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ASSITEJ Hungary

INTERNATIONAL THEATRE CAMP IN MY LIVING ROOM

Or what it means to make theatre during the period of quarantine Attila Eck, Hungary “What kind of world do…
ASSITEJ Hungary

Budapest-based Kolibri Theatre celebrates its 25th Anniversary

On the occasion of the 25th Anniversary, Kolibri Theatre will organize a 9-day Showcase between the 21st and 29th of…
ASSITEJ Hungary

News from Kolibri Theater – Here Flies the Hummingbird!

Founded in 1992 by Executive and Artistic Director, composer and theatre director János Novák, Kolibri Theatre for Children and Youth…
ASSITEJ Hungary

Foreign Language Teaching Program Kabóca Puppet Theatre, Veszprém

Since 2009, the Kabóca Puppet Theatre of Veszprém, Hungary, has had an ongoing foreign language education program for children of…
ASSITEJ Hungary

ASSITEJ HUNGARY – CELEBRATIONS

ASSITEJ celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. On this occasion, ASSITEJ Hungary organized a celebration in Kolibri Theatre, Budapest. János Novák,…

INTERNATIONAL THEATRE CAMP IN MY LIVING ROOM

24 June 2020 12 h 47 min

By: Louis Valente

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Or what it means to make theatre during the period of quarantine Attila Eck, Hungary “What kind of world do... Read more →

Or what it means to make theatre during the period of quarantine

Attila Eck, Hungary

“What kind of world do you want to live in? And what are you going to do about it? What does it mean to be European? What does the European identity mean when this community is made up of several communities with different traditions?” Maybe these are the questions with which I could best summarise the aspiration that called Europefiction to life.

The aim of this program is to assemble young people and young adults between the age of 16 and 23 to start searching for the answer together as a future laboratory and artistic discussion and platform. This great international project came to life as the product of the collaboration of five German (Ruhr region) urban and youth theatres and five other youth theatres operating in various countries of the European Union (Italian, Hungarian, British, French and Dutch). The German theatres create theatrical productions by collaborating with the theatre of another country under the pretext of a phrase which summarises European values in itself. We, the drama teachers of Kolibri Theatre for Children and Youth (Eszter Gyevi-Bíró and Attila Eck) together with the talented students of the Nemes Nagy Ágnes Secondary School of Arts from Budapest, began working together with the europefiction group and the theatre professionals (Nina Weber, Anna-Sophia Zimniak, Vera Grugel and Barbara Kölling) of HELIOS Theater from Hamm.

We took the first steps of this three-year artistic and pedagogical collaboration in the summer of 2018 when we drama teachers visited Germany and the camp called PottFiction for a few days. We had the opportunity to get a glimpse of that free, world-bettering atmosphere that is the trademark of the Europefiction; we also met the excellent professionals of Helios Theater (Nina Weber, Anna Sophia Zimniak, Vera Grugel and Barbara Kölling). We ended this meeting with the selection of a phrase under which the two teams could start their work. Our phrase was SOLIDARITY.

In the autumn of 2018 the students from Budapest dived into the work with great passion. The thought that there is a community hundreds of kilometres away with a different native language who also work on the same subject and with whom they are going to create a performance together in the future, filled them with excitement. All this time, they hadn’t even met each other.

This meeting took place in the spring of 2019 when we hosted the youth of Helios Theatre in Pilisszántó (a village close to Budapest) as part of a short creative camp. The experience had an overwhelming impact. Besides showing each other the theatrical studies we have done in the previous six months, we also did the research and trainings together. From a learning and experiencing viewpoint, the most exciting layer of these few days was that we had the opportunity to experience the subtle differences between our theatrical traditions and were able to observe the effects they had on each other.

The first Europefiction camp was held in the summer of 2019, when we performed our joint performance with great success, and we could watch the performance of the other international pairs as well. But this camp wasn’t only about theatre. During these 10 days, the participants could participate in various workshops: graffiti, street art, theatricals, choir, circus arts… It is impossible to enumerate them. At the end of the camp, we did another draw to reveal the new phrase of the last, closing year. Together with the people from Hamm we got the word SHARING.

