution presented two premieres that addressed mental health issues. I firmly believe that, at this moment, art is one of the most effective means of conveying authentic anti-stigma messages, and that through culture, education regarding mental health in society can be achieved,” stated Associate Professor Dr. Ciprian Băcilă.

Cosmin Stănilă’s return to Sibiu on the occasion of the performance After Forgetting, based on the text All the Things Alois Took from Me, previously presented within the Sibiu International Theatre Festival, gained new depth with his assumption of directing his own dramaturgical project. As the creator himself confesses, this dual positioning helped him develop simultaneously as an actor, director and playwright. Sunday evening once again confirmed that After Forgetting functions as a living organism, constantly rewritten through each encounter with the audience and through the open dialogue between art, memory and everyday life. The Q&A session was moderated by Associate Professor Dr. Andrei C. Șerban, literary secretary of TNRS.