Celebrating the Hungarian Culture Day with an exhibition and a performance

On January 22, the Day of the Hungarian Culture, the Tamási Áron Theater  and the Liszt Institute’s branch in Sepsiszentgyörgy organizes an outdoor exhibition in front of the theatre  followed by the play “Tóték” directed by László Bocsárdi.

This April marks the 110th anniversary of the birth of István Örkény. We would like to pay tribute to the Hungarian writer, winner of the Kossuth prize and  two-time József Attila prize winner, creator of  world-class Hungarian grotesque prose and drama.

The title of the exhibition is Tóték in Szeklerland and it can be seen in the main square for several days. Those interested can hear the sound material of the legendary film entitled Isten hozta, őrnagy úr! by Fábri Zoltán. The film features such excellent Hungarian actors as Zoltán Latinovits, Imre Sinkovits, Márta Fónay, Vera Venczel, Antal Páger, István Dégi, János Rajz, Teréz Bod, Iván Darvas. The audience can also find a little information on the 1967 premiere of the play. From 7 pm the Tamási Áron Theater will stage the play “Tóték” directed by László Bocsárdi.

The play revolves around a bizarre idea, a few strange figures, and a long line of grotesque situations pushing the boundaries of the absurd, during which one leans over laughter, while feeling that one is actually watching the tragedy of World War II. Perhaps this is how the Tóték/The Tóts could be summarized in one sentence, which first appeared in the form of a short novel in 1966, and then a year later István Örkény reworked it into a drama. The piece won the Black Humor Grand Prix as early as its 1970 performance in Paris. 

The Tóts’ only son fights on the Russian front and persuades his superior, who is suffering from nervous exhaustion, to leave the front and find solace from the fatigue of the war with his parents in Mátraszentanna. The major arrives in the mountain village, and the Tót family does everything they can in the hope that the major will take their child on the battlefield under his patronage. In this innocent family story, the author paints an eternal picture of the vulnerability of man of all time, and shows that oppression can intensify to a point when even the most cruel retaliation can be justified. In István Örkény’s sharp criticism, however, compassion and love are present throughout, and the good intentions of the little man can be felt despite the mistakes.

Tickets are available at the Central Ticket Office and online at the Biletmaster.ro ticketing system. The ticket office is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and one hour before performances.