Nothing that happened at that theatre was by coincidence. There was something unique about it from the very beginning. The Little City Theatre was born when society was greatly unhappy and unsatisfied with itself. The difference being that while society kept repeating how ill it was, the theatre kept proving it was alive. And like the Phoenix, when it was almost turning to ashes and would tell itself that everything was over, it started from the beginning, it spurred back into motion and all of a sudden the weaknesses made a new body. Society was still cringing. Companies would form then begin to hate each other and fall apart, one would find the core of evil in what until recently had been a friendly face. What could not have happened to society happened to the Little City Theatre. Society started from scratch every time, while the theatre would always step ahead from where it had last left off. Concepts changed:
We shall do anything - We shall be anything.
With the best directors - Without the best directors.
With externals - Without externals.
With the young - Without the young.
And once again from the very beginning - but with greater wisdom - of course together with the best directors and of course without the dictatorship of the company. Of course we need to have the young, but we will be the once to raise them, we will give to them and take in return. And finally - the last taboo which was to fall, and I hope once and for all - every performance needs the best, regardless where it is to be found - whether in the company or outside it.
I hope that this is the great sense of my being with the company - in the process of its opening up, the fall of any taboo it had started with and which the idiotically dynamic time simply crushed one after the other. In this theatre everything develops unlike other theatres. Even its architecture seems to violate any accepted theatrical models. From the street you go straight to the circle. It's not until you go downstairs that you actually get to the auditorium. The house seats only 220 and that is the optimal number amidst which one could feel compassion. Relaxed to the extent that all seems to be fit especially for you. The foyers are small and there is no urge to stay in them. The actors come on stage and one has the feeling that they are right beside you, so close and still a life so insuperable. This stage does not allow one to lack motivation, that is impossible.
The performance is our God. As if the theatre exists solely for the existence of this particular performance. And it seems that it all ends after the end. And then again. I think that THIS IS THE MODEL. Theatre exists only to witness this amazing moment. If we are to say why the change came about so quickly in this theatre, and let us say without any modesty - so efficiently, if it could not happen to everyone in society, it is because the people in this theatre carry the art within. Art is the most perfect part of life It has always been a step ahead and life follows - if somewhat slowly and clumsily."

I might well claim that this is the theatre of the current situation. Nobody has ever proposed to me to make the theatre that I would really like to. The model is to extent a closed one. We are trying to create a company, to build our autonomy, to provide the spiritual harmony in these crazy days we live in that would allow us to make theatre. Because theatre is before all the act of creating harmony. And that is quite a hard task when we are all devastated and ravished. (...)
Over the past two years we have tried out different types of dialogue with the audience, discussing a variety of problems and issues, and always through serious dramaturgy. We have never allowed ourselves any compromises. In this sense we are optimists. Perhaps incurable, but then again - this is the only way one could go on living."
Interview by Penka Kalinkova, "Continent", July '92

"The reason we put on classical texts lies in the questions frequent asked recently: who am I, why have I lived, why do I live, what am I, the need to think of ourselves as we are, in the inevitable comparison to the world, and it is truly there - on the premises of the thinking and feeling person, that any differences of time and religion and race disappear. And hence the possibility for theatre to be itself appears - another sense, another opportunity to relate emotions, feelings, dreams, where speech fails, and be sub-text rather than text."
"Kultura", May '91

"I have always believed that theatre should be made where it was created. Of course it is very nice to also meet people from other countries for art is about meetings."
Interview by Rada Balareva, "Kultura", April 91

"The Little City Theatre was definitely an artistic phenomenon in a particular cultural environment. I am convinced that this phenomenon has artistic features of its own and they could carry it through time. They are by no means personal priority but something else - a kind of spirit."
Interview by Rada Balareva, "Kultura", April '94

"Our theatre is the youngest in Bulgaria. It was born with the beginning of democratic processes in our country. To a great extent it is like walking in the dark tunnel. And perhaps that is why all of our efforts, all of our successes and mistakes have had a single goal, a single excuse to find the way, the way to the big Road which leads to the Temple."
Speech at the European Theatre Convention, Bologna, Nov. '91

"The major danger a newly established theatre is faced with is to be the next theatre in the row. Little City Theatre "Off the Channel" is unique also in terms of the balance between creative team and staff. Efforts are directed to the performance and not to the provision of those who work at the theatre. The actor is versatile - not only part of the performance but dealing with at least 3 or 4 tasks, and feeling
like the author of life in his own theatre."
Interview by Alexander Sekulov, "Maritsa", March '92

"Pinter's coming to Bulgaria is in fact a homecoming. After he had been radically attacked, quite efficiently so, and through the performance too, it was truly amazing to see how this slippery as an eel, untouchable, experienced in slipping out man simply finds all the traps which he could have expected when opening up to us. After the performance he fell fro them with pleasure in our discussion, but we fell into just as many traps - it was quite a hunt."
Recorded by Dimitar Petkov

