19 January 2013
Main stage
Machiavelli’s
the Mandrake was written five centuries ago. Back then the play was enormously
bold with it’s critiques of society, morality and character of the times. It is
not a surprise then that János Háy decided to re-write and further develop this
play: it’s controversial nature, it’s ideal mixture of love and intrigue allows
Machiavelli’s play to pose questions to a contemporary audience as well.
Machiavelli’s and Háy’s narratives are almost the same, both spring from the
fountain of classical comedic styles, uses their well-developed tools,
characters and plot twists. The main difference between the two is the language
used. Háy makes Machiavelli’s play all the more contemporary with risqué style
and references. The change of place is also an interesting choice: instead of
Florence, the plot takes places in the Wild West. The scene is an alienated
town in the middle of nowhere far from all God’s creatures, where aside from
the regular gunshot sounds, a few lynchings here and there, barely anything
ever happens. Into this dustbowl does Callimaco return who in his youth
searched for the one and only, untouched Love in mundane and large cities
frolicking around the skirts of many dubious women. The aim of his desires this
time is Lucrecia, the Wild West’s maybe only innocent and untouched woman. From
the desire of Callimaco, the desire for the unattainable, springs this plot of
chicanery and goes through many loops of intrigues, bribes, lies, frauds into
the dubious final moments in order for a pint of Mandrake brew put an end to it
all.
Callimaco
Ligurio
Siro
Nicia
Juan
Sostrata
Lukrecia
Pap
Woman
Composer:
Apostolache Kiss Zénó
Set and costume design:
Damokos Csaba
Directed by: Kövesdy István