Tracing the Footsteps of a Role: Apostol Karamitev’s Henry IV in the Archives
Tracing the Footsteps of a Role: Apostol Karamitev’s Henry IV in the Archives

Summary/Abstract: Luigi Pirandello’s plays, one of the leading representatives of the grotesque school, hold an important place in Bulgarian theatre history, despite being relatively few in number. The staging of his works at the National Theatre over the years can be described by notable productions from directors such as Nikolay Masalitinov, Aleksandar Ikonografov, Encho Halachev, and Teddy Moskov. However, the performance of Henry IV at the same stage in 1970 stands out, particularly due to the exceptional portrayal by actor Apostol Karamitev. This paper examines the significance of Karamitev’s performance within the context of Pirandello’s play, which juxtaposes the comic and tragic, while exploring the philosophical themes of identity, illusion, and reality. The text traces the historical development of Pirandello’s works on the Bulgarian stage and analyzes Karamitev’s nuanced acting by looking back at the archives. Apostol Karamitev’s role in Henry IV became a defining moment in Bulgarian theatre.

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