The Life of Galilei

Bertolt Brecht

National Theatre, Budapest, Hungary

Director: Sándor Zsótér

2 hours 5 minutes, without breaks.

The Life of Galilei is perhaps Brecht’s most personal work for the stage. Why? Because Galilei was himself the embodiment of curiosity. “I must know,” he says, a bit ashamed, a bit defensive, as he destroys his daughter’s happiness and begins to undertake experiments again, the prohibition issued by the Inquisition notwithstanding, in order to prove that the earth does indeed revolve around the sun. This torturous and at the same time joyous “must know,” this ever-present sense of doubt even with regards to his own findings, the day-to-day work of experimentation, with all its frustrations and setbacks, all these things were personal for Brecht, as were the risks taken with one’s own life and the lives of others, the many disappointments, the compromises, and the painful confrontations with compromises. Respect for the joys of life was also personal, the joys of eating, drinking, a good book, a captivating poem, a new idea, humor, shrewd irony, and even bitter self-irony.

Since 1998, Sándor Zsótér has been directing plays by Brecht. He has always been fascinated by Brecht’s sagacity, common sense, and insight into the riddle of life and, most importantly, the complexities of people. He is also captivated by Brecht’s freedom and the modest sentimentality of his poetry, as well as his openness and unsparing quest for truth. (Júlia Ungár, dramaturge)

Színészek/Actors: Trill Zsolt, Törőcsik Mari, ifj. Vidnyánszky Attila, Trokán Nóra, Kristán Attila, Mátyássy Bence, Kiss Andrea, Mészáros Martin, Nagy Balázs, Nagy Márk, Szép Domán

Díszlettervező/Set designer: Ambrus Mária; Jelmeztervező/Costume designer: Benedek Mari; Dramaturg/Dramaturge: Ungár Júlia; Súgó/Prompteur: Sütő Anikó; Ügyelő/Stage mistress:Kabai Márta; Rendezőasszisztens/Assistant director: Kolics Ágota

Zsolt Trill

Attila Vidnyánszky Jr. m.v.

Nóra Trokán m.v.

Andrea Kiss m.v.

Attila Kristán

Bence Mátyássy

Martin Mészáros

Péter Herczegh

Márk Nagy

Domán Szép

Set designer

Mária Ambrus

Costume designer

Mari Benedek

Dramaturgist

Júlia Ungár

Music

Bence Mátyássy

Balázs Nagy-Koltai

Domán Szép

Prompter

Anikó Sütő

Stage manager

Márta Kabai

Assistant director

Ágota Kolics

Director

Sándor Zsótér

Kaszás Attila Stage

Sándor Zsótér

Sándor Zsótér was born in Budapest, 1961. He is a director, dramaturge and actor, who has starred in leading roles in several Hungarian films. Zsótér studied at the University of Theatre and Film Arts, Budapest. After his graduation in 1983, he started working as a dramaturge in Zalaegerszeg. He continued his work in Szolnok in 1985, then a year later in Budapest in the Radnóti Theatre, to settle in Nyíregyháza in 1990. He has been directing since 1991. Zsótér continued his work as a director in Miskolc from 1992. In 1991 he was asked for the leading director’s position in the Theatre of Szolnok by György Spiró. He has worked for the National Theatre of Szeged from 1996, for the Radnóti Theatre, Budapest from 1999. He has been teaching at the University of Theatre and Film Arts since 1996, and at the Department of Theatre Studies, University of Veszprém.

Gallery