The Puppy Laughed
A one-man show starring SEVAR IVANOV
Translation: Bogdan Rusev
Stage adaptation and direction: Ana Bateva
Music: Stefan Zdraveski
Design: Hristo Hristov
Photographer: Stefan Zdraveski
Based on the novel Ask the Dust by John Fante
Arturo Bandini is a striking example of the way ego can corrode and destroy, swiftly driving a person away from reality. Dreams take the place of reality, as self-admiration and narcissism reach their extreme.
In his desire to be liked by everyone, Bandini seems to be left alone in his own struggle for recognition. And as the character circles in a vicious cycle, Fante reminds us:
“The world is a myth, a transparent plain where everything lasts only a little while... In truth, we are not alive at all. We merely come close to life, but never truly attain it…”
The novel Ask the Dust was also adapted into a film in 2006, starring Colin Farrell and Salma Hayek. Charles Bukowski, who wrote the novel’s foreword, says that this very author inspired him to become a writer.
Awards and selections
- Best Actor Award at the AlbaMono International Theatre Festival, Albania (2024)
- Best Actor Award at the Parade of Winners International Theatre Festival, Mongolia (2024)
- Best Actor Award at Summer Cult Fest, Kosovo (2025)
- Selected for BABEL FEST (Romania), as part of Krakow Fest, Poland (2026)
- Special “Prespa Dionysus” Award at the Actor of Europe International Theatre Festival, North Macedonia
- Best Actor Award at the first edition of the International Theatre Festival in Durrës, Albania (2026)