Chicago theatre performance in the spirit of Polish-Hungarian friendship
"How to Explain the History of Communism to Mental Patients" by Matei Visniec - The performance at Chicago's Trap Door Theatre was held in the spirit of the legendary Polish-Hungarian friendship and also bears the mark of internationalism – a Polish theatre in Chicago, a Hungarian director, a work by a Romanian writer living abroad – in the spirit of experimental modernity.
I have long been aware of one of the most influential figures in contemporary drama internationally - says Budapest-based director Zoltán Balázs during our conversation - but we only met in person in the summer of 2011 at the Sibiu International Theatre Festival, where my company, Maladype Theatre, successfully performed Georg Büchner's play Leonce and Lena. Our first conversation was followed by others, and in December 2014, we hosted Matei in Budapest, where we presented his work "The story of the panda bears told by a saxophonist who has a girlfriend in Frankfurt". The performance, in which almost every scene was staged in the style of a different painter, was a hit with audiences and professionals alike. The performance was followed by an intimate conversation, during which the author shared his thoughts on the world, literature, and theatre. It was then that he first mentioned the name of Beata Pilch, artistic director of the Trap Door Theatre in Chicago, whose personality and ideas about theatre production showed many similarities to what Maladype Theatre, which I founded, represents. From there, it was only a few steps to a personal meeting with Beata in Krakow, and preparations began for the guest production in Chicago. When choosing the play, we both preferred Matei Visniec's “How to Explain the History of Communism to Mental Patients”.
What is the message of the play: to forget or to warn against the dangers of communism?
I believe it is important to maintain the collective memory of humanity and the individual responsibility of people belonging to different regions, ethnic groups, and cultures in relation to what they can represent and do in their immediate environment or in the world as a whole. That is why I believe that evaluating and analysing the lessons learned from past experiences can greatly help us avoid repeating the same mistakes. The ambiguous statement at the end of the play, uttered by Yuri Petrovsky, carries an important message: "Stalin is not dead...", meaning that his "spirit" and "legacy" still live on and haunt us...
Communist mistakes, abuses? You only lived through the regime for a short time, as a young child.
Only for a short time, but long enough to witness black cars stopping in front of our house; strangers searching our home and take my grandfather away on trumped-up charges - says the director, who is originally from Cluj-Napoca - During the final period of communism, in my childhood, I thoroughly absorbed the atmosphere of fear and anxiety that permeated everyday life, burdened by informants and denunciations, and I became aware early on of the blocked processes that stood in the way of a young person thirsting for freedom.
Where did your passion for theatre come from?
As a small child, I wanted to be a dedicated circus performer, an acrobatic clown, which my aristocratic family was not particularly happy about. At the age of six, I ran away with a traveling troupe, but they noticed my disappearance in time and stopped the caravan. So, after my circus plans were thwarted, I looked for new love and new adventure, and the path led me to the world of theatre.
Do you mind if I use the expression "holy madman" in relation to you? Hungarian poet Csokonai already said that anyone who becomes a poet in Hungary is a fool, but nowadays it is not easy anywhere in the world to create a theatre from nothing. As far as I know, you are using the proceeds from this American tour to maintain your theatre in Budapest...
Unfortunately, what Csokonai said was right then and is still right now; running an independent theatre in Hungary today, which is supported exclusively by grants, corporate and private donations, and donations from theatregoers who love and support our theatre, is like being stranded on a desert island where you can only survive on coconuts and seafood...
What are your plans for the near future?
As an actor, I am currently rehearsing the role of Richard III in Shakespeare's play. After that, I will once again stage a Matei Visniec play in the frame of an international co-production, titled Dada Cabaret, written by the Romanian-born author living in France to mark the centenary of the Dadaist art movement. The play is based on the collage technique typical of the Dadaists and uses the language of the total arts to address current issues and phenomena in the world. The play is based on collage techniques, typical of the Dadaists, and uses the language of different art forms to address current issues and phenomena in the world.
Do you intend to return to Chicago? When and why?
The performance at the Trap Door Theatre – thank God! – was well received by both audiences and critics, and every performance was sold out, which fills me with great joy. The widespread positive feedback is particularly valuable to me because it confirms the talent and work of the actors and other members of the crew, who invested a great deal of energy during the nearly two-month rehearsal process in developing and representing the common theatrical language that was part of my concept for the future performances. I met wonderful actors who demonstrated openness and humility towards new theatrical impulses during our work together. Beata Pilch's many years of avant-garde theatre work, based on process thinking and bringing verbal and non-verbal stage signals to life with unexpected and bold acting solutions, plays a major role in this integrative working method, which is also evident on the part of the actors. I am always happy to return to Beata Pilch's theatre workshop, which has a strong character.
Etelka Tatár, Hungary, Kultúra Chicago, 2016
Translated by Lena Megyeri
I have long been aware of one of the most influential figures in contemporary drama internationally - says Budapest-based director Zoltán Balázs during our conversation - but we only met in person in the summer of 2011 at the Sibiu International Theatre Festival, where my company, Maladype Theatre, successfully performed Georg Büchner's play Leonce and Lena. Our first conversation was followed by others, and in December 2014, we hosted Matei in Budapest, where we presented his work "The story of the panda bears told by a saxophonist who has a girlfriend in Frankfurt". The performance, in which almost every scene was staged in the style of a different painter, was a hit with audiences and professionals alike. The performance was followed by an intimate conversation, during which the author shared his thoughts on the world, literature, and theatre. It was then that he first mentioned the name of Beata Pilch, artistic director of the Trap Door Theatre in Chicago, whose personality and ideas about theatre production showed many similarities to what Maladype Theatre, which I founded, represents. From there, it was only a few steps to a personal meeting with Beata in Krakow, and preparations began for the guest production in Chicago. When choosing the play, we both preferred Matei Visniec's “How to Explain the History of Communism to Mental Patients”.
What is the message of the play: to forget or to warn against the dangers of communism?
I believe it is important to maintain the collective memory of humanity and the individual responsibility of people belonging to different regions, ethnic groups, and cultures in relation to what they can represent and do in their immediate environment or in the world as a whole. That is why I believe that evaluating and analysing the lessons learned from past experiences can greatly help us avoid repeating the same mistakes. The ambiguous statement at the end of the play, uttered by Yuri Petrovsky, carries an important message: "Stalin is not dead...", meaning that his "spirit" and "legacy" still live on and haunt us...
Communist mistakes, abuses? You only lived through the regime for a short time, as a young child.
Only for a short time, but long enough to witness black cars stopping in front of our house; strangers searching our home and take my grandfather away on trumped-up charges - says the director, who is originally from Cluj-Napoca - During the final period of communism, in my childhood, I thoroughly absorbed the atmosphere of fear and anxiety that permeated everyday life, burdened by informants and denunciations, and I became aware early on of the blocked processes that stood in the way of a young person thirsting for freedom.
Where did your passion for theatre come from?
As a small child, I wanted to be a dedicated circus performer, an acrobatic clown, which my aristocratic family was not particularly happy about. At the age of six, I ran away with a traveling troupe, but they noticed my disappearance in time and stopped the caravan. So, after my circus plans were thwarted, I looked for new love and new adventure, and the path led me to the world of theatre.
Do you mind if I use the expression "holy madman" in relation to you? Hungarian poet Csokonai already said that anyone who becomes a poet in Hungary is a fool, but nowadays it is not easy anywhere in the world to create a theatre from nothing. As far as I know, you are using the proceeds from this American tour to maintain your theatre in Budapest...
Unfortunately, what Csokonai said was right then and is still right now; running an independent theatre in Hungary today, which is supported exclusively by grants, corporate and private donations, and donations from theatregoers who love and support our theatre, is like being stranded on a desert island where you can only survive on coconuts and seafood...
What are your plans for the near future?
As an actor, I am currently rehearsing the role of Richard III in Shakespeare's play. After that, I will once again stage a Matei Visniec play in the frame of an international co-production, titled Dada Cabaret, written by the Romanian-born author living in France to mark the centenary of the Dadaist art movement. The play is based on the collage technique typical of the Dadaists and uses the language of the total arts to address current issues and phenomena in the world. The play is based on collage techniques, typical of the Dadaists, and uses the language of different art forms to address current issues and phenomena in the world.
Do you intend to return to Chicago? When and why?
The performance at the Trap Door Theatre – thank God! – was well received by both audiences and critics, and every performance was sold out, which fills me with great joy. The widespread positive feedback is particularly valuable to me because it confirms the talent and work of the actors and other members of the crew, who invested a great deal of energy during the nearly two-month rehearsal process in developing and representing the common theatrical language that was part of my concept for the future performances. I met wonderful actors who demonstrated openness and humility towards new theatrical impulses during our work together. Beata Pilch's many years of avant-garde theatre work, based on process thinking and bringing verbal and non-verbal stage signals to life with unexpected and bold acting solutions, plays a major role in this integrative working method, which is also evident on the part of the actors. I am always happy to return to Beata Pilch's theatre workshop, which has a strong character.
Etelka Tatár, Hungary, Kultúra Chicago, 2016
Translated by Lena Megyeri