Homo Ludens Journal is a specialized publication about performing arts. It comes out once per year in a volume of about 400 pages. It aims to follow and cover the more recent trends in Bulgarian and world theatre as well as to present some key theses of theatre theory and history. In parallel, the journal covers the most prominent events from the current theatre life.
Homo Ludens Journal is issued by the Guild of theatre researchers and playwrights which is a voluntary association at the Union of Bulgarian Actors (a non-governmental, public organization of the various theatre professionals) and Homo Ludens Foundation. Its publication started in 2000. The journals’s editorial board is made up of personalities engaged in different fields of theatre theory and practice: Prof. Krasimir Spasov, Prof. Kameliya Nikolova, Prof. Svetoslav Kokalov, Prof. Nikolay Iordanov, Prof. Anna Topaldzhikova, Assoc. Prof. Rumyana Nikolova, Assoc. Prof. Asen Terziev, Angelina Georgieva, PhD. The journal’s designer is Venelin Shurelov.
Every issue also features different guest editors.
Homo Ludens Journal has the following traditional rubrics: PERSONALITIES where interviews with actors, directors, set designers, playwrights, etc., who are drawing the attention of the audience at the moment by their work, are published; IN MEMORIAM is a rubric under which materials about deceased artists of the present or the past of Bulgarian and European theatre are published; ON THEATRE STAGES is the rubric covering topical events from Bulgarian and European stages; DISCUSSIONS is a rubric featuring problems and discussions valid as at the present; WE PRESENT TO YOU is a rubric under which we make comprehensive presentations of some key artists from the history and the present of world theatre; 20th CENTURY ARCHIVE presents theatre theories or practices of historic importance; THEORY/HISTORY publishes significant studies contributing to the theatre theory or history; HOMO LUDENS CLUB publishes a discussion on the most topical problems of theatrical life held immediately before the journal gets printed; TEXT FOR THEATRE publishes plays by Bulgarian authors with priority. IN FOCUS is the main thematic rubric for each issue.
Homo Ludens Journal aims to present – by information materials, comments, interviews, and analyses – the history and the present of drama theatre, puppet theatre, dance, pantomime, TV drama, etc. Special attention is paid to interdisciplinary stage forms as well as to some theatre practices that are less known in Bulgaria. Its editors’ principled position is the assertion that Bulgarian performing arts are a natural part of the general movement of European cultural process and thus the efforts are directed at the exchange of information, ideas, and partnerships. European and world theatre events, organizations and networks are presented. By publishing translations of theoretical, historical and methodological materials the journal is also of educational nature and has some educational objectives aiming at young people studying the in field of theatre art.