The National Theater "Marin Sorescu" is with Mrs. Monique Banu-Borie at the departure of Mr. George Banu, illustrious personality of the European theater, consummate professional of illustrating and defending one of the most ancient arts of humanity.
George Banu was the apprentice, mentor and friend of so many personalities of the Romanian theater, from Andrei Șerban, Silviu Purcărete to Radu Penciulescu, but also worldwide, from Jerzy Grotowski, Giorgio Strehler, Ariane Mnouchkine, Peter Stein, Eugenio Barba, to Peter Brook, in the pose of the accompanying Friend of the Prince, as he defined himself in his last book published and launched in 2022 at the National Craiove - "Horatio's Tales". Giorgio Strehler once made this confession to him: “George, nobody listens better than you”. Peter Brook, with whom he shared a lasting search through the theater of the world, synthesized the enigma of human life in the last discussions they had - "What is silence made of?". The two great friends will share from now on the same unique answer, in the proximity of the enigma that dispenses with human reason.
His credo, displayed right in our theater on the occasion of so many events in which he took part, was this: “I believe that the function of a critic, of an essayist like myself , is to remain available, to perceive what an artist produces and sense his identity. It's a belief, but it defines me... I'm a liaison.”
Friendship and fidelity were the major carats of a life dedicated to the theater, and the attachment to these imperishable figures of the European theatrical art, to the values created on the Stage where life passes into another dimension have a unique meaning for this complex personality of the theater of the 20th century , respectively XXI. His books remain testimony to his deep passion for theater and art, filtered by a refinement that made George Banu an acclaimed stylist.
Last but not least, his friendship towards our theatre, constantly proved by the major projects in which he was involved with dedication and professionalism, the International Shakespeare Festival and Hektomeron 2020, make him unforgettable for the entire theatre collective of Craiova, who bow their heads today at his passing into eternity.
God bless him.
