On alternative, avant-garde, progressive, and innovative theatre companies
We often hear that Hungary’s cultural administration is bleeding the so-called independent theatres dry and that, during the pandemic, many of them are facing extinction. It is therefore encouraging to report that work has not come to a complete standstill at Maladype Theatre, which will celebrate its twentieth anniversary next year. We spoke with the company’s artistic director, Jászai Mari Prize-winning actor-director Zoltán Balázs, about the present situation, touching briefly on the issue of the University of Theatre and Film Arts (SZFE) as well.
-“We’re trying to rehearse,” Zoltán Balázs stated, referring to his company’s production of Tankred Dorst’s Merlin, or The Waste Land. Dorst’s work is one of the longest and most complex creations in world dramatic literature—a highly unconventional piece that recounts the story of the Knights of the Round Table with a distinctive sense of humor. It is also a monumental summation of the historical and metaphysical experiences of twentieth-century humanity.
A Revue of Europe
– It is a kind of “historical revue” that speaks about Europe’s past, present, and future. The author originally wrote it for director Peter Zadek, who intended to stage it at Düsseldorf’s fish market in a performance lasting roughly nine hours. The world premiere ultimately took place in 1981 at the Düsseldorf Schauspielhaus. On the fortieth anniversary of the work’s creation, we are planning to present our own version, Merlin, in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut in Budapest and the Düsseldorf festival.
We are approaching this rarely performed dramatic epic in the spirit of what has become characteristic of us—“minimalist monumentalism”—just as we did with previous productions of similarly complex German authors, from Goethe to Hölderlin. Balázs added that the Hungarian premiere was planned for January. Meanwhile, most of the companies commonly referred to as independent—a label he admittedly dislikes—had become effectively unable to operate.
– I have no problem with terms such as alternative, avant-garde, progressive, or innovative. But the word independent is a misleading linguistic inheritance based on a false premise. It suggests “not requiring support from others,” which does not reflect reality at all. Structurally speaking, so-called independent theatres are not independent in the slightest. Their organizational forms and day-to-day operations are heavily determined by grant systems and funding mechanisms.
The independence of Maladype refers exclusively to its spirit and its conception of theatre. It means that we are able to pursue our own creative path and realize our autonomous artistic ideas. The director explained that maintaining a permanent company during the pandemic is almost impossible, particularly for touring ensembles such as theirs. Because of worldwide travel restrictions, they lost numerous festival invitations, and the disappearance of this important source of income represented a major financial blow.
– At the moment, it is impossible to make long-term plans. Nevertheless, Balázs remains hopeful that the internationally successful company, which will celebrate its twentieth anniversary next year, may finally find a permanent venue of its own—one where it can realize its theatrical system in a manner worthy of its achievements and professional successes. Speaking about this system, he emphasized that he considers himself a concept-driven director who acquired the knowledge of company leadership over many years.
The Magic of the Circus
Balázs began his career as an actor. At university, he completed studies in directing alongside his acting degree. He regarded acting as an adventure, the pinnacle of which was his portrayal of Hamlet in Tim Carroll’s production at Bárka Theatre—a performance built on improvisation and active audience participation.
I assumed that, as an artist born in Transylvania, his theatrical thinking had been shaped by the world-renowned Romanian theatre tradition during his youth. But that was not the case. He comes from Sighetu Marmației, on the banks of the Tisza River, where, in the relative isolation of the Partium region, the circus represented the greatest cultural attraction. It is these memories that he draws upon while directing Nine, the musical adaptation of Federico Fellini’s 8½ for the Operetta Theatre.
– My childhood experiences of the circus were decisive in bringing me close to theatre. And I arrived there through a very traditional path: first the drama department of Horváth Mihály Secondary School in Szentes, then the National Theatre Academy, and finally the University of Theatre and Film Arts.
Given that Balázs graduated in both acting and directing, later taught courses, and worked as an instructor at other institutions, I had to ask him about the transformation of SZFE.
In response, the actor-director emphasized that he has strong opinions about the long-running developments surrounding the issue. However, he would prefer to express his thoughts in a longer interview devoted specifically to examining the matter in detail. Capturing the bitter irony of the situation, he concluded by quoting a brief exchange between Agatha Christie’s famous detective duo: Hastings says to Poirot: “It seems this case is becoming more and more complicated!” Poirot replies: “Which means the solution will be astonishingly simple.” The real question, Balázs suggested, is what kind of solution that simplicity will ultimately produce. – Whether it will work or not is something we cannot judge from where we stand today. He encouraged everyone, regardless of which side they belong to, to stand up courageously for their own cause and their own truth.
Capricious and Complex
– My cause has always been theatre. For me, theatre is not merely a concept or an object—it is a person, a living being. It is capricious, complicated, and multifaceted. One should approach it with respect, humility, and genuine curiosity. It must be tamed every day. Its sensitivity and professional integrity must be nurtured and protected. Reflecting on the past two decades, he noted that the Maladype ensemble undergoes a natural transformation roughly every seven or eight years. – I do not feel any need for actors to grow old alongside me. I consider it perfectly natural that a lifestyle built upon intensive collaboration, professional development, and constant renewal will eventually give way to the desire to start a family, achieve financial security, and create more predictable working conditions. I asked him who would perform the older roles if the company was constantly renewing itself. – Fortunately, over the years we have had the opportunity to work with many actors of what I would call a “predatory nature.” He then began listing names: Ilona Béres, Angela Császár, Mari Törőcsik, László Sinkó, Erzsébet Kútvölgyi, Gyöngyi Blasek, Károly Kuna, Olga Varjú, Zoltán Seress, Éva Vándor...