In the autumn of 2019, we started working again. We were familiar with this rehearsal system; newer and newer theatrical studies were born. We were excited about spring 2020 when we would meet in Pilisszántó again… but which had to be postponed because of COVID-19…

But despite the pandemic and the constraints of the quarantine, the international intertwining of artistic and pedagogical energies couldn’t be halted! Between the 14^th and 17^th of April we organised the camp online! More than 20 Hungarian and German students and 4 drama teachers were thinking and working every day, in video conferences, on their own and in small groups, in connection to the topic of SHARING.
Our motto for the week was: although we are forced into an unforgiving situation which conflicts with theatrical thinking and in which we don’t have the opportunity to be physically present, let’s turn the circumstances to our advantage and get the most out of it! We, the participants of the program, were really surprised by the kind of productive and deep things we were able to create in the digital world. Scenes on shared screens, multilingual nonsense-haikus, atmospheric videos and illusion-clips were created, connecting everyone’s living rooms. These four days were the theatrical miracle itself!

And maybe this is the kind of miracle that being European means? That even in the wake of the biggest catastrophes we are able to work for the future and create values that give us cause to hope. It is certainly the key to being an artist and a teacher.

Categories: ASSITEJ Hungary
Budapest-based Kolibri Theatre celebrates its 25th Anniversary

16 January 2018 15 h 18 min

By: Louis Valente

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On the occasion of the 25th Anniversary, Kolibri Theatre will organize a 9-day Showcase between the 21st and 29th of... Read more →

On the occasion of the 25^th Anniversary, Kolibri Theatre will organize a 9-day Showcase between the 21st and 29th of January 2018 in which the audience can see its representative productions and guest performances.

Kolibri Theatre for Children and Youth was founded in 1992 by the City of Budapest. Kolibri’s vast and varied repertory of 34 productions per season consists of its most successful productions made for children as young as 0 and up to 18 years of age, offering each age group plays that are suitable for their mental and emotional development.

The Kolibri Theatre for Children and Youth Company photo after the performance the Holy Grail of Megyer, 1994 (Photo by Kata Kádár)

Kolibri Theatre stands out in hosting comprehensive artistic productions ranging from adaptations of Hungarian and world literature to puppet shows, fairytale plays, operas and physical theatre. Kolibri has long been a pioneer in establishing new genres in Hungarian children’s theatre by introducing live music on stage – drawing on both traditional folk and classical music, early years plays, productions for young adult audiences, classroom theatre and new adaptations of classic and contemporary literary works for screen and stage.

Based on the results of a recent research study on theatre-in-education, Kolibri is also ranked as the biggest professional TIE provider in Hungary, reaching the largest number of young people in the country.



János Bán in Algot Storm in 1992 (photo by Kata Kádár) János Bán in Algot Storm in 2016 (photo by HSC Stábiskola)

Kolibri’s various long-term international co-operations (Glitterbird; Small Size; Platform 11+; Platform Shift+) have also contributed greatly to the enrichment of its repertory of early years and productions for youth.

“Our festival program aims to provide an insight into the theatre’s artistic world and achievement of the last quarter century, and to offer unique opportunity for artists, professionals and the audience to meet and share ideas.” – said János Novák, the founder and general director of Kolibri Theatre in his invitation.

In the Jubilant Showcase program, Kolibri presents a selection of performances from its vast repertory which best represent the company’s artistic pursuits, divided into a 3×3-day schedule, each section devoted to a different age group – the Small Size Festival for audiences of 0 to 6 years, Fairy Tales and Opera for ages 5 to 12, and the Platform Shift+ Festival for ages 12+.



The performances will be followed by encounters with the participation of the artists and creators of the plays, as well as theatre critics, publishing houses and agencies. Closing the section of productions for each specific age group on every third day, there will be guest performances by Kolibri’s international partners, followed by round-table discussions involving Hungarian and foreign guests.

Kolibri is proud of its achievements over the past 25 years, and looks forward to continuing to push the boundaries and possibilities of theatre for children and young people over the next 25 years!

