Socialist Realism as Cancel Culture for the Bulgarian Scenographic Practice

Abstract

The paper presents some emblematic examples from Bulgarian theatrical history, in which the culture of rejection has been ruthlessly applied even to artists loyal to the regime. One of the most significant ones is with scenographer Svetoslav Genev. For the first time in the history of Bulgarian theatre, a set designer became a managing director. He rose to this position thanks to his personal qualities and ambition as well as to the strong Communist connections his family had. During the period of his directorship, he created one of the most impressive designs for a theatre performance, rejecting Socialist Realism as an official method in arts. Despite his strong positions in Communist Pary, after the Prague Spring everything, he was largely thrown out of public life.

Keywords

• bulgarian theatre history
• vili tsankov