Dialog Festival

20/20

text: Gianina Cărbunariu, visualisations: Maria Draghici, assistant director, dramaturgy, translation from Hungarian: Kinga Boros, English translation: Mária Albert, premiere: November 2009

cast: Barna Bányai Kelemen, Katalin Berekméri, Paula Gherghe, Mădălina Ghiţescu, Radu Iacoban, András Korpos, Rolando Matsangos, Aba Sebestyén, Cristina Toma, Klára Tompa

“Cărbunariu breaks the silence, the taboos, the fears and the customs of both Hungarian and Romanian theatre, which hardly ever venture outside their own cultures.”

Andrea Tompa

On 19 and 20 March 1990 ethnic riots suddenly broke out in the peaceful Transylvanian city of Târgu-Mureş. The city was and is biethnic and bilingual, with a population nearly half Hungarian and half Romanian. Although street clashes led to fatalities on both sides, there is still no agreement as to what really happened then.

Despite the passage of time the events of those two days still affect the lives and mutual relations of the city residents. The Romanians and the Hungarians are neighbours here, but they live separately; they compete against each other in public institutions; their young people go to different clubs and stick to their own ethnic groups. Gianina Cărbunariu invited five Romanian and five Hungarian actors to work on the production, and with them the whole city, which became involved in the creative process.

The bilingual production has not been conceived to pass judgements, reconstruct events or take sides. Fragments of separate situations, mutually contradictory memories show that there is no single truth that would be accepted by everyone.

“The bilingual production is not about finding out the essence of ethnic conflict; it shows as many truths as there are personal histories. Humour, strong portrayals of nationalism and prejudice, and funny theatrical situations make this a brilliant performance that talks not only about local but also universal problems.”

Andrea Tompa

Coproduction: DramAcum, Bucharest – Romania

The Studio Yorick theatre operates as part of the Yorick Cultural Association. It was established in 2004 on the initiative of the actor Aba Sebastyen in a small but very atmospheric place (a cellar of the Butchers’ Bastion in the historic medieval fortress of Târgu-Mureş). One of the fundamental aims of the new company, which was to be modern and alternative, was to enliven the cultural life in the city. Since 2004, Studio Yorick has produced 11 premieres. The company has been collaborating closely with students of the University of Theatre Arts in Târgu-Mureş. The work of the Association has been supported financially by the municipal and regional authorities as well as the Hungarian Ministry of Culture.