The Kolibri Theatre for Children and Youth Company photo of season 2016/2017 (photo by: HSC Stábiskola)

Categories: ASSITEJ Hungary
News from Kolibri Theater – Here Flies the Hummingbird!

4 November 2016 22 h 08 min

By: Louis Valente

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Founded in 1992 by Executive and Artistic Director, composer and theatre director János Novák, Kolibri Theatre for Children and Youth... Read more →

Founded in 1992 by Executive and Artistic Director, composer and theatre director János Novák, Kolibri Theatre for Children and Youth is the only professional children’s and youth theatre in Hungary which has its own company and performs for children from 0 up to 18 years of age. It has three performance venues: the big auditorium in Kolibri Theatre hosts comprehensive artwork productions for 6 to 12-year-olds, featuring actors, puppets, live music and varied stage techniques. The two smaller venues have a seating capacity of 50 each. Kolibri Fészek (Nest) is a theatre room for the youngest audiences staging early year performances and tales often combined with interactive games, while Kolibri Pince (Cellar) hosts productions for young adults. Related to the performances, the theater also offers reading sessions and theatre-in-education programs. Kolibri has a vast and varied repertoire of 33 performances per season: in the season 2016-2017 this includes 3 plays for babies, 19 for children and 11 for young adults. Within the framework of Platform Shift+ and Small Size – Performing Arts for Early Years Kolibri Theatre will create international co-productions as well.

On 3 September 2016 Kolibri Theatre launched the season with its regular open-air family event, the Kolibri Season Opening Festival. 8 productions from all around the country and beyond the borders of Hungary were invited to the festival. In memory of the legendary puppeteer and founder of the festival Henrik Kemény, puppet performances – including the host theatre’s performance Kippkopp and Tipptopp by Veronika Marék – offered the audiences full-day entertainment.
1. 1. picture: Kolibri Season Opening Festival
On 17 September 2016 Kolibri Theater joined the nationwide cultural event Night of Theatres, and offered a variety of programs for families. “Beyond the scene” tours provided an opportunity for visitors to peep in the dressing rooms and other exciting places in the theatre. The Bear Called Sunday was performed in the evening on the big stage, where later actors and other staff members of the theatre recalled funny stories from their careers, accompanied by the Kolibri Big Band.

Following the festivals, Kolibri Theater held three premieres this autumn.

The Owl Who Was Afraid in the Dark by Jill Tomlinson is a puppet play about how to overcome our fears through experience, knowledge and love. Fear is a natural part of life, and it is normal for children to be doubtful and to fantasize about dreadful creatures; however it is also important to show them how these obstacles can be defeated.

Withoutfather withoutmother is a play written by a young Hungarian writer based on two classics of Hungarian literature, Frigyes Karinthy and Dezs? Kosztolányi. The play is about a teenage girl who whose parents are divorced, so she is left alone with no one to count on. She has only two true friends: Dezs? and Frici, two cats who, however, act really strange: they smoke cigars and cite literary works – and help the girl to get through hard times.

Based on Dostoyevsky’s same-titled novel, Crime and Punishment is a classroom monodrama for youth with an interactive drama education program. According to the frame of the performance the modern-day Raskolnikov has to give lectures on crime prevention in schools. In the first part of the play the protagonist is believed to be a real murderer. As the truth is revealed, the audience feels amazement and relief, and is given an opportunity to talk about the concept of sin.
1. 2. picture: Without father without mother
Kolibri Theatre keeps flying to achieve one of its main goals: to make it possible for every child to see a theatre performance appropriate for her age at least once a year.

Categories: ASSITEJ Hungary

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Foreign Language Teaching Program Kabóca Puppet Theatre, Veszprém

25 November 2015 21 h 37 min

By: Louis Valente

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Since 2009, the Kabóca Puppet Theatre of Veszprém, Hungary, has had an ongoing foreign language education program for children of... Read more →

Since 2009, the Kabóca Puppet Theatre of Veszprém, Hungary, has had an ongoing foreign language education program for children of all ages. English language stands as the focus of the project, but in case there is growing need, we are open to including other languages, as well.

