Andras Demeter decided: "No Hamlet
- Let Ham!"
by
DARVAY NAGY Adrienne
What
should do an actor who has usually played Shakespeare in three different
languages, and became state theatre Director in age of 24 (see my
"Publications"), but today being the Head of the "Production
House" of the Romanian Public Television, without proper financial
support, with a lot of anniversaries on his head?
Just
200 years ago, when the first theatrical performance in Romanian language held
in the capital of Moldavia, no professional actors were playing, however there
was enough money. But fanatic and sometimes very poor theatre people always
want to do their job. In spite of insufficient monetary situation, they have
usually gathered to play once or twice or more, depends on the public.
Inevitably
for performing you have to have players...
So,
András Demeter, who already turned a minority institution on the brink of
closing into an internationally renowned Hungarian Theatre from 1993 to 2005, one
of the best one in Romania, and founded the 'Comedians' Feast' in 1996 at
Timisoara as well, decided to invite his voluntary, zealous, talented
colleagues of the whole Romanian Television, speakers, producers, presenters
etc. (originally actors, or not at all) to put on stage together a play for
broadcast as the newest tv-theatrical premiere just on the 60th birthday of the
National Television Theatre, today led by him.
Actually
the very first Romanian Tv-theatrical production in 1957 at Bucharest was
transmitted on the 10th of August. It means that in hottest Summer it is not
allowed to play for example the "Hamlet"
– on the contrary, you have to "let ham" as ’an exaggerated
theatrical style’ in strict sense of the word. (See:
https://www.merriam-webster.
The
choice was PIATRA DIN CASA (’Stone
in the House’), about thirty years younger than the first Romanian-speaking
production in 1816. It was written by Vasile
Alecsandri (1821–1890), an important Romanian poet, playwright, politician
and diplomat, on a shipboard in Italy, on the way to Sicily, for entertaining his
beloved Elena Negri. The theatre premiere was also in Jassy in 1847 with music
by Alexandru (Adolf) Fletchtenmacher
(1824 – 1898), composer of the first Romanian operetta, originally a German
violinist, conductor, pedagogue, becoming one of the most influenced Romanian
musicians of his time. This one-act play is perhaps an adaptation, an allusion
to the difficulty of young girls getting married in those times. Because the
’stone in the house’ is in fact Marghiolita, the marriageable girl whose mother
wishes to be rid of her in order to get married again herself to Herr Franz
Birman...
Naturally
’Her Franţ Birman, the German doctor’ is played by the Hungarian actor, Demeter András. The title-role is
impersonated by Corina Danila, a
popular presenter who is also a professional actress. "Cucoana Zamfira,
her mother" is Carmen Movileanu,
a TVR-producer since about 40 years. Both ladies have the same project in TVR,
an entertaining talk-show: Ieri – azi –
maine (’Yesterday – Today – Tomorrow’) fit well to the performance made by
the ’Casa de Productie – TVR’. All the
cast is entertaining, and the production itself turns into a kind of happy
time-journey in the old Romanian theatre history.
Sixty
years ago the first tv-theatrical premiere was transmitted live. In 2017, Teatrul National de Televiziune broadcasted
its newest production in direct again. But not only on channels TVR2 and TVR
plus. Due to the 21st century, it was able to follow live through social media
(Facebook, YouTube) as well. A
vaudeville from the past was played as an expressive farce in present, like a
birthday present – having presented even for the future, in recorded form.
Spectators
are mostly satisfied, even grateful. Except for a few "serious critics"
having become shocked. So it is a real success. You can see some performances
in September on the stage at ’Teatru In TVR’, or you have always possibility to
enjoy PIATRA DIN CASA on internet. It's worth checking out. If you want to
laugh. If not, I recommend you to read nervous critics…
DARVAY NAGY Adrienne
theatre writer, historian, "Hamletologist"
Budapest, Hungary
https://hu.
theatre writer, historian, "Hamletologist"
Budapest, Hungary
https://hu.
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