The Burning Gadulka

With humour and sarcasm, the musician tells a story about his relationship with the Gadulka. An instrument often overlooked and unremarkable in its appearance, it is in fact the backbone of the Bulgarian folk orchestra. By blaming the Gadulka and undermining its functionality and significance, the Gadulka player reveals the similarities between himself and the instrument. He takes us on a journey through the mysteries and fear we all face on a daily basis.
The performance is based on Bulgarian culture and reveals to the audience the characteristics of Bulgarian folklore, traditional dances and costumes.

“Sometimes the Balkans seem to me a terrible place, full of absurdities and severe apathy that disintegrates everything around. Other times I see their beauty and joy, a strange smile peering stupidly everywhere and makes you smile, go figure out yourself how and why.” Raiko Baichev

‘The Burning Gadulka’s portrayal of the struggle facing all proponents of folk culture in an increasingly globalised society is variously touching, sad and deeply comical.’ Judith Fagelson, Central and Eastern European Review

'The Burning Gadulka is poignant satire of a very Bulgarian sort – as if Aleko Konstantinov’s 19th-century Bay Ganyo has been revisited as a 21st century Bulgarian folk musician. While brimming with humor, this play also presents deeply true and heart-wrenching explorations of what Bulgarian culture, Bulgarian identity or even the Bulgarian soul, if you will, has become in this post-socialist period of transition, poverty and emigration. And who would have thought the panda could become a symbol of Bulgarian melancholy? Yet Rayko Baychev makes this link seem perfectly natural…' Angela Rodel, Executive Director of The Bulgarian Fulbright Commission