'This is unpleasant, what is more, cruel theatre, but not in the Artaudian sense. Naked bodies and naked souls are exposed to the eyes of the audience, which is much harder to tolerate than one would expect. It is dollardaddy’s trademark to bring old stories close, be it Ibsen, Strindberg, Diderot or Chekhov. The same happens in this instance, when they work with one of the much disputed texts of twentieth century Hungarian literature. Nobody’s Daughter is a novel by the great writer, Zsigmond Móricz, and is inspired by autobiographical events. A middle-aged man happens upon a physically and psychologically broken teenage girl in the streets, and becomes her patron, lover and father. The piece, directed by Tamás Ördög, gives an account of the ever multiplying consequences of this seemingly simple sentence. The story Nobody’s Daughter tells and shows is the same one that the girl tells her silent audience: the old man. Psychological, physical and sexual violence suddenly gets within our reach, and all we can do, as a silent jury, is try to endure the unbearable.' Tamás Jászay, curator

CREDITS

Written by Bence Bíró and the company.

With: Maté Dezső GEORGITA, János KULKA, Emina MESSAOUDI, Tamás ÖRDÖG, Katalin SIMKÓ, Natasa STORK, Sándor TERHES, Orsolya TÖRÖK-ILLYÉS, Lana VARGA and Virág Jegesi/Luca Varga, Emil Engárd/Rafael Flórián Lévai-Rázsó

Costume: Je Suis Belle - Dalma DÉVÉNYI and Tibor KISS
Dramaturg: Bence BÍRÓ
English translation: Anna LENGYEL
Assistant to director: Rita HERPAI
Special thanks: Marcell DARGAY
Directed by: Tamás ÖRDÖG

REVIEWS

“Árvácska suddenly takes off all her clothes, and you don’t have to wait long for the first (but not last) bloody scene. However, the ingenuity of the play is that it does not want to be performed for effect. All the slaps and displays of nudity have their place; they are there to portray the motivation of the characters.” HVG

“The actors’ physical presence, the nudity, the sexual violence and the child abuse performed in close proximity, have a deeply depressing effect throughout the whole performance. It’s simply impossible to ignore or remain unaffected.” 444.hu

“This is the theatre of reality. The performance of Katalin Simkó, who plays Árvácska, is a shocking theatre event.” Magyar Narancs

COMPANY

Emőke Kiss-Végh and Tamás Ördög are young Hungarian actors and theatre-makers. They are known for their unorthodox shows and projects staged in flats and unusual venues. dollardaddy's (Dollár Papa Gyermekei) is one of the youngest Hungarian ensembles; true risk-takers in every sense. They experiment on the boundaries of real life and theatre in a minimalistic style, with very little set or costume. They re-narrate Ibsen and other classic playwrights, while keeping the characters, the situations and the conflicts, but speaking the lines in their own words. Their original acting style, inspired by the Dogma films, invites the audience to be part of a uniquely intimate relationship with the performers. They are seated inside the "living-room", everything is happening just within their grasp.

Tamás Ördög regularly holds workshops for art students and professionals. He focuses on helping to find one’s personality and natural voice. Participants interpret their own personalities through theatrical characters, and they create scenes on stage based on improvisation primarily, but also using classical dramatic literature. Family and relationships are at the centre of interest. This summer he was invited to Dartmouth to participate in the artist-in-residency programme by the New York Theatre Workshop. He will teach at the University of Theatre and Film Arts from September. 

SUPPORTERS

TRAFO House of Contemporary Arts, National Cultural Fund, HPS Group