Pe data de 19 mai 2024, în cadrul Festivalului Internațional Shakespeare Craiova, a avut loc ceremonia de acordare a titlului de DOCTOR HONORIS CAUSA din partea Universității Naționale de Artă Teatrală și Cinematografică „I. L. Caragiale” București către Declan Donnellan și Nick Ormerod, regizor și, respectiv, scenograf britanici.
Laudatio a fost scris și citit de lect. univ. dr. Răsvana Cernat, directoarea Departamentului de Regie Teatru, din cadrul Facultății de Teatru, UNATC.
La ceremonie au participat rectorul UNATC, Liviu Lucaci, membrii Senatului UNATC (președintele prof.univ.dr. Doru Nițescu și membrii: prof.univ.dr. Bogdana-Adina Crețu, prof.univ.dr. Liviu Lucaci, prof.univ.dr. Mihaela Sîrbu, prof.univ.dr. Alexandru Sterian, conf.univ.dr. Radu Mircea Apostol, conf.univ.dr. Mihaela Bețiu, conf.univ.dr. Anca Bradu, conf.univ.dr. Ștefan Caragiu, conf.univ.dr. Andrei Gorzo, conf.univ.dr. Anca Ioniță, lect.univ.dr. Andrei Rus, conf.univ.dr. Daniel Stanciu, lect.univ.dr. Romina Boldașu, lect.univ.dr. Vlad Ioachimescu, lect.univ.dr. Bogdan Mustață, lect.univ.dr. Gabriela Suciu-Pădurețu), invitați internaționali și studenți ai universității.
LAUDATIO
Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, dear friends and collegues,
It is my privilege and honor to present this laudatio today, devoted to two vivid theatrical legends and dear friends of Romania.
But at the same time, I find myself in a predicament. Mr. Donnellan believes that for the really important things, words do not work; they are ineffective. This is very true but utterly useless for what I am intended to do, which is to capture in words what these two exceptional artists mean for the world of theater. Therefore, please bear with me; I will try my best.
Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod are famous for the lasting mark they have left in the world of theater through their innovative and dynamic performances. They redefined theatrical boundaries, in productions transcending cultural and linguistic barriers, highly acclaimed by the public. Additionally, their unique approach to directing and design, where the scenography crystallizes during rehearsals, through and in the presence of the actors, created some of the most memorable performances in contemporary theater.
Their theatrical vision emphasizes the vitality and carnality of human experience, making their interpretations of classic texts both timeless and profoundly relevant to contemporary audiences
Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod’s paths crossed early. Both were studying law at Cambridge University and both wanted to make theater. They met in 1972 for an amateur production of Macbeth, in which they were performing small parts. Mr. Donnellan was 19 and Mr. Ormerod 21 and, as they would later remember – it was love at first sight. Together they decided to abandon the path of becoming barristers, in order to fulfil their common passion for theater. It turned out to be much more complicated than they expected, especially for Mr. Donnellan, who couldn’t find work in any theater institution. As a result, besides doing all sorts of small jobs, he started working in fringe theater.
The two didn’t start working together until 1979, but it clicked right away. A couple of years later, they decided to form a company, so, in 1981 Cheek by Jowl was formed. Coincidence or not, the phrase “Cheek by Jowl” first appeared in Shakespeare’s time, and Shakespeare incidentally used it at one point in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Thus, the deep connection between the artistic destinies of Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod and the universe of Shakespeare is engraved in their artistic DNA. But the name of the company is also a metaphor, speaking about the immediate reality of the condition of artists on tour, huddling together, along with props and the scenery elements loaded in the vehicle they travel in.
Due to this itinerant condition they had to develop a specific artistic approach, a minimalist style, which, over time, has become one of the hallmarks of their art. Travelling incessantly and constantly lacking funds (at the beginning), Cheek by Jowl needed to be compact, flexible, and cheap to operate.
