THE MATTER OF LIGHT

A reading performance - Based on the book Talking with Angels

National Theatre, Budapest, Hungary

French and Hungarian with English and Hungarian subtitles

1 hours 30 minutes, without breaks.

At the turn of 1943-44, amidst the inhumanity of the Second World War, four young artists hungry for truth begin to talk and ask each-other questions to which they receive unexpected answers; they are given teachings over seventeen months in Budaliget (Budapest), then in Garay Street and in the military sewing workshop converted from the Katalin Home for Girls.

Gitta Mallasz, the sole survivor of the group, transcribes these dialogues, which turn into the book Talking with Angels, now available in 25 languages. These dialogues give strength and hope. They open our eyes to our human dignity, duty and freedom. The eternal teachings are cathartically relevant. They are a wake-up call for us to become HUMAN in the turmoil of our modern world.

French film actress Juliette Binoche is a long-time fan of the book, and after many readings, she now presents it to us on stage. This reading-performance in Budapest is adress rehearsal for a performance in the making, it breathes life into the statements and teachings of Talking with Angels.

"Radiation becomes matter; matter becomes radiation.
Everything in creation consists of force and matter.
These two alone would be 'outer darkness',
but the Creator rests within all of creation.
If you really shine, this is not merely force:
there is nothing more blind than force alone.
THE LIGHT SHINING FROM THE EYES IS A SEEING LIGHT."

(Extract from the book, Dialogue 34 with Gitta)

The reading will be followed by a discussion on the Main Stage with Juliette Binoche, Wajdi Mouawad, Nelli Szűcs, Gyöngyi Kardos and Enikő Sepsi.

With:

Juliette Binoche

Szűcs Nelli

Varga Zsuzsa

Trill Zsolt

Hana Magimel

Páll Ibolya (song, from recording)

Dramaturges: Kardos Gyöngyi, Sepsi Enikő, Juliette Binoche

Visual designer: Kardos Gyöngyi, Liszi Renáta

Director: Wajdi Mouawad