"...There is something incredible about sharing the feat called theatre - the performance at the Little City Theatre "Off the Channel". In the fact that the spectator is made to feel from the very entrance as "His Majesty The Spectator", and that this evening is all for him. Once into the world of the performance, the spectator realises that he will share the "majesty" with the Actor and that here - in this theatre - the Actor is everything."
Elvira Popova, "Theatre" '91

"Little City Theatre is all marginal - "Off the Channel" is no longer merely a topographic term but full of content. The festivity off the channel lacks conditionality and becomes underground. An underground brought out to the light, both under the ground and open - so much like the ancient amphitheatres. Politicians (perhaps some MPs too who think that politics are the "art of the possible" often visit the Little City Theatre and its jazz club) are looking for the way to Europe. When Europe is right next to us. Just off the channel."
Robert Levy, "Literaturen vestnik", April '91

"Little City Theatre "Off the Channel" always tries to provide fresh challenges, but rarely are they unbearable - or rather, they are within the aesthetic capacities of our audience. The theatre is not a shrine and the actor is not a priest. Little City Theatre is its own future employee and perhaps it will soon find its own property too - its audience. They in turn will have their own theatre. Or perhaps this has already happened?"
Romeo Popiliev, "Fax", April '91

"… the score of directors and programmers of major theatres in Paris, Centre for Contemporary Art "George Pompidou", the management of AFAA and ONDA, journalists, decided to show in Paris "the best independent company" - Sfumato, and "the striving theatrical family" Off the Channel, which reminded of the good old days of Jean Vilar. Then it was the turn of the Artistic Director of the Autumn Festival to land in Sofia. She had heard from her colleagues that there was good theatre in Bulgaria. And so Borislav Chakrinov and the company of the Little City Theatre "Off the Channel" ended up in the programme of the Autumn Festival and the Odeon - Théâtre de l'Europe, along with Patrice Chereau, Klaus-Michael Gruber, Merce Cunningham, George Russel, Wajda, Gzegozevski, Jarocki.
Paris proved to be a small town. By word of mouth people heard that something was going on at Beaubourg, some Bulgarians were on there, it was a must… Peter Brook himself came for the first time to Beaubourg to see them. Chakrinov's "Ubu" became for the French symbolic of contemporary Bulgarian dodecafony. They liked the emotional and so energetic Bulgarian actors. They claimed that had the tour continued for at least a month longer the major success would have become ultimate. Because that is what Paris is like. One has to make the point with them, and that takes time. But what counts is that the first brick has been laid. And that two Bulgarian companies were the first to turn Beaubourg into an attractive venue for theatre connoisseurs after Tadeus Kantor."
Rada Balareva, "Kultura", Oct. '91

IN THE EYES OF THE AUDIENCE "There is a great deal of eroticism in the air of the theatre and it is due to the art of seduction - it manages to keep the audience. I do not know if they have a collective "Diary of the Seducer"... but they might as well could. The company not only managed to find its own audience but to also test it, to crucify it with the elaborate qualms of the soul in "That So Familiar and Craved for Dream" and the painful spasm of communication in "The Homecoming" to the dexterous juggling (which by no means is for juggling's sake alone) with street sex-lingo in Mamet's play. The theatre is constantly playing with its audience, challenging its senses, and in return is watched with patience and love. Same goes for the critics - for now. "Watching" for the audience Off the Channel starts not with stepping into the auditorium, but when arriving at the theatre. He is taken care of from the very entrance. The mere presence of the actors introduces an element of game, despite that they are in fact either at the cloakroom or the buffet. This almost physical contact is to an extent embarrassing. The spectator is used to the "critical" distance to the actor on stage or on screen, which allows even to "gossip". And now his conventional comfort has been disrupted. He has no time to try to realise whether they are acting or not. If I dare interpret this initiative of the theatre as a project, I must admit it has succeeded. And till he walks out of the theatre, the spectator is constantly and unobtrusively attacked to be seduced. He "takes part". The interest here lies with the spectator as an issue, as a structural element of theatre. Not only as a one-time glance which brings the stage to life, but "watching" as theatre. The "one watching" takes part in this theatre, he "makes" it."
Violeta Decheva, "Kultura", Dec. '91

"Little City Theatre feeds our modest ideas for an intellectual centre at least at Central European level. The entire evening creates the feeling with the spectator that this is all because and for him. Borislav Chakrinov's managerial skills would have been worthless had it not been for his taste for repertoire, his choice of guest directors and most of all - his directing talent."
Dimitar Staikov, "Demokratsia", Jan. '92

"Another achievement of "Reigen" is that it presents the company as one whole. (...) Such a beginning is equally necessary to Off the Channel as it is to theatre at large. On stage it is now obvious that this is a theatre that does not rely on the past or the future but hurries to show the current moment for art may be eternal but the company is far from that. It has its birth and years of glory. After that it either would become an established theatre or... Though now it is neither threatened by one or the other."
Vessela Grueva, "Theatre", Feb. '92

