Drama, Drama, Drama!

Honestly, the article title is not random. When we first received the task, our whole team was both excited and terrified. After all, the Drama Theatre of Plovdiv is one of the most reputable institutions of its kind, and the fact that it sits in the heart of one of Europe’s oldest cities didn’t make things any easier. We also had to put aside the thought of redesigning something created by Gancho Ganchev, the theatre’s in-house designer for over 50 years and a master of poster design. So yes, the whole process was dramatic. To put it mildly.

It began with a long, almost day-long conversation with the theatre’s team – how could we interrupt someone speaking with such passion about their life that it made us want to cry and think, “Will I ever talk with such passion about something I’ve done?”. Then came extensive research, a deep dive into their archives, and a heartfelt studio visit with Gancho Ganchev himself. By the end, we felt ready to move forward – and if we were going to do this, we decided to go all in. We agreed to create a custom typeface, redesign the logo and mascot, and develop not only their visual identity but also their tone of voice.

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The original logo featured two griffons holding the city gates, with a subtle hint of a curtain inside. We loved the idea but wanted to refine it. That led to redesigning the griffon nearly 100 times, simplifying it to a single figure while hinting at the curtain in its wing – keeping it both elegant and authoritative. The final griffon stands proudly on its ground, just as the theatre has endured through the decades.

Meanwhile, Pavel Pavlov created the first typeface version, giving us the freedom to push the visual elements to a more finished stage. Of course, we called the font Drama. It is a low-contrast typeface with flared serifs, combining classical Roman capitals with the lowercase proportions drawn from modern grotesque sans-serifs. Both contemporary and timeless, perfect for the theatre’s new face.

After a brief pause, we returned to the theatre for more inspiration – and it didn’t take us too long to find. Everywhere we looked, we discovered traces of neoclassical and art-deco(esque) elements: in the corridors, balconies, and on the stage. We turned these subtle details into illustrations and key elements marking the foundation of our visual system. Both digitally and offline.

Finally, we turned to the verbal identity. The theatre already had a headline they loved (Come to the theatre. It’s nice.) – they didn’t want to change it. But we saw an opportunity to deepen the message – because going to the theatre isn’t just nice – it presents a repertoire of emotions. It can be dramatic, sad, romantic, and more. That’s why we developed a series of topical headlines and a complete verbal system to bring that vision to life.

Last but not least, we reimagined their online presence with new storytelling lines for social media, giving their world a stronger, more expressive voice. And if you are a fan of not-your-typical merch and of our work so far, stay tuned. We have prepared a whole set of accessories just for you.

The project is realised with financial support from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, New Generation of Local Policies and the Municipality of Plovdiv.
*As this is an ongoing project, we might come back and add some words here.