Many of you may reflect on what to do with your free time, the new lockdown gave us. Quarantine body, a new bread recipe, maybe starting a knitting workshop? Unfortunately, the cinemas and theatres are closed. Are they not? Keep calm, our cultural improvement can continue online, thanks to modern times’ invention: streaming. I have collected some of my favourite online theatre pieces, to recommend for You as a form of relaxation.
Let’s start with one of the most famous theatre: the Madách Theatre. They started their online theatre called “SzínpadON” in November with a program called Madách Decameron. Their main goal is to provide a possibility for entertainment to theatre lovers not only from Budapest, but from all around and beyond the country in this dreadful pandemic. You can only live stream their plays, watching the recording is not possible. They have two pieces on their program right now: I Take Your Hand in Mine (Örökké fogd a kezem) and Same Time, Next Year (Jövőre, veled, ugyanitt).
I Take Your Hand in Mine is a drama telling the story of Chekhov and his love, Olga Knyipper, based on their love letters. Before the play, we will be introduced to the protagonists and the literary time by Krisztián Nyáry literature historian.
Same Time, Next Year is a comedy written by Bernard Slade, famous on Broadway and in many countries around the world. The protagonists of the story are Doris and George, who – although they are both married – spend a day in every year together. Over the years, their affair turns into a deep human relation.
Örkény Theatre also offers online plays to theatre lovers: “Örkény Stream”. They provide an interactive theatre experience: spectators can chat with each other, and in some cases, they will also organize meet-and-greets online. The experience is made even more memorable thanks to effects and film extracts and to special camera angels like body cameras.The spectators can also decide whether they watch the play from an angle chosen by the broadcasting director or choose the position by themselves. The program consists of three plays at the moment: My Mother’s Hen (Anyám tyúkja), Now Tell Me, Pista! (Azt meséld el, Pista!), Ferenc Molnár:The Swan (Molnár Ferenc: A hattyú).
Now Tell Me, Pista! is an exceptional piece. „What would happen if one day István Örkény (Hungarian Writer) appeared again, in an actor, in a theatre, sat down, took a breath and started talking about his life – sometimes standing up – and then disappeared again?” This evening the writer appears in a body of an actor – Pál Mácsai.
Ferenc Molnár: The Swan is a comedy about the desperate efforts of the widowed Princess Beatrix, who wants to rebuild her family’s power by forcing her daughter, Alexandra to get married. Funny and light-hearted amusement for another evening from the safety of your home.
The Magyar Theatre, Katona József Theatre, Comedy Theatre of Budapest, Operett Theatre of Budapest, and many others also offer online entertainment. Feel free to use these possibilities!
In the end, let me quote Shakespeare’s famous sentence „All the world’s a stage” with a small alteration: „All the world’s an auditorium”.