May, 21., at 8 p.m. Tristan and Isolde arrived with guest appearance actors of the Mini Theater Ljubljana to present a joint performance with the Budapest Maladype Theater. The play took place at the University of Theater and Film Art’s Odry Stage in Budapest … (The Odry Stage is the university’s own theater for actor and theater director training workshop for students. Also, the general public may visit to see the first professional acting that takes place).
It was somewhere around an hour in time of the play and surely switched the minds of the audience into another world, by the young talented Slovenian actors bringing on stage their awesome presentation of Tristan and Isolde. The story went on with minimal tools, focusing on man and woman, examining the delicate balance of relationships, hovering between onwards and upwards, dream and reality, life and death and a bunch of surprise and impression printed in their acting by director Zoltán Balázs.
The performance was in English language as previously said in the herald news, and for the non-English speaking audience it play was subtitled in Hungarian language. This was the first occasion to bring a foreigner play to Budapest between the co-operation of the Mini Theater Ljubljana and the Budapest Maladype Theater.
The Tristan and Isolda was a superb play even though the actors did not have had to blast into the others words. Mainly relayed on the non-verbal motions and it seemed as the play was mainly based on their improvisations.
Worthwhile to mention the names of young Slovenian actors superb performances who last year graduated at the theater Academy in Ljubljana and seemed to be a very well-knit company casting: Vesna Kuzmic, Ana Urbanc, Jernej Čampelj, Robert Korošec, Rok Kunaver, Tadej Piše, Marko Ujc.
The Tristan and Isolda production in 2012 was selected to be in the competition at the 47th Maribor Borštnik Festival.
Knowing the original story of Tristan and Isolda, it was really something to see this piece a performance from another ankle, a completely different presentation and more to it, it communicated well and in a way provoked the viewer’s attention which was the concept and the director’s Mr. Zoltán Balázs goal within this performance. The dramaturgy was Judit Góczán, set design and costumes: Ana Savić Gecan, assistant director: David Cerar, production manager: Sylvia Knight.
Unfortunately, this was a one-act presentation, and seeing the theater was absolutely full, showed interest to the young Slovenian actors play and indeed be worthwhile to have the possibility to have a presentation more than once upon the stage. In the meantime having high hopes the Odry Stage will bring some more English-speaking actors with their play to Budapest in a short time again.
Update and snaps by Aggie Reiter