Legacies of Enslavement: Theatre Review of The Great Shame

Authors

  • Oana Rusu Actor and PhD student, University of Arts, Târgu Mureș; research assistant at Lucian Blaga University in Sibiu, Romania

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29098/crs.v9i1.211

Keywords:

Ancestors, Expressiveness, Slavery, Theatre

Abstract

In this article, I review The Great Shame, a play by Alina Șerban, a Romanian Romani playwright and actor. My analysis focuses on the central theme of the play, namely the enslavement of Romani people in the historical Romanian Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia. While telling a contemporary story about academic engagement with the theme of enslavement, the play sheds light on reminiscences of the past in society, particularly institutionalised and interpersonal racist behaviour, censorship, and the perpetuation of stereotypes.

Author Biography

  • Oana Rusu, Actor and PhD student, University of Arts, Târgu Mureș; research assistant at Lucian Blaga University in Sibiu, Romania

    Oana Rusu is a PhD student in her third year at the University of  Arts in Târgu Mureș, and she  also works as a research assistant at Lucian Blaga University in Sibiu, Romania. In addition to her research activity, Oana Rusu collaborates with independent artists and Romani feminist NGOs in various socio-cultural projects in underprivileged areas. In 2019, the Government of Romania awarded her the Distinguished Artist prize for artistic performance and the promotion of Romani culture.

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Published

11/25/2025

Issue

Vol. 9 No. 1 (2026): Racialized Slavery in Moldavia and Wallachia: Legacies and Silences

Section

Arts and culture

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Oana Rusu

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How to Cite

Legacies of Enslavement: Theatre Review of The Great Shame. (2025). Critical Romani Studies, 9(1), 204-214. https://doi.org/10.29098/crs.v9i1.211