Relatives

„Mockery inflicts wounds. Regardless of whether we are mocked or whether we mock ourselves. What does it mean to get a promotion? Are we promoted because of our merits, or because we are useful to someone, somewhere? When we are promoted, we often fall. The fall inflicts a wound. Some people stay on their feet. We envy them. Mockery is often envy. When we are mocked, we react. We get confused and fall.

Panama. How much easier it is to tear down a country than to build it up. Endre Ady, writing about a country in 1899, says that »in the future map of that country there will be a white spot in its place, with the inscription: it was a country, but it was embezzled«. How many embezzled human lives are there in an embezzled country? What can we do with our embezzled lives?

What happens to a person who suddenly wakes up and realises that what they dream of is possible? What happens to a person who is led to believe that great things are waiting for them? What happens to a small person whose dreams become embezzled? What happens to us when our faith can be embezzled for money and recognition?

Many periods of transitions for a single lifetime. Ideologies change, the how, the definitions. The language of power shifts with it. There was a time when, after revolutions, intellectuals used to think that they were the ones writing the language of power. There are times when the intelligentsia does not speak any language. The language of money is no longer a question of power. Money speaks to everyone and goes to only a few. We want greatness, if only we could try to figure something out about the acts of flying and falling.
(Kali Ágnes, the dramaturg of the performance)

Bocsárdi László

László Bocsárdi is a director and theatre manager, one of the most important creators in Romanian and Hungarian theatrical life. His directing career started in Gheorgheni (Gyergyószentmiklós) where, following his six years college theatre experience, founded the first Hungarian language experimental theatre company in Romania, named Figura. Since 1995, he is the Tamási Áron Theatre’s main director and art director, between 2005 and 2022, the theatre’s general manager, presently its vice manager. He received the UNITER prize multiple times, the Jászai Mari Prize, many directing awards at home and abroad, and the Hungarian Republic’s Knight’s Cross medal.

Hungarian Theatre of Cluj

The Hungarian Theatre of Cluj, founded in 1792, is the oldest permanent Hungarian company. It is a repertory theatre, entirely subsidized by the Romanian Ministry of Culture. Under the leadership of general manager and artistic director Gábor Tompa since 1990, the company has become the most awarded theatrical institution in the country.

The Hungarian Theatre of Cluj is a defining element of the city’s cultural identity, having had the status of member of the European Theatre Union since 2008, being, at the same time an active participant within the projects coordinated by the Union. Its productions are representative of an experimental theatrical language, very much connected to current international theatrical trends, while its company is considered to be one of the most important in the country. The theatre’s repertory includes both classical, and contemporary productions, based on pieces stemming from Hungarian and universal literature alike. In addition to Main Hall and Studio Hall performances, the theatre also holds reader’s theatre sessions and organizes community cultural programs. The Hungarian Theatre of Cluj is also the organizer of the biennial Interferences International Theatre Festival, which has been a regular platform for the productions of the UTE member theaters in recent years. The theatre’s own aesthetics, born at the meeting point between the Hungarian theatrical tradition and the Romanian school of directing, is reinforced by guest creators that ensure a sense of continuous spiritual renewal.

Beyond the repertory system meant to meet the needs of a wider audience, the theatre aims to be a venue for creating new needs, and organizing related events – creative workshops, initiation programs, workshops etc. – which beget an open environment, in touch with the needs of its audience. Taking advantage of the benefits of a multicultural environment, the theatre does not only address the local community, or a single language community: all its performances are continuously featured with Romanian and English surtitles. The company constantly participates in the international projects promoted by the European Theatre Union, as it awards a special importance to the representation of local values on the international stage, and to having direct contact with the trends of world theatre, as well as maintaining a dialogue between creators.

During the last three decades, the company has presented guest performances in numerous countries, such as: England, Italy, Spain, France, Portugal, Finland, Poland, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Moldova, Hungary, Colombia, South Korea, Japan, and Russia.

CAST:

Unknown woman – Albert Csilla
Pista – Viola Gábor
Lina – Györgyjakab Enikő
Mayor / Secretary to the Mayor – Bács Miklós
Kardics – Dimény Áron
Martiny / Mándy Bálint – Farkas Loránd
Albert / Menyhért – Orbán Attila
Clerk at the Savings Bank – Kiss Tamás
Uncle Berci – Bíró József
Magdaléna – Imre Éva
Aunt Kati – Varga Csilla
Adél – Kicsid Gizella
Péterfy – Gedő Zsolt
Citizens – Bíró Gergő, Fazakas Hunor, Filep Gergő, Tulogdi Botond

Directed by: Bocsárdi László
Set design: Bartha József
Costume design: Cs Kiss Zsuzsanna
Choreography: Bezsán Noémi
Director’s assistant: Dávid Helga
Stage manager: Zongor Réka
Dramaturgy: Kali Ágnes
Light design: Bocsárdi László
Lighting consultant: Bányai Tamás
Text adapted from the novel of the same name by: Bocsárdi László, Kali Ágnes

Duration: 3 hours with one intermission / 14+

the language of the performance: HU

subtitle: RO, EN
Premiere: 5th February, 2023