The Appearance of Japanese Theatre in the Hungarian Press and the Performances of Japanese Troupes between 1844 and 1918

Abstract

This paper examines what possibilities people living in the territory of Hungary had at their disposal to learn about traditional Japanese theatre from the beginning of its Hungarian reception, i.e., from 1844 until the dissolution of the Austro–Hungarian Monarchy in 1918. I will explore the image Hungarians had about Japanese theatre at the turn of the 20th century. Based on the first Japanese theatrical troupe’s visit to Hungary, I will provide a textual analysis of written sources and a comparative examination of their performances in three phases. As I will argue, there is a serious contrast between contemporary reviews about the performances of these first troupes and the essays and articles on traditional Japanese theatre published during the same decades. This paper, while analysing this contrast, presents in detail what experiences the contemporary (reading) audience may have had with Japanese theatre and to what extent these experiences were truly authentic.