Their first breakthrough came in 1981, with the staging of “The Country Wife” by William Wycherley, which caused a sensation at the Edinburgh Fringe. Following that smashing success, they were invited to perform abroad, and from there on, the rest is history. Throughout the years the company offered a diverse repertoire, intimate, bespoke versions of core English plays alongside important European texts. From Sophocles through to Corneille and Racine, everything fell into place: Mr. Ormerod’s sleek, minimalist designs coupled with Mr. Donnellan’s irreverent yet nuanced direction earned them a reputation of revealing the subtle details and complexities of classic texts while challenging conventional beliefs that surround them.
The two artists believe that theatre is fundamentally an actor-led art, where the director’s primary role is to nurture the health and vitality of the ensemble’s acting. They don’t select the texts they decide to stage based on a conceptual choice, but in relation with what play would best suit their actors. This actor-centric approach fosters a lively and warm rehearsal environment, offering actors complete artistic freedom. Mr. Ormerod’s design philosophy is minimalistic yet very powerful, focusing on the essential elements that spark the audience’s imagination. He avoids elaborate sets, believing that too much scenery can hinder the creative engagement of the spectators. This stark aesthetic requires meticulous decision-making to ensure every element on stage is necessary and purposeful. Mr. Donnellan stated in one interview that Nick Ormerod and he don’t design with any concept, except to know the play very well. The design evolves on the rehearsal floor, in the presence of the actors. The two artist’s collaborative process is devoid of rigid concepts, emphasizing experimentation during rehearsals. This approach enables a dynamic and evolving production that remains true to the essence of the play.
Declan Donnellan takes pleasure in highlighting the everlasting relevance of classic texts, such as the first English-language staging of Corneille’s “Le Cid” and Racine’s “Andromache,” by boldly bringing on stage deliberate anachronisms. Such techniques along with the grace of rigorous internal coherence, acquire poetical vibrations.
But the cornerstone of Mr. Donnellan and Mr. Ormerod’s creation remains the plays of William Shakespeare. The duo has staged more than half of his plays. Upon being asked why they keep returning to Shakespeare, Mr. Donnellan answered “because he enables us to explore our lives and the lives of our audience”.
During the 1990s, the Chekhov International Festival repeatedly invited Cheek by Jowl to perform in Moscow. The deep admiration for the duo’s innovative approach and highly regarded method of working with actors led to the commissioning of a dedicated Russian company under Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod’s direction. With this new company, they staged several productions, including Boris Godunov, Twelfth Night, and Three Sisters. Similarly, when Peter Brook invited them to work at his legendary Bouffes du Nord Theater, they established a French company and staged Andromaque by Racine and years later Ubu roi by Jarry.
While most directors fiercely guard their own secret formula, Declan Donnellan generously shares the breakthroughs he and Nick Ormerod achieved throughout their long journey in rehearsal rooms. This unselfish endeavor gave birth to two fundamental books “The Actor and the Target” and “The Actor and the Space”, which explore the ephemeral art of acting, providing a refreshing and radical theoretical tool for any theater practitioner.
In recognition for his ground-breaking work and services for the arts, Mr. Donnellan has received multiple awards in the UK and abroad. In France, he was made a Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters. He was the first non-Russian director to be awarded the prestigious Golden Mask in Russia. In 2016, Mr. Donnellan won the Golden Lion for lifetime achievement in theatre at the Venice Biennale. And in 2017 he and Nick Ormerod were appointed Officers of the British Empire.
In Romania they came for the first time in the late ’80s, with “The Tempest” and “Philoctetes.” They found great pleasure in being here. They befriended members of the Romanian theater community and were stunned when, perhaps a year later, they saw their friend Ion Caramitru in a BBC breaking news report about the Romanian Revolution. Later on, they came on a regular basis to our country. In 1994, their phenomenal production “As You Like It” opened the first edition of the Craiova Shakespeare Festival. Afterwards they returned frequently to this city and, to the great delight of both the theater goers of this beautiful city and the theatrical community in Romania, they staged two productions at the National Theatre in Craiova. As a token of great esteem, the municipality of Craiova granted them last year the title of Citizens of Honor.
Mr. Donnellan, Mr. Ormerod, for all you offered to the world and to us, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
