Prophecy – theater performance
Date/Time
Friday, September 22, 2023 / 18:00 - 21:00
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“…Glorious name of your poet-son, My Mother, live long, forever”
With these lines, Sándor Petőfi ends his poem “Prophecy” in March 1843, which is actually a vision of the development of his own destiny. Ágnes Linka’s play of the same title does not intend to stage a vision, rather it alludes to the content of the poem and looks at Petőfi from a completely new point of view.
It is not the first time playwright Ágnes Linka is dealing with Sándor Petőfi. After her successful performance showing the correspondence between Petőfi and Arany, she definitely wanted to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the poet’s birth in a dignified way. “For months, I thought about how to approach the poet’s short but varied and very meaningful life. I knew one thing: I wasn’t going to use the usual and well-seen aspects. I have come to the conclusion that I will reveal his closest relationships, his family relationships and attachments.” This is how the play “Prophecy” was born, which unravels Sándor Petőfi’s relationship with his mother, father, younger brother, wife and son. Ágnes Linka not only read all of Petőfi’s poems, but also the biographies of his relatives, i.e. Júlia Szendrey, István Petőfi and his son Zoltán. “From this huge material, I selected fourteen poems, as well as an Andersen fairy tale translated by Júlia, among which I wrote life stories, and this is how I recall the life of the Petőfi family in ten episodes.”
The viewer is expected to be enriched with a lot of new information and can find out what Petőfi’s relationship with his parents was really like, how well they were able to be each other’s artistic partners with Júlia, whether the father recognized Petőfi’s talent. The days of Zoltán’s birth also come to life on stage. Emotions, mutual influence, understanding and misunderstanding – the play shows Petőfi through aspects that are by no means usual.
The story starts 3-4 years before Petőfi’s death and continues even after the poet’s disappearance, and the viewer can see into the lives of Júlia, István and Zoltán. Although the poem “Prophecy” is sung on stage, that is not why the play was given this title: “Even in his lifetime he prophesied that he might not live long, but he would live forever in his works. My play indicates that he was truly an emblematic figure, a rare talent.”
The three talented actors, Márta Brunner, Zsolt Siposhegyi and Bence Plaszkó, replace an entire theater company: Márta Brunner, an excellent artist of the Újszínház, portrays Petőfi’s mother and his wife, Júlia. Zsolt Siposhegyi portrays Sándor and Zoltán Petőfi, while Bence Plaszkó portrays István Petrovits Sr. and his younger son, Sándor’s younger brother, István Petrovits Jr. Only a clapper signals the change, but it is enough to put on and take off a hat, a headscarf, a skirt, and the viewer knows and sees that a new character is already telling a story on stage. A thousand different emotions, passion, happiness, jubilation, anxiety, fear, hopelessness take shape before the viewer’s eyes. In the one-and-a-half-hour lively play, numerous set elements, instruments, costumes, props and creative ingenuity serve to provide understanding and emotional purification.
Program:
- 18.00 – Dinner
- 19.00 – Performance: Prophecy
Ticket prices
Performance only:
- Adult: $20
- Under 18: Free
Dinner & Performance – member:
- Adult: $30
- Under 18: $10
Dinner & Performance – non-member:
- Adult: $32
- Under 18: $12
Menu:
 Fried Csabai Sausage with Potatoes |
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 Coffee and Tea |
 Soft drinks, beer, wine, liqueurs and spirits can be purchased at the bar. |
It is not possible to order takeaway.
We can only guarantee the seating for reservations received in time, and dining is by reservations only. Please make yours by noon on Thursday, September 22nd. Reservations successfully submitted through the web are confirmed by e-mail.