{"id":442561,"date":"2016-09-22T08:15:03","date_gmt":"2016-09-22T08:15:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/?p=442561"},"modified":"2016-09-22T08:18:53","modified_gmt":"2016-09-22T08:18:53","slug":"theater-window-prison-life-sentenced-detainees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/theater-window-prison-life-sentenced-detainees\/","title":{"rendered":"Theater- the window in the prison for life-sentenced detainees"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 5<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

It was the beginning of August, when I was invited to get to know several life-sentenced detainees from 17th Penitentiary in Rezina. What means to be a sentenced for life was known to me only from movies, while the journalist job was obliging me to not have any prejudices or expectations. I knew one thing for sure- the ideas about those people would possibly tangle my discussion with them. We departed for Rezina without knowing what surprise I would meet. <\/p>\n

On the bank of Nistru, on Nistrean\u0103 street 1, a high wall of stone in two levels is guarding. On the upper level, rows of barbed wire are installed. We arrived. After careful checks, the guards allowed us to enter. The Penitentiary seems like a labyrinth, one with immaculate white walls, narrow hallways and some sky seen through a dense net of metal. The court where the detainees have access to is an exception. If the windows of the cells didn’t have bars, if guards were lacking and if I couldn’t feel the curious looks of the detainees, I would forget where I was. <\/p>\n

We are going to the cell of Sergiu, Maxim and Lilian. “They soon have to eat”, I learn from the guards. After abrupt stairs and dark hallways, I was asking myself how their cell could look, but I finally found a room like the one I had in the dormitories from Timi\u0219oara. With the exception that the detainees had their personal toilet, improvised a small kitchen, arranged the cell with all the necessary stuff, shelves, drawers, a table, TV and so on. Lilian, former farmer, grows flowers in his cell, while the bars can be barely seen. He gave me one flower. <\/p>\n

They emotionally met us. “You arrived too early! The food is not ready!”, says Sergiu a bit worried. He quickly improvises some snacks. In five minutes, on the table between the beds, our hosts arranged some snacks and cups with coffee. Maxim was busy cooking potatoes with vegetables. <\/p>\n

\"Sergiu

Sergiu (Author: Nicolae Pojoga\/ Source: newsmaker.md)<\/p><\/div>\n

All three of them will play Hamlet, directed by Lumini\u021ba \u021a\u00e2cu. Sergiu will play Hamlet himself. He seemed to be the most outspoken, quickly entered the discussion with me. He tells me how disappointed is he by the press of Moldova, about how journalists search for the exceptional where it is not, dramatize even if there is not need to, his roommates bow their heads as approval and tell one joke. “You don’t need to describe everything in dark colors, because it is not. Together with my cell mates, we participate at different socio-educational programs since 2004. The group grew a bit until we became 11. The invitation of Mihai Fusu was addressed to all the detainees, but not all of them wanted to participated at these activities. Each of them has his own life goal and specific priorities. Somebody likes football, someone doesn’t want to participate. You can see us, the ones who wanted to participate with all my heart. Since the beginning, I didn’t know what piece we would play, but we learned that it is Hamlet written by William Shakespeare. We were emotionally touched, we though we wouldn’t cope with it”, says Sergiu.<\/p>\n

-Did you know about Hamlet? <\/strong>
\n-Some of us yes, some less. I can’t say that everyone has studies. Now we study for each scene in particular. I will not lie, I studied it in school, but I can’t remember anything from the piece. But, reading it once, twice, for three times, you start to get to the essence, you learn the characters, you understand the main idea Shakespeare had. We work a lot, our goal is that the viewers believe in what they will see. They need to feel what we want to show them.
\n-You have been working for four months, but how was the beginning?<\/strong>
\n-The rehearsals started in May. Every time, we tried to learn ourselves better. We watched Hamlet shows directed by famous directors like Franco Zeffirelli, to understand what they wanted to show and their view on the piece. Hamlet is very interesting, but also complicated. Each of us would understand differently moments and scenes from the show. That is why we will have our version, which you will be able to watch on September 15th, here, on the territory of the penitentiary. We invite you!
\n-You play Hamlet, right? How were the roles distributed?<\/strong>
\n-Yes, I have an important mission, I play Hamlet, the prince of Denmark. All of us were curious who will play whom, but the choice was finally made by the directors. Nevertheless, before they made the decision, they asked us to write on a paper whom we see in which role. To be honest, 80% of the team members wrote that I have to play Hamlet. So, there were roles coinciding with the vision of the director.
\n-I understand that these role suit you, to a certain extent…<\/strong>
\n-Yes, we are similar. I realized this after I had learned the character better. I will be sincere and honest- I wanted to be precisely Hamlet. I knew I could take this role. It is a complicated role, but I hope I will cope and I will not let my team, the directors down. Actually, I am sure.
\nStill, what traits of Hamlet coincide with yours?<\/strong>
\n-It is a sensible character, this fact can be seen from how he suffered because of his father’s death, the marriage of his mother with the brother of his dead father. This fight for truth which every normal human takes; the quality of going till the end to obtain something, to not give up… These are the qualities that associate with my personality.
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Maxim Tcaci, the house cook, was arrested on March 30th 2005. At that time, he was only 21. According to the Center of Journalistic Investigations (April 2005), “the police tried to attribute extraordinary merits for the arrest of the two, but intentionally skipped many details, pretty important, that preceded the tragedy. (…) The public opinion was told only that Petru Badicico and Maxim Tcaci, both residents of Chi\u0219in\u0103u, took the weapons from the Central Sport Club of the Army, with which, in an exchange of fires, they killed officer Sergiu Coipan”. During detention at the General Police Commissariat, Maxim was beaten and violated by the policemen. On December 8th 2005, Appeal Court of Chi\u0219in\u0103u found Maxim guilty of committing murder, organizing a criminal group, fraud and condemned him for life detention. <\/p>\n