As the first element of our program, we introduced a project called Let’s Play, which was a carefully planned educational program where puppetry was used in English language teaching. Our basic concept was that the performance of the actors, the puppets and the storyline can be understood without the in-depth knowledge of a foreign language – when the plot is not too complex, of course. We presented well-known situations on stage, like introductions, greetings, etc., where children could understand the actions well before the spoken words. Comprehension always comes first – and only then are we able to articulate and communicate foreign words and sentences. Still, there is another difficulty that we have to face: it is very common that we are afraid of being laughed at when not using these expressions correctly. Luckily, we realized that puppetry helps to motivate children, to grab their attention, to develop their sense of empathy, and their awakened need for self-expression can be easily used to motivate them to communicate in a foreign language, to leave the “silent stage.” In this project we worked together with several groups of children and their teachers for more than a year, and after each short puppet scene, there were post-show talks and language-focused lessons. The program was a great success but finally it came to an end. And while all participants were satisfied, we felt that somewhere on the way – or on the road – we used puppetry only for educational functions – so we had to find theatricality again.

So, after many years and much thought, we produced a new show, called On the Road, in February, 2014. The performance is presented in English, which is not the native language of any of the actors, but really it could be played in any language. The show reveals a situation familiar to everyone who has ever learned a foreign language or just traveled abroad: our characters are trying to get around at a train station. The exact time and place is never given, but from the costumes, the music and the scenery it is clear that we are in the past and in Great Britain. The characters try to communicate with fellow passengers, understand the announcements of the witty PA system, or they just try to sit on a bench and wait. They have different means of communication because not all of them speak fluent English, or if they do, it is still hard to start using what we all learn in schools, isn’t it? Soon they realize that their common language is animation, and they tell each other stories with the help of the objects found within their suitcases. Animation – as the basic form of puppetry – is a simple and understandable tool to tell stories, and our special story is simple, universal and can be easily taken in by everyone. After many years of experimentation, we believe that people have to use similar associative procedures when watching a puppet show and speaking a foreign language. Our goal is to make a strong connection between the two, so that children, or even adults, can have a special experience in which they can use their knowledge in a very creative way. Our new goal differed from earlier – now we wanted children to see the different levels of speaking a foreign language, to show them different levels of understanding. It is a full and complex story, not just language-orientated basic situations. They can experience through the protagonists what it feels like to finally utter a long-awaited sentence. It is an unusual and unique performance, and we hope that it can be the beginning of an international project.

Our latest English language project is based on our American guest performer, Danny Bain, who created and performs the shows: The Children in the Tree and The Gingerbread Man. Danny (USA) has lived in Hungary since 2010, and studied and performed music all over the world. In his show, he tells various folktales from around the world while accompanying himself on a traditional African xylophone. The performances are interactive, including traditional and original rhythms and melodies, short songs, and a lot of participation by the children (and adults). His stories are in both English and Hungarian, and he has developed workshops for language and musical education related to these performances. For example, through one of the workshops, titled Walking in the Jungle, the children learn about animals and their sounds, which are expressed through various percussion instruments. The instruments add another level to the activity, and besides learning English, the children discover new instruments and develop their musical knowledge. Moreover, the instruments simply provide a more entertaining, hands-on, and memorable experience. Danny’s first children’s book was published in 2015.

This system can work not just in English but in any foreign language. We believe that nowadays we live in such a linguistically complex world that it is a social expectation to speak more than one foreign language – let us just think of the children of the people who migrated to foreign countries, or those traditionally bilingual nations. In Hungary this knowledge is crucial regarding the fact that our native language is very isolated and it is only spoken by a maximum of 15 million people over the world. So this whole idea can be very exciting for an international platform, and we are still open for international partners.

Categories: ASSITEJ Hungary

INTERNATIONAL THEATRE CAMP IN MY LIVING ROOM

Budapest-based Kolibri Theatre celebrates its 25th Anniversary

News from Kolibri Theater – Here Flies the Hummingbird!

Foreign Language Teaching Program Kabóca Puppet Theatre, Veszprém

ASSITEJ HUNGARY – CELEBRATIONS