Budapest’s National Theatre (Nemzeti Színház) is marking the hundredth anniversary of the First World War I with a play based on a largely unknown piece written by Ferenc Molnár (1878-1952). The early twentieth century author is a household name in Hungary, thanks in large part to his coming-of-age novel, The Paul Street Boys (1907), which is essentially canonical young adult literature throughout the country. The play White Cloud, however, grapples with the topic of war and the vast transformation that Hungarian society lived through between the start of the conflict in 1914 and the imminent collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Written nearly 100 years ago, Mr. Molnár’s work was last presented in the National Theatre in 1916 and then largely forgotten about. The play, at the time, offered a type of escapism for all those who wanted to forget about the horrors of the war. The author’s contemporary, Dezső Kosztolányi, noted that it served as “morphine to soothe the pain.” The original story follows the journey of orphaned children who leave their village, in order to meet with their fallen father on a white cloud.
The current adaptation was directed by Attila Vidnyánszky and opened on September 27th, 2014. It is also being played on September 28th, October 16th and October 21st.
Budapest-based freelance photographer Bea Gergely gives readers of the Hungarian Free Press an exclusive look at this production.
Black Sky, White Cloud at Budapest’s National Theatre. Photo: Bea Gergely.
Black Sky, White Cloud at Budapest’s National Theatre. Photo: Bea Gergely.
Black Sky, White Cloud at Budapest’s National Theatre. Photo: Bea Gergely.
Black Sky, White Cloud at Budapest’s National Theatre. Photo: Bea Gergely.
Black Sky, White Cloud at Budapest’s National Theatre. Photo: Bea Gergely.
Black Sky, White Cloud at Budapest’s National Theatre. Photo: Bea Gergely.
Black Sky, White Cloud at Budapest’s National Theatre. Photo: Bea Gergely.
Black Sky, White Cloud at Budapest’s National Theatre. Photo: Bea Gergely.
Black Sky, White Cloud at Budapest’s National Theatre. Photo: Bea Gergely.
Black Sky, White Cloud at Budapest’s National Theatre. Photo: Bea Gergely.
Black Sky, White Cloud at Budapest’s National Theatre. Photo: Bea Gergely.
Black Sky, White Cloud at Budapest’s National Theatre. Photo: Bea Gergely.
