Krétakör director Árpád Schilling called one of the production?s scenes, which plays in the infamous Abu Ghraib prison against, ?an obscene story placed side by side with the United States? world domination.?
Schilling said BLACKland provoked the same gut reaction with all audience members, but audiences were divided when considering the piece at an intellectual level.
?Some understood or seemed to understand and agreed with this type of approach, others understood but rejected it, and there were some who did not understand it at all.?
?For the Russians, anti-American sentiment must involve some form of healthy nationalism, respect and love for Russia,? Schilling said.
?The Russians probably feel this resistance in one direction only, whereas we Hungarians are fed up with every empire that is big and has swallowed us up or will swallow us up,? Schilling said
Scenes from the production which ridicule ultra-nationalist, neo-Nazi, anti-Semitic, anti-Russian and anti-EU sentiments in some Hungarians also incited strong reactions in the Russian audiences.
BLACKland is being performed at Tyerritoria, a ten-day modern arts festival held in one of Moscow?s underground stations. For more information about the festival visit http://www.territoryfest.ru/english.htm
A production of BLACKland shot over three days at Budapest?s Millenáris Theatre by cinematographer Mátyás Erdély has been released on DVD. The DVD contains extra scenes and backstage footage, as well as a special feature about performances of BLACKland outside of Budapest. The DVD has subtitles in English, German and French.
Produced in cooperation with Laokoon Film and distributed by Krétakör, the DVD is available for HUF 2,490 plus delivery by contacting jegy@kretakor.hu It is also on sale at the Palace of Arts, Akadémiai Music Store, House of Future, the Írók boltja bookshop, the Lloyd Odeon Cinema, the Művész Cinema, the Műcsarnok, the Dürer Café, Fonó and the Economy and Law Book Store. Krétakör will also offer the DVD in their offices at Bajza Street 31 between 12:00 and 18:00 on October 16 and 18.
Source: Hungarian News Agency (MTI)
