Who has heard Empedocles’ story once will never forget it. He was the man who jumped into the Etna. This unique way of suicide is not only creepy, but it hints a lot. It would tell a lot even if the history was noted it, the once Sicilian who suffered it, had been philosopher, politician and a poet. it indicates the need for being different even in his death, it is „hubris”, a tragic mistake.

There are only few actions, which can be more than itself. Johann Friedrich Hölderlin may have thought it to be a good topic because of it, who dealt with the ancient hero in many of his dramas and dramatic fragments. Many exceptional works during his poetic career which was ended soon at the beginning of the 19th century because of his madness. After his three opuses the clearly written version was born, which has been worded by Judit Góczán, the dramaturg and Zoltán Balázs, the director that way it only suggests his strange, horrific death by fire. He does not suggest it with any theatrical tool, he may feel that it would not fit to his unique style. As if his soul just flies away from – the double souled – Empedocles.

Individuality always shows evident signs. It can be told about Zoltán Balázs, who sometimes creates his performances with the Maladype Troupe and sometimes with the Bárka Theatre, sometimes he mixes the two, like now in the big hall of the later one. He has those kinds of colleagues who also can create their own unique worlds, in case of vision and sounding too, and they tend to follow him towards new directions. But I will talk about it later.

Black and white again. On a long-long table the cloth is white, and at the ends of it there are trees with white branches. Empedocles who sits at the head of this table is wearing a white fur coat. Manes who is doing the ceremony of setting and he is wearing black tail-coat, with wings reaches the ground, and a black hat. The Agrigentine men are wearing white trousers, white vests and white wigs. On women there are black wigs, white lace veils, white skirts, white belts and corset-like tight and rigid tops from which their breast are hardly become visual. Judit Gombár can soften the whites and blacks who are arguing as yeses and nos. The female skins are looming, the redness of lips are waving.

Vowels are held out; the consonants are snapping again. Percussion instruments, which are following the movements, can emphasize the meaning, sometimes they divide and then connect. Which is composed by László Sáry is played by Kornél Mogyoró, as well as by the actors, for example in the recitativo like dialogue before the final. Meanwhile there are terzets and choirs before, which together with the movements that are connected to them, can make us surprise but may not convince us.

This innovative try cannot be questioned, it goes towards characters and humour. It is a group of cha-cha-cha dancers on the stage of theatre. But the three men who are singing rap is stranger than revealing. Mainly the Gypsy rhythm can find their place in this choreography, which meaningful texture is given by slow movements, reserved gestures and stylization which is about artistic care. Where we can see closed fingered hands again and again, the vision of those death-like rigid, opened fingers will be emphasized which we can see risen up in the end, in the light of the candles on the set table, which is decorated by flowers and candles.

This ending picture seems to be a catafalque. It does not say good bye only to Empedocles but to the others too. All those – from the society, from the crowd, maybe from us - , who has thought him to be god first, then condemns him, then after all they would accept him to return to them with a late gesture of the wise man, who is different from them, and above all he has found the meaning of his existence in his difference. That is why the peak point of the performance is the scene of monologue, where Artúr Kálid rises up to euphoria Empedocles’ determination to death. At about this time Balázs Dévai as Manes has talked for the first time, with the same stress as he did the ritual setting before. We all have to practice the weight of presence to the audience. As well as Kristóf Horváth as Pausanias who shows serving devotion and loyalty, and the turncoat trio of Zoltán Oláh, Rodrigó Balogh and Gábor Szabó, who have changed identities too. From the women stands out Éva Bakos’ fanatic hatred as a priestess, next to the more vivid Erzsébet Soltész and more reserved Olga Varjú. In the triad of young girls, Kamilla Fátyols shows an opening personality, Gabriella Varga is a matured elegance and elevated grace, while Nóra Parti’s Panthea is in love, she is vivid and sensual and shows a partner in love too.

The outstanding form of culture has always been characteristic to Zoltán Balázs’ works in theatre, and it is here again. Maybe the barbaric surrounding of Theomachia had stronger vision than Empedocles, which reflects the taste of the antique South and of Hölderlin’s era and ours as well. Meanwhile it is evident as the Hermeticism of the director’s world, its sterilized closed nature has opened a little bit, its abstractness almost gives place to the story. We have the possibility to see the shocking death of the hero again. We do not only notice a sign, but we are crying because of a person. Sense and sensibility – they are not against each other at all.

Erzsébet Bogácsi, Kritika, 2006

(translated by: Veronika Fülöp)