Attila Ditzendy, Magyar Nemzet, 2020
translated by: Zsuzsanna Juraszek
-“We’re trying to rehearse,” Zoltán Balázs stated, referring to his company’s production of Tankred Dorst’s Merlin, or The Waste Land. Dorst’s work is one of the longest and most complex creations in world dramatic literature—a highly unconventional piece that recounts the story of the Knights of the Round Table with a distinctive sense of humor. It is also a monumental summation of the historical and metaphysical experiences of twentieth-century humanity.
A Revue of Europe
– It is a kind of “historical revue” that speaks about Europe’s past, present, and future. The author originally wrote it for director Peter Zadek, who intended to stage it at Düsseldorf’s fish market in a performance lasting roughly nine hours. The world premiere ultimately took place in 1981 at the Düsseldorf Schauspielhaus. On the fortieth anniversary of the work’s creation, we are planning to present our own version, Merlin, in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut in Budapest and the Düsseldorf festival.
We are approaching this rarely performed dramatic epic in the spirit of what has become characteristic of us—“minimalist monumentalism”—just as we did with previous productions of similarly complex German authors, from Goethe to Hölderlin. Balázs added that the Hungarian premiere was planned for January. Meanwhile, most of the companies commonly referred to as independent—a label he admittedly dislikes—had become effectively unable to operate.
– I have no problem with terms such as alternative, avant-garde, progressive, or innovative. But the word independent is a misleading linguistic inheritance based on a false premise. It suggests “not requiring support from others,” which does not reflect reality at all. Structurally speaking, so-called independent theatres are not independent in the slightest. Their organizational forms and day-to-day operations are heavily determined by grant systems and funding mechanisms.
The independence of Maladype refers exclusively to its spirit and its conception of theatre. It means that we are able to pursue our own creative path and realize our autonomous artistic ideas. The director explained that maintaining a permanent company during the pandemic is almost impossible, particularly for touring ensembles such as theirs. Because of worldwide travel restrictions, they lost numerous festival invitations, and the disappearance of this important source of income represented a major financial blow.
– At the moment, it is impossible to make long-term plans. Nevertheless, Balázs remains hopeful that the internationally successful company, which will celebrate its twentieth anniversary next year, may finally find a permanent venue of its own—one where it can realize its theatrical system in a manner worthy of its achievements and professional successes. Speaking about this system, he emphasized that he considers himself a concept-driven director who acquired the knowledge of company leadership over many years.
The Magic of the Circus
Balázs began his career as an actor. At university, he completed studies in directing alongside his acting degree. He regarded acting as an adventure, the pinnacle of which was his portrayal of Hamlet in Tim Carroll’s production at Bárka Theatre—a performance built on improvisation and active audience participation.
I assumed that, as an artist born in Transylvania, his theatrical thinking had been shaped by the world-renowned Romanian theatre tradition during his youth. But that was not the case. He comes from Sighetu Marmației, on the banks of the Tisza River, where, in the relative isolation of the Partium region, the circus represented the greatest cultural attraction. It is these memories that he draws upon while directing Nine, the musical adaptation of Federico Fellini’s 8½ for the Operetta Theatre.
– My childhood experiences of the circus were decisive in bringing me close to theatre. And I arrived there through a very traditional path: first the drama department of Horváth Mihály Secondary School in Szentes, then the National Theatre Academy, and finally the University of Theatre and Film Arts.
Given that Balázs graduated in both acting and directing, later taught courses, and worked as an instructor at other institutions, I had to ask him about the transformation of SZFE.
In response, the actor-director emphasized that he has strong opinions about the long-running developments surrounding the issue. However, he would prefer to express his thoughts in a longer interview devoted specifically to examining the matter in detail. Capturing the bitter irony of the situation, he concluded by quoting a brief exchange between Agatha Christie’s famous detective duo: Hastings says to Poirot: “It seems this case is becoming more and more complicated!” Poirot replies: “Which means the solution will be astonishingly simple.” The real question, Balázs suggested, is what kind of solution that simplicity will ultimately produce. – Whether it will work or not is something we cannot judge from where we stand today. He encouraged everyone, regardless of which side they belong to, to stand up courageously for their own cause and their own truth.
Capricious and Complex
– My cause has always been theatre. For me, theatre is not merely a concept or an object—it is a person, a living being. It is capricious, complicated, and multifaceted. One should approach it with respect, humility, and genuine curiosity. It must be tamed every day. Its sensitivity and professional integrity must be nurtured and protected. Reflecting on the past two decades, he noted that the Maladype ensemble undergoes a natural transformation roughly every seven or eight years. – I do not feel any need for actors to grow old alongside me. I consider it perfectly natural that a lifestyle built upon intensive collaboration, professional development, and constant renewal will eventually give way to the desire to start a family, achieve financial security, and create more predictable working conditions. I asked him who would perform the older roles if the company was constantly renewing itself. – Fortunately, over the years we have had the opportunity to work with many actors of what I would call a “predatory nature.” He then began listing names: Ilona Béres, Angela Császár, Mari Törőcsik, László Sinkó, Erzsébet Kútvölgyi, Gyöngyi Blasek, Károly Kuna, Olga Varjú, Zoltán Seress, Éva Vándor...
Attila Ditzendy, Magyar Nemzet, 2020
translated by: Zsuzsanna Juraszek