"Before we say anything about the quests of Borislav Chakrinov as director we should admit that in the years of hardship he managed to pull together a company of talented actors and dramatists, to create a unified, not torn apart by internal discrepancies, hypocrisy or pompous conceit theatre company."
Lubomir Tenev, "Kultura", July '92

"Little City Theatre "Off the Channel" confirmed its ambition to grab the torch of excellence which the Army Theatre dropped. This season ended with a few Askeer awards, but they by far are not the only signs of success. The company is among the few to pride in consistent and thorough repertoire policy."
Anelia Yaneva, "Sega", July '97

"Little City Theatre "Off the Channel" obviously regards its repertoire as one project. One could regard each new performance at the theatre as elements of a consistent series, as the realisation of a strategy which has a shared agenda."
Nikola Vandov, "Kultura", March '99

"Our audience is best fit for romantic dramas, claims and proves Vazov. What suits our audience today? Romance, romance, Off the Channel reply. For several seasons now they have been seeking the modern clothes of the "romantic" in all its variations - both the proclaimed and the illegally present, the classical and the modernised."
Aglika Stefanova, "Literaturen vestnik, May '99

MANAGING DIRECTORS
Borislav Chakrinov 1990-93
Russi Chanev 1993-95
Bina Haralampieva 1995-

DEPUTY DIRECTORS
Ilka Zafirova 1994
Mladen Mladenov 1994
Valentin Ganev 1994
Borislav Petranov 1995-99

DRAMATURGS
Alexander Zhekov 1990-94
Roza Radichkova 1990-94
Yuri Dachev 1995-2000

STAGE MANAGERS
Koicho Koichev

ACTORS in the resident company:
Aneta Sotirova 1990-
Antonia Malinova 1990-94
Valentin Ganev 1990-95
Vassilena Atanassova 1995-
Victor Kalev 1994-95
Vyara Kolarova 1994
Georgi Roussev 1990
Diana Chelebieva 1990-97
Eva Demireva 1990-93
Emil Kotev 1990-
Jivka Gancheva 1995
Iva Deleva 1994-95
Ivan Laskin 1994-97
Ivan Petrushinov 1990-
Ilia Raev 1990-
Ilka Zafirova 1990-
Irini Jambonas 1994-
Itzhak Finzi 1990-
Kalina Popova 1990-93
Kiril Slavov 1994-95
Koina Russeva 1994-95
Lidia Vulkova 1990-
Maya Dragomanska 1990-
Maria Sapundjieva 1995-
Nevena Mandadjieva 1990-93
Nikolay Kostadinov 1990-94
Petar Popyordanov 1990-94
Petar Russev 1994-95
Plamen Zahov 1996-
Prodan Nonchev 1990-
Rashko Mladenov 1992-94
Russi Chanev 1990-95
Sashka Bratanova 1990-97
Stefan Iliev 1990-
Stoyo Mirkov 1998-
Tanyo Marinov 1990-
Hristo Mutafchiev 1995-

GUEST ACTORS
Denitsa Koicheva
Carla Rahal
Marin Yanev
Margarita Duparinova
Marius Kurkinski
Snejina Petrova
Tanya Kazandjieva
Yavor Dachkov

DIRECTORS
Alexander Dimitrov
Andrey Avramov
Alexander Morfov - as co-author
Bina Haralampieva
Boyko Bogdanov
Borislav Chakrinov
Valentin Ganev
Georgi Kaitzanov
Elena Baeva
Elena Tzikova
Zdravko Mitkov
Zlatko Pakovic
Ivan Dobchev
Ivo Siromahov
Ilian Simeonov
Krikor Azaryan
Lilia Abadjieva
Margarita Mladenova
Nikolay Polyakov
Nikolay Lambrev
Plamen Markov
Roussi Karabaliev
Stoyan Kambarev
Yavor Gurdev

DESIGNERS
Boris Stoinov
Varya Uzunova
Vassil Abadjiev
Vecheslav Parapanov
Georgi Popov
Ekaterina Eneva
Yossif Bojilov
Krassimir Vulkanov
Lubomir Bubarov
Marina Raichinova
Maria Dimanova
Mladen Mladenov
Nevena Kavaldjieva
Nikola Toromanov
Petrinel Gochev
Petya Stoikova
Stilian Totev
Chaika Petrusheva
Zoya Gencheva

COMPOSERS
Assen Avramov
Danko Yordanov
Mihail Shishkov
Petar Radevski

CHOREOGRAPHERS
Margarita Gradechlieva

PHOTOGRAPHERS
Albena Kovacheva
Photo Studio DARSS
Ivo Hadjimishev
Iglena Rousseva
Zafer Galibov
Simon Varsano

TRANSLATORS
Andrey Jishev
Boyana Petrova
Valeri Petrov
Vladko Murdarov
Ivailo Danailov
Irina Ilieva
Cornelia Dareva
Krassimir Mirchev
Maria Kupenova
Slavi Shkarov
Sofia Totseva

POSTER ARTISTS
Andrey Gradechliev
Daniela Sergieva
Margarita Goranova
Hristo Alexiev