TALK WITH IMRE CSUJA
ÖRKÉNY AND
FRONT THEATRE
Talk with Imre Csuja
The Tót Family has been a successful production of the Örkény Theatre for four
years. What is its secret, why do viewers like it?
Imre Csuja: It is first of all István Örkény’s merit. The wonderful
Örkény-language has an incredible musicality, which we, actors fill with
creative ideas and life. The form created by our dramaturge, Ildikó Gáspár
helps us in this, too. She has brilliantly coined the short novel, the film and
the previous play, so a new play was born; this is what we perform, including
the describing parts next to the dialogues. It is a real delicacy for us actors
because we can sometimes step out of our characters, look at it from outside,
explaining it and then step back. It is amazingly exciting and adds a lot to it.
It is much more than signing the spot with a plate or changing clothes between
the acts. We say what is going on and where we are – and the viewers can enjoy
it as their own visual experience. This way the actors have an opportunity to
act virtuously with open changes on the stage and thus the audience also gets
more. The production has strong dynamics and rhythm; it is like a big symphony.
Not to mention those real characters created by Örkény, who are pleasures for
the actors to play and pleasures for the audience to identify themselves
with.
How can get topical songs that represent a different genre into the production?
Imre Csuja: There are certain dramaturgical points where they fit perfectly.
They have become organic parts of the performance. And all of them are related
to war situations, like for example ‘Somewhere in Russia...’ or I croon
‘Breeze, fly far today, fly far, like a hawk in the sky, a soldier is standing
on the Russian land...’ with that emblematic chirping torch in my mouth.
How much improvisation is there in the performance?
Imre Csuja: There is no improvisation; we brainstormed a lot during the
rehearsals. Pál Mácsai had a dream how he would like the play and we tried to
realise it. For example we did a lot of thinking how we should start the second
act. After a lot of ideas some of us suggested that it should be minuet-like,
which would symbolise our confinement. With this method we found out everything
step by step, accepting that even a bad idea can be good if we develop it, it
would jerk us. We brought ourselves to this kind of thinking.
This world may look strange and timeless… Elegant evening dresses, accessorised
with some typical but seemingly not fitting props like Tót’s fireman helmet.
Imre Csuja: We tried to recall the world of front theatres. The world war
period, when actors set up and visited fighting soldiers. There were neither
sets nor costumes just their glad rags and a couple of things indicating who
was who. ‘Theatre is where I step on the stage’ – said Kamill Feleki, and our
performance suggests the same. This is my most favourite role at the moment.
Who are the viewers of The Tót Family?
Imre Csuja: Absolutely mixed people. Some are older who probably saw the film and
have the ‘aha experience’ and the youth who meet the story for the first time.
It is compulsory writing and they are happy that we play it. They come because
it is convenient for them and then leave with enthusiasm. They wait for us to
ask for an autograph with glittering eyes saying how much they have enjoyed it.
Why is it good to play Örkény?
Imre Csuja: He speaks this language wonderfully; it is amazing how he writes.
What a sentence this is, for example: ‘According to the procedure of the
Northern Hungarian Village Fire Department the vertical axis of a fireman’s
body and the horizontal axis of the fireman helmet must make a ninety degree angle.’ Or the text that we call the clock monologue: ‘A clock always shows the
precise time in principle. (In case it is not exposed to vibration and we
neglect ageing.)’ It is so enjoyable. Anyway, he is one of the greatest writers
of the 20th century.
Have you been on a tour in the country with The Tót Family?
Imre Csuja: We played it in a gymnasium at the ‘Ördögkatlan Festival’, in
Villány at about seventy degrees Celsius, we were sweating like hell but the
love of the audience made us forget everything bad.
Have you ever been to Gödöllő?
Imre Csuja: Of course! For example last year I presented my performance ‘Tell
me a poem, Imi’ in the Royal Waiting Room. In the afternoon I told poems to
children and in the evening I had an extended version for adults. I look
forward to this meeting; I hope Gödöllő will love our The Tót Family.
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