Because of a drop in material support, the festival organisers could not bring some much anticipated productions to the festival, such as the UNITER Prize-winning Rosencrantz and Guildenstern by the Hungarian theatre in Timisoara, or a piece by the Hungarian theatre in Novi Sad, Serbia. Still, there was plenty to see at the festival.
Similar to the National Theatre Convention in Pécs, the Kisvárda Festival is heaven for theatre-lovers, a place where one can see as many as five performances in a single day.
On Thursday, the programme started with Mady-baby, followed by a production of Yevgeny Grishkovec?s Winter, performed by three actors of the Figura Theatre in Gheorgheni, Romania, directed by László Béres. Next came István Tasnádi?s Hungarian on the Moon, in ?quiz show? form, directed by Árpád Tóth.
Around nine in the evening, the official programme ended and the off-programme began. Timisoara?s Csiky Theatre brought Ájlávú ? a transliteration of ?I love you? ? to the stage, and Tamás Gál, from Dunajská Streda, Slovakia, followed with a one-man performance that lasted until nearly midnight.
The critic István Nánay, a long-time Kisvárda Festival-goer, said it was well worth staying pressing through the day to see all of the productions.
Festival Prize-winners
National Resources Ministry life Achievement Prize: Erszébet Halasi of the Szigliget Company of the State Theatre of Oradea, Romania, and Péter Kolár of the Thália Theatre in Kosice, Slovakia
National Resources Ministry Prize: Tamási Theatre of Sfantu Gheorghe, Romania, for their production of The Misanthrope
Homeland Foundation Prize: Yorick Studio of Targu Mures, Romania, for 20/20, and the Csík Theatre of Miercurea Ciuc, Romania, for the production Liliom
Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County Prize: The Harag Company of the North Theatre of Satu Mare for their production of The Three Sisters
The Kisvárda City Prize: Tompa Company of Targu Mures National Theatre, Romania, for their production of Feast
The Kisvárda Castle Theatre and Arts Centre Prize: The Novid Sad Theatre for The Tragedy of Man
Kisvárda Audience Prize: Thália Theatre of Kosice for Somewhere in Europe
Author: Andrea Stuber
