“I Envision a Beautiful Performance”

Three Experiments in Hungarian Underground Theatre of the 1980s from the Viewpoint of Acting

Abstract

In the study, I examine the work of three Hungarian underground theatre workshops from the perspective of acting. Each of these workshops rejects the traditional theatrical interpretation of roles; consequently, they have to redefine the actor’s task.

In the performances led by András Jeles at the Monteverdi Wrestling Circle, the emphasis was on the frontal, direct interaction between actors and spectators. When creating the performances, actors began their work with images, objects, or texts, projecting the concept of identification, as defined by Stanislavsky, not onto the roles, but onto these elements.

Under the leadership of Erzsébet Gaál, the amateur group in Gödöllő focused on practices involving gestures, movements, and deviant behaviors, aiming to enhance self-awareness and liberation from roles.

Meanwhile, the Szentkirályi Workshop (Lili Monori and B. Miklós Székely) pushed the boundaries in defining acting. In their underground theatrical experiments, they scrutinized the essence and minimum requirement of the actor’s situation to the extent that they even prohibited spectators from attending for extended periods.