The Balcony

Writer: Jean Genet

Translated by Júlia Ungár

Director: Sándor Zsótér
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The Balcony is a brothel, or, as its manager, Irma calls it: a house of illusions. Where the customers – with prerequisites, stage design elements and costumes – can project themselves into roles which otherwise would be out of reach for them. While we witness strictly secretive role plays in Irma’s room, a revolution rises outside, on the streets. But the clients who have the mark of power on them, fool the rebels and end the rebellion.

Genet continuously plays with imagination and reality. Maybe there is no reality at all, we only play and aspire different roles. We wear more and more masks as our roles multiply. And in the meantime, what happens with life? What can we call life?

Maladype Theatre is an apartment, which has rooms in it, like Irma in her enchanted castle. There’s also a balcony. But this apartment becomes a theatre from night to night, a place for encounters (maladype) of professional and non-professional actors. Theatre and life seeks places for encounters.

Maladype Theatre has staged many french plays so far, among others, Genet’s The Blacks. But Maladype also played Musset, Beaumarchais, Koltés, Jarry, Ionesco, too. Genet’s The Balcony fits into this series.

Cast:

Irma / Chantal: Erika Tankó
Chief of Police / Roger: Zoltán Balázs
Carmen: Ágota Szilágyi
Envoy: Kata Huszárik
Torturer / Arthur: Zsigmond Bödők
Bishop: Balázs Fila
Judge: Sándor Márkus
General: Márton Pallag

Set design: Mária Ambrus
Costume design: Mari Benedek
Dramaturg: Júlia Ungár
Assistant: Lóránd Bartha
Production manager: Katalin Balázs

Opening night: 3 October 2017, Maladype Base