On Friday, August 1st at 10:00, on the occasion of the City Celebration Days, at the Social Assistance Directorate Timisoara we experienced a special moment in the company of 60 people – beneficiaries of the center, especially vulnerable adults, but also members of the general public, young people attracted to theater and the profound theme of the Revolution.

The questions that were floating in the air from the beginning – How do we still talk about freedom today? What do solidarity, democracy, courage mean to us? – set the stage for an intense artistic experience. The performance-reading “And yet… I don’t remember it being like that”, performed by the Rareș Rusan actors, led us into a world where collective memory intertwines with personal suffering.

The text, based on real testimonies of those who lived through the Revolution in Timișoara, managed to convey a vivid image of those days: a Timișoara of courage, silent resistance, and sincere solidarity. Through the actors’ performances, the audience was carried through a tense, sometimes painful story that highlighted betrayal, mistrust, and the fragility of human relationships in an oppressive regime.

One of the most disturbing moments was when the main character confronts his past and discovers that his “duty to the regime” could overshadow even his loyalty to his family. In the form of a confession, the question “How do you still live with the revelation that your loved ones were your supervisors?” reverberated strongly in the room.

At the end, the participants were visibly moved, and many of them expressed their desire to speak, to share their thoughts and their own memories related to that period. It was more than just a show – it was an exercise in memory, empathy and collective reflection.

Photo credit: Cosmin Neață