The Children’s Palace has been active in Bistrița for 75 years. It is a place where children spend most of their free time learning with joy, discovering their passions and cultivating their talent. The Children’s Palace is staffed by a group of well-prepared teachers who offer activities which complete and develop children’s knowledge gained from the formal education system in a playful and modern way, making learning fun for them.

There are 10 activity circles, ranging from creative writing, journalism, theatre, to Romanian traditional dances and even electronics where children can create their own robots, learning how electrical circuits work. Each of these activities are free and are open to children with ages between 7 to 19 years old.

Diana Cristina Morar is the manager of Children’s Palace in Bistrita and she is an artist. Mrs. Morar graduated from the ‘University of Art and Design’ in Cluj-Napoca and she currently works with children in Bistrița, teaching them different techniques in art. She also runs a blog at dianamorar.wordpress.com .

The presentation at the begining of the event. Image: Diana Dunca.

The main event celebrating the Children’s Palace 75th anniversary on May 6th was the stage performance of the play ‘Suicide clinic’ by the Helios theatre team whose activities takes place whitin the Palace of Children. At the opening of the show, Diana Morar gave a speech reflecting on the results of this project over the years, which gained the name ‘Children’s palace’ in 1990. The institution has hosted competitions, art expositions, book launches, debates and many more. It has also been involved in volunteer and Erasmus projects.

Diana Morar described Suicide Clinic as a ‘comedy about serious issues’. The author of this dramatic text is Gabriela Mihalache, and it tells the story of several people of different ages who believe their problems are unmanageable and decide that the easiest way to resolve them was to end their lives.

The play begins with the nurse, played by Cristina Harsan-Iuga preparing the business for opening. In the backround, we see the photographer, portrayed by Maia Cozma, along with the two negotiators played by Ana Somesan and Maria Dreptate. After a while, Eugen Furtuna, an angry, mean, and volatile man, interpreted by Bogdan Boancăș, storms in the room demanding to see the doctor. However, he is told to sit in the waiting room because he doesn't have the money to pay for the procedure. Another victim of a harsh life enters, an old woman unhappy with her toxic marriage, played by Magda Ivan. The next patient seeking death is a young man living with his overbearing mother, played by Marian Vlăduț. Throughout the play, each patient is eventually convinced that life is worth living with the help of the doctor disguised as a patient, portrayed by Giulia Hâruța.

Suicide Clinic performance. Image: Petra Sicoe.

The young actors are coordinated by Antonia Orban-Sima, a graduate of the Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca. Ana Someșan, a member of Helios theatre team, says: ‘At first, I had no real intention of pursuing this activity. Despite my closed-minded attitude, Mrs. Anto made me feel special and made me believe that I actually had talent. She made all of us feel this way. Thanks to her, I was able to overcome some of my social anxiety and my fear of stage fright. This club holds a special place in my heart because it's a safe space where I finally feel like I can be myself without any doubt.’