Top publicly-funded theaters in Bucharest sold 328,000 tickets in 2016, according to data compiled by news agency News.ro.

The National Theater in Bucharest sold a total of 160,000 tickets last year, the highest number among institutions surveyed by News.ro. The institution also handed out several tens of thousands invitations to its performances last year. The theater, which opened a refurbished building in 2015, counted among its premiers last year Matei Visniec’s Requiem, directed by Alexandru Dabija; The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, based on Mark Haddon’s novel and directed by Bobi Pricop; Medeea, My Mother, directed by Bulgarian Ivan Dobcev; and Shakespeare’s King Lear, directed by Georgian David Doiashvili.

Puppet theater Tandarica sold 80,000 tickets in 2016, 30,000 less than in 2015, when it recorded 110,115 paying spectators. The Comedy Theater sold 48,000 tickets last year, when it premiered seven shows, including The Little Prince, directed by Alexandru Dabija; Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, directed by Gelu Colceag; or Matei Visniec’s Nina or the Fragility of Stuffed Seagulls directed by Alexandru Maftei.

The Nottara Theater, which last year held performances in various locations after its hall located on Magheru Blvd was labeled as first class of seismic risk category, sold 40,000 tickets. In October 2016 the theater moved back to its old location and hosted one of last year’s most significant events, the International Boulevard Theater Festival FEST(IN).

News.ro requested tickets sales information from other top Bucharest theaters, namely the Bulandra Theater, the Jewish Theater, the Mic Theater and the Excelsior Theater, but did not receive answers.

According to the 2015 Cultural Consumption Barometer, theater performances are increasingly popular with local viewers and the number of ‘non-consumers’ declined by some 14% over the last decade. Women go to the theater more often, as well as those aged under 34 and those with a higher level of education.

Bucharest also has an active independent theater scene, and several festival dedicated it, such as the Undercloud – International Festival of Independent Theater or the National Independent Theater Festival.

editor@romania-insider.com