Burgas's Adriana Budevska Drama Theatre premieres "Tatul", based on Georgi Karaslavov's novel, tonight at 7pm. Antoaneta Krastnikova returns to the Burgas stage as Mariola.

The premiere date was announced two weeks ago, on Wednesday, and tickets were already on sale.

Earlier on this story: Burgas Drama Theatre stages Karaslavov's "Tatul" on October 28

Bogdan Petkanin directs. Stoyan Pamukov, Lyuboslava Marinova, Marin Apostolov, Zlatko Angelov, Asen Lozanov, Stefan Ivanov and Kaloyan Todorov appear alongside Krastnikova. Tihomir Blagoev and Boris Dikov alternate in one of the roles.

The play has been staged in Bulgaria only once before, also in Burgas, in 1964.

Petkanin told Bulgarian National Radio he first wanted to stage Elin Pelin's "Earth". It has been made into a film but never played on stage: the text is not written for the theatre and needs dramaturgical work first.

He says "Tatul" is not a theatrical text either. Karaslavov built the novel from his own observations and memories, and from stories, retellings, jokes and chatter he heard in the tavern, on the street and at the market in Slivnitsa and the area around it. The novel claims to be based on a real case, but the director says the true story did not end this way. A crime story pushed the author to write it.

Few theatres can stage the text, Petkanin says. "Staging this material is impossible without a Mariola, that is, a lead actress who fits the part both in skill and in age, because this role does not allow for interpretation," he said. Of Krastnikova he added: "In this case we have one, and she is an incredible professional."

The second performance of "Tatul" is on 18 November.