So, what is it with these Magyars?

with Móricz Zsigmond Theater
Monday, June 29th at 7pm

An evening of Hungarian drama and humor based on prose and lyrical odes by Petőfi Sándor, Radnóti Miklós, József Attila, Ady Endre and Lackfi János's: "What are Hungarians like?" and "What else are Hungarians like?" Performed in both English and Hungarian.

 

"Many consider them one of the most beautiful people in the world, but they have earned this more through their female members... in the case of the men it is enough if they are "better looking than a tractor". A mysterious nation, a homeland of many legends, clichés and riddles. We will explore these mysteries during the performance, which is based on masterpieces of Hungarian literature and folk culture, some world hits and of course the unquestionable Hungarianness of the performers."

 

"This unique people in the heart of Europe, who rejoice in tears because they have "atoned the sins of past and the future***..." are the owners of many myths, traditions and mysteries. (***-excerpt from the Hungarian national anthem, translated)

 

Its members eat constantly, drink strong alcohol, walk the streets with their heads bowed, constantly curse neighbors, the police, the weather and the state. With tearful eyes, they devour fatty foods swimming in red pepper, listen to the musical accompaniment that whispers to them that despite their wasted lives and talents, they are really not such bad people.

 

They have a pallet of Nobel and Oscar winners; they are the fathers and mothers of many new sciences and inventions... or vice versa! We can thank them for, among other things, the telephone exchange, vitamin C, the ballpoint pen, the phosphorus-free match and the hydrogen bomb. They launched the first metro line in continental Europe... and later World War I as well.

 

They have fought with all of their neighboring nations in one way or another, they have had a lot of failed revolutions and freedom wars, and they are capable of quarreling with each other about anything. It is enough if one of their compatriots is simply a supporter of the rival football team or political party, if he is a vegetarian or if he is a hobby hunter, or just from the neighboring village.

 

Their language is incomprehensible to all other nations of the world, a language full of magical, miraculous word origins indicating sensitivity and ingenuity. The demands for freedom of the press and speech, the beautiful patriotic poems, the beautiful folk songs and novels and short stories about the Hungarian motherland were written in this language. They also have some of the ugliest words, they can express their displeasure in the most expressive and varied ways.

 

They constantly criticize minorities living in their country, yet they are devoted fans of Gypsy music, Jewish traditions, Slavic food, Romanian pop music and Austrian standards of living.

 

There are whiter, browner, redder, thinner, thicker, taller and shorter among them: It is a matter of debate whether they are actually Europeanized Asians or Finno-Ugric-speaking Slavs. Or did they come here from the Urals, Japan or the planet Sirius… where? There is also no global consensus on whether they are the population of the westernmost Eastern European country or the northernmost Balkan country."

 

Let's uncover these mysteries together during the show!

ABOUT: AFHLE, Hungarian House, now celebrating its 60th year of operation, offers cultural programming and community activities that build the American Hungarian community and its local Yorkville neighborhood in NYC. As a non-governmental and non-denominational American Hungarian cultural center in NYC since 1966, the community center has served children, adults, and seniors and as an educational resource for those of Hungarian descent to learn and stay in touch with their customs, traditions and cultural heritage. As a bridge to our American community, many offered programs are in both English and Hungarian and include Hungarian music, history, literature, science, film, theater, language, youth leadership/scouting, dance, and seasonal heritage activities. For newly immigrating Hungarians arriving and getting accustomed to American society we serve as a springboard to integration while providing services that facilitate staying in touch and celebrating Hungarian and Hungarian-